Gustafsson was considered a bit of a game-time-decision on Monday as the Wild sorted out his work visa. The 22-year-old undrafted Swedish shutdown defensemen was signed after completing his third NCAA campaign with the University of Connecticut (NCAA), picking up 11 points and 26 PIMs in 38 games played.
With Minnesota locked into its first-round playoff matchup against the Dallas Stars, the team will rest several key players, including Brodin, on Monday. Viking Gustafsson Nyberg will make his NHL debut in Brodin's place.
Annunen has surprisingly outplayed Juuse Saros in the past few weeks, and with zero margin for error remaining in Nashville's season, they will turn to Annunen on Monday in a must-win game against the San Jose Sharks to keep their playoff hopes alive. The 26-year-old Annunen saved 21 of 22 shots (.955 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Since mid-March, Annunen has an outstanding 1.59 GAA and .949 SV% in seven games (4-3-0). The Predators enter Monday's contest as -146 home favourites against a San Jose Sharks team that has lost three straight (0-2-1), severely hampering their playoff hopes.
Akhtyamov gave up five goals on 44 shots against in his first career start last week but will look for better fortune in his second start Monday as the Leafs host Dallas with him between the pipes. The 24-year-old joins a long list of Toronto starter's used during their lost 2025-26 season after he posted a 20-12-6 record, alongside a 2.90 GAA and .903 SV% with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) earlier this year. He will likely take on a short-handed Dallas Stars team, who has locked up the second spot in the Central Division.
Sandin-Pellikka will slot into the lineup for the penultimate game of the Red Wings season in place of Jacob Bernard-Docker. Sandin-Pellikka has seven goals and 14 assists in 66 games this season.
Brandsegg-Nygard will slot into the lineup for the penultimate game of the Red Wings season in place of Dominik Shine. Brandsegg-Nygard has zero goals and one assist in 12 games this season.
Bernard-Docker will sit out the penultimate game of the Red Wings season on Monday in favour of Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Bernard-Docker has appeared in 63 games for the Red Wings this season, tallying one goal and four assists.
Shine will sit out the penultimate game of the Red Wings season on Monday in favour of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. Shine has appeared in 18 games for the Red Wings this season, tallying three goals and zero assists.
With the Red Wings officially eliminated from playoff contention, Talbot will get the nod on Monday as the Red Wings opt to give John Gibson the night off. Talbot will be hoping to bounce-back from a disappointing performance in his last start, when he allowed five goals on just 20 shots in a 5-4 loss to the Wild back on April 5th. The 38-year-old netminder has appeared in 32 games this season, logging a 12-9-5 record and an .888 SV%. The Red Wings enter action on Monday at +160 on the money line.
Johansson is not fit enough to serve as Andrei Vasilevskiy's back-up on Monday, as that honour will go to emergency back-up goalie Kyle Konin. The Lightning did not specify what exactly is ailing Johansson, only stating that he is considered day-to-day with the undisclosed injury.
A second-round draft pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Unger Sorum is yet to make his NHL debut, though he has impressed at the AHL level. The 20-year-old forward leads the Chicago Wolves with 63 points this season.
Kochetkov has been out since December 20th with a hip injury but is set to return and was assigned to Chicago (AHL) for a conditioning stint. Prior to his long-term injury, the 26-year-old had a 6-2-0 record with a 2.33 GAA and .899 SV%. Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen have being holding down the crease in his absence.
Utah recalled Villalta on Sunday to give Karel Vejmelka the night off, but now he will return to the AHL. The 26-year-old Villalta has a 3.10 GAA and .895 SV% this season 33 games with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL).
Fink was a seventh round pick of the Predators in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old forward played three years of collegiate hockey with Pennsylvania State University, and recently made his professional debut in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, where he has 10 points (3G / 7A) in six games.
Reilly Smith will re-enter the Vegas lineup on Monday, sending Saad to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old Saad is averaging 13:23 time-on-ice and has nine points (3G / 6A) in 49 games this season.
Brandon Saad will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Smith to re-enter the lineup. Smith has not played in nearly two weeks and has been used sparingly since the Olympic break. The 35-year-old forward has 22 points (13G / 9A) in 67 games this season.
Buffalo is two points from securing the Atlantic Division and will turn to Michael Kesselring on Monday over Luke Schenn in the Sabres' lineup. Schenn has been sparsely used since being acquired at the trade deadline from Winnipeg, appearing in only three games and failing to pick up a point while getting nine PIMs in the process.
Kesselring was a healthy scratch for Buffalo's previous game but will draw back into the lineup for Luke Schenn on Monday vs. Chicago. The 26-year-old defensemen has struggled to find the scoresheet in his first season in Buffalo, with just two assists and 50 PIMs in 33 games played this season.
After appearing in nearly all of Buffalo's recent games, Logan Stanley will be a healthy scratch for Conor Timmins on Monday vs. Chicago. Stanley was acquired from Winnipeg at the trade deadline, and has appeared in 15 games, picking up four assists, 27 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus.
Logan Stanley will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Timmins to re-enter the lineup. The 27-year-old Timmins has missed significant time due to injuries this season, but has been effective when in the lineup, averaging 18:52 time-on-ice and scoring eight assists in 37 games.
