NHL Hockey Player News

Laba was on the receiving end of a big hit and exited Wednesday's game. The 22-year-old Laba is in his first NHL season and has 12 points (5G / 7A) in 41 games.

Columbus acquired Heinen off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins last week and reported to the Cleveland Monsters (AHL). The 30-year-old NHL veteran of 579 career games has spent most of the season in the AHL, where he has 18 points (6G / 12A) in 13 games.

Megna is no stranger to the NHL, with 193 career games played, but has spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season in the AHL. The 33-year-old defenseman has six points (2G / 4A) in 23 games with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL).

Kiviranta did not play in Colorado's most recent game due to an undisclosed injury and is out day-to-day. The 29-year-old bottom-six forward is averaging 9:29 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 21 games.

Brindley has been a regular in Colorado's lineup the past several weeks, but he is battling an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day. The 21-year-old forward has nine points (5G / 4A) in 27 games this season.

Garland played only 13:37 time-on-ice in Vancouver's most recent game and will be sidelined for at least one week due to an undisclosed injury. The 29-year-old forward has 22 points (7G / 15A) in 33 games this season.

Rossi exited Vancouver's previous game midway through the third period due to an lower-body injury, and will be sidelined for at least a week. The 24-year-old has two points (1G / 1A) in eight games since joining the Canucks in a trade with Minnesota.

With Karel Vejmelka (upper body) activated from Injured Reserve, Utah has assigned Villalta to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL). The 26-year-old Villalta has a 2.94 GAA and .903 SV% in 15 games with Tucson this season (9-5-1).

Vejmelka was expected to start in Utah's final game before the Holiday Break, but was a late scratch and has not suited up since. He makes his return on Thursday against the New York Islanders. The 29-year-old Vejmelka has a 2.70 GAA and .894 SV% in 29 games this season (16-10-2). The Mammoth enter the action as -119 road favorites.

The Islanders will make some changes to their forward group on Thursday, with Maxim Tsyplakov and Kyle MacLean drawing into the lineup in place of Anthony Duclair and Marc Gatcomb. The 26-year-old Gatcomb is averaging 10:12 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in 14 games this season.

The Islanders will make some changes to their forward group on Thursday, with Maxim Tsyplakov and Kyle MacLean drawing into the lineup in place of Anthony Duclair and Marc Gatcomb. Duclair averaged 44.1 points per season across the first decade of his career, but has failed to maintain that pace since joining the Islanders, producing at a concerning 23.7 points per season over the last two seasons.

The Islanders will make some changes to their forward group on Thursday, with Maxim Tsyplakov and Kyle MacLean drawing into the lineup for Anthony Duclair and Marc Gatcomb. The 26-year-old MacLean is averaging 10:40 time-on-ice and has three points (1G / 2A) in 25 games this season.

The Islanders will make some changes to their forward group on Thursday, with Maxim Tsyplakov and Kyle MacLean drawing into the lineup for Anthony Duclair and Marc Gatcomb. The 27-year-old Tsyplakov's second-year struggles in the NHL continue, with only one point (1G / 0A) in 21 games. He had 35 points (10G / 25A) last year in his rookie season.

Ilya Sorokin (lower body) is not ready to return yet, but his absence has not been an issue for the Islanders, as Rittich continues his strong 2025-26 campaign. The 33-year-old Czech goalie has a stellar 2.27 GAA and .918 SV% in 16 games (10-4-2). The Islanders enter Thursday's contest as slight +108 home underdogs against a Utah Mammoth team that has lost three of their last four games (1-3-0).

Jones has been effective in a limited fourth-line role, scoring two points (1G / 1A) in eight games, but will return to the AHL. The 27-year-old forward has 66 points (33G / 33A) in 292 career games.

The Stars ended the 2025 calendar year on a low note, losing 4-1 to the Buffalo Sabres last night and extending their losing streak to three games (0-1-2). The Stars still have the second-best record in the NHL, but have been trending in the wrong direction lately, going 4-3-2 in their last nine games. Oettinger will tend the twine on Thursday, looking to improve on his 2.51 GAA and .910 SV% through 25 games this season (16-6-3). The Stars enter Thursday's contest as -173 road favorites against the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated them 4-3 in a shootout last week.

Vejmelka was expected to start in Utah's final game before the Holiday Break, but was a late scratch and has not suited up since. The 29-year-old Vejmelka has a 2.70 GAA and .894 SV% in 29 games this season (16-10-2).

Trevor van Riemsdyk will draw back into Washington's lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, resulting in McIlrath returning to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old McIlrath has only played five games this season, averaging 11:13 time-on-ice and scoring zero points.

Dylan McIlrath will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing van Riemsdyk to re-enter the lineup against the Ottawa Senators. The 34-year-old van Riemsdyk is averaging 15:54 time-on-ice and has five points (1G / 4A) in 30 games this season.

With Linus Ullmark (personal) still away from the team, Merilainen continues his duties as the Senators' de facto starting goalie. The 23-year-old Merilainen did not fare well in his previous outing, allowing four goals on 22 shots (.818 SV%) in a 4-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has a 3.51 GAA and .869 SV% in 11 games this season (4-7-0).