NHL Hockey Player News

Mike Matheson (lower body) will return to Montreal's lineup on Thursday, sending Engstrom to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Engstrom is averaging 11:26 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in 12 games this season.

Matheson has not played in over two weeks due to a lower-body injury, but appears to be nearing a return. Before his injury, the 32-year-old Matheson averaged 23:45 time on ice and had four points (1G / 3A) in eight games. Adam Engstrom will be a healthy scratch to accommodate the lineup change.

Kane has not played since suffering an upper-body injury on November 2nd, but could return on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. The veteran 37-year-old forward has been serviceable in his return to Chicago, scoring nine points (1G / 8A) in 15 games.

Kovacevic was limited to 7:25 time-on-ice in New Jersey's previous game, recording an assist before leaving with an undisclosed ailment. The 29-year-old defenseman is averaging 14:40 time-on-ice and has two assists in 13 games, but will be sidelined indefinitely.

With Brett Pesce (illness) out of the lineup, Kolyachonok will draw in for his season debut. The 25-year-old Kolyachonok has bounced around in recently, limited to just 55 games in the past four seasons, spending most of his time in the AHL.

Pesce has been a pivotal part of New Jersey's blueline this season, playing alongside Luke Hughes, but is battling an illness and will miss his first game of the season. The 31-year-old Pesce is averaging 20:59 time on ice and has eight points (1G / 7A) in 19 games. Vladislav Kolyachonok will enter the lineup for his season debut to accommodate Pesce's absence.

Hameenaho was a second-round pick of the Devils in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, but he has yet to play this season. The 22-year-old Finnish forward made his NHL debut last season, scoring eight points (2G / 6A) in 33 games.

Amadeus Lombardi will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Noesen to re-enter the lineup. The 33-year-old Noesen has three points (1G / 2A) in five games this season.

Stefan Noesen will re-enter New Jersey's lineup on Thursday, sending Lombardi to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old Lombardi has four assists in 17 games this season.

MacEwen played 9:13 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, but is dealing with a wrist issue and did not practice on Wednesday. The 30-year-old is averaging 8:17 time-on-ice and has four points (2G / 2A) in 14 games this season.

The well-rested Stars return to action on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars last played on November 7th, when Oettinger saved 20 of 23 shots (.870 SV%) in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. The 27-year-old Oettinger leads the NHL with three shutouts, but he has battled some adversity lately, allowing three or more goals in four of his last five games (4-1-0). The Stars enter Thursday's game as -170 home favourites against a surging Winnipeg Jets team riding a four-game winning streak.

Bussi had a surprising breakout last season as a 27-year-old rookie, ultimately leading the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup Championship. However, early-season struggles and outstanding play from counterpart Pytor Kochetkov have made Bussi a secondary option in 2026-27. The 28-year-old Bussi has played only once in the past three weeks, but he was serviceable, saving 24 of 27 shots (.889 SV%) in a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders. The Hurricanes enter Thursday's game as significant -286 road favourites against the Seattle Kraken, who are 2-3-0 in their past five games.

Grubauer had an encouraging start to the 2026-27 season, but has returned to the inconsistent play that has made him a secondary option in recent seasons. The 34-year-old German goalie has started only once in the past two weeks, in a game where he allowed four goals on 14 shots (.714 SV%) in a 6-2 loss to the Calgary Flames. The Kraken enter Thursday's game as sizeable +248 home favourites against the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

When the Maple Leafs signed Bobrovsky to a three-year, $7 million AAV contract ($21M total) in the offseason, the hope was that he could solidify their crease and return the team to the postseason. That said, Bobrovsky has struggled, and Stolarz has been the more reliable option on most nights. The 32-year-old Stolarz has a solid 2.26 GAA and .929 SV% in his last four games (3-1-0). The Maple Leafs enter Thursday's game as +149 home underdogs against the Central Division-leading Minnesota Wild, who are riding a three-game winning streak.

Ullmark has not played since suffering a lower-body injury on October 21st, with Samuel Ersson helping the Senators stay afloat during his absence. That said, the team is eager for Ullmark to return to the crease, given his outstanding start to the 2026-27 season. The 33-year-old Ullmark has a dazzling 1.33 GAA and .945 SV% in eight games (7-1-0). The Senators enter Thursday's game as slight -106 home favourites against a Colorado Avalanche team that has outscored opponents 10-3 in its past two games (2-0-0).

Greaves is coming off an impressive rookie season but has struggled to start the 2026-27 season, recently losing starts to Cam Talbot, who has been more consistent. The 25-year-old's struggles continued in his most recent outing, as he allowed five goals on 36 shots (.861 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. He has lost four straight (0-4-0), posting a 4.31 GAA and .847 SV%. The Blue Jackets enter Thursday's game as slight +101 home underdogs against a Tampa Bay Lightning team coming off an explosive 8-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres last night. Source Name