NHL Hockey Player News

With Logan Thompson day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Mitchell Gibson has been recalled from Hershey (AHL) for some goaltending depth. The 27-year-old has an undesirable .881 SV% in two appearances with Hershey this season. He has yet to make an NHL appearance in his career.

With Luke Glendening expected to make his Rangers' debut on Saturday, Justin Dowling has been reassigned to Hartford (AHL) in a corresponding move. The 36-year-old appeared in four games with the Rangers during his call-up, picking up an assist and a +2 plus/minus while averaging 7:30 TOI.

Mintyukov was originally announced day-to-day with a lower-body injury but will now be forced to miss at least a week after being placed on IR on Friday. The 22-year-old had two goals and five SOG in nine games to start the season. Travis Mitchell has been recalled from San Diego (AHL) in a corresponding move.

Ekholm's head hit the ice hard after a hit in a scary incident in Thursday's game. It's unclear how much time Ekholm will be sidelined, but he will not play on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Levi did not practice on Friday and has been ruled out of Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Head Coach Mike Babcock did not explain why Levi was absent or how much time, if any, he might miss. Levi has been leading the way between the pipes for the Oilers early in 2026-27 and will likely hurt the team if he misses any time.

Cirelli exited Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights after just 10:30 of ice time with an undisclosed ailment, but he will be ready to play on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old Cirelli has five points (3G / 2A) in nine games this season.

Yager was drafted 14th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to make a full-time jump to the NHL. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut last season, playing three games with the Jets and scoring zero points. He has nine points (5G / 4A) in six games this season with Manitoba (AHL). He made his 2026-27 season debut in Winnipeg's previous game, but with the recent acquisition of Dawson Mercer from the New Jersey Devils, Yager will head back to the AHL.

Dean was drafted 30th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, but hasn't been able to find a permanent home at the NHL level. The 23-year-old forward has zero points in 12 career NHL games.

With a 7-2-0 record, Tampa Bay leads the Eastern Conference in points percentage (.778) and hopes to carry their early-season success into Friday with Vasilevskiy tending the twine. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner hasn't had to be spectacular this season, but is coming off a strong performance, saving 32 of 34 shots (.941 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. He has 2.46 GAA and .898 SV% in seven games (5-2-0). Tampa Bay enters the action as +110 road underdogs against a Colorado Avalanche team that is 2-3-1 in their last six games.

The Blackhawks have played better since welcoming Connor Bedard into the lineup, going 2-1-0, but keeping the puck out of their net remains an issue. Knight has allowed three or more goals in six of seven games this season, including allowing four on 32 shots (.875 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 4-0 loss to the Dallas Stars. The 25-year-old American goalie has a 3.59 GAA and .888 SV% in seven games (3-4-0). The Blackhawks enter Friday's contest as +145 home underdogs against a Montreal Canadiens team with their own defensive struggles, allowing 15 goals in their last four games (2-1-1).

Jakub Dobes had a breakout 2025-26 season, leading the Canadiens to an impressive playoff run, but his sluggish start to 2026-27 opened a door for Jacob Fowler. The 21-year-old Fowler saved 23 of 26 shots (.885 SV%) in his most recent game, a 4-3 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres. He has a 2.16 GAA and .900 SV% in four games this season (3-1-0). The Canadiens enter Friday's contest as -161 road favourites against a Chicago Blackhawks team coming off a 4-0 shutout loss to the Dallas Stars.

Fabbro sustained a hand fracture in the preseason and has been sidelined since. He is nearing his return, but will miss at least one more game. The Blue Jackets signed Carson Soucy off a PTO during the preseason as a replacement for Fabbro. The 28-year-old Fabbro averaged 16:34 time-on-ice and scored 11 points (5G / 6A) in 74 games last season.

Bjugstad has yet to play this season and is expected to miss at least three more months after recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. The 34-year-old Bjugstad, a veteran of 821 career games, will provide solid bottom-six depth for the Jets. Last season, he scored nine points (6G / 3A) in 61 combined games with the St. Louis Blues and New Jersey Devils.