NHL Hockey Player News

Murray has seen limited action this season, playing only five games with Seattle, and will now be out indefinitely as he tends to a personal matter. Seattle has recalled Niklas Kokko from Coachella Valley (AHL) in a corresponding move.

Matt Murray has stepped away from the team due to a personal matter, resulting in Kokko being recalled from Coachella Valley (AHL). The 22-year-old Kokko was a second-round pick of Seattle in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He has a 3.10 GAA and .903 SV% this season in 34 games (18-10-2) with Coachella Valley.

Vejmelka struggled in Utah's previous game, allowing five goals on 26 shots (.808 SV%), but his team battled to salvage him a 6-5 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers. The 29-year-old Czech goalie has been wildly inconsistent since the beginning of March, despite a solid 8-4-1 record, posting a less-than-stellar 3.26 GAA and .879 SV%. The Mammoth enter Thursday's contest as -161 home favourites against a desperate Nashville Predators team that likely needs a win to stay in the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Bobby Brink will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Foligno to re-enter the lineup against the Dallas Stars. The 38-year-old Foligno has been used sparingly, in and out of the lineup in recent games. He has one assist in 13 games since being acquired by Minnesota at the trade deadline.

Nick Foligno will re-enter Minnesota's lineup on Thursday, sending Brink to the sidelines against the Dallas Stars. Brink led the way in a 2-1 overtime win over the Dallas Stars three weeks ago, recording two points (1G / 1A), but he has cooled off since, with only one assist in five games.

The Jets have a game in hand and are four points back of the Nashville Predators for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, and have no margin for error with only five games remaining in their regular season. Hellebuyck has struggled for most of the 2025-26 season, but has given his team a chance on most nights in recent outings. The 32-year-old goalie has won five of his last seven games (5-2-0) while posting a solid 2.16 GAA and .910 SV%. The Jets enter Thursday's contest as slight -103 road underdogs against the St. Louis Blues, whom they defeated 3-2 last month.

Thursday's game against the Dallas Stars, a preview of their upcoming first-round playoff matchup, is essentially a must-win game for Minnesota if they have their sights set on home-ice advantage in the first round. Gustavsson was far from stellar in his most recent outing, allowing four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%), including three in the third period, of a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings. The 27-year-old Swedish goalie has allowed four or more goals in three of his last four games (2-2-0), posting a 3.84 GAA and .865 SV%. That said, he has an outstanding 1.99 GAA and .915 SV% in three games against the Stars this season (2-1-0). The Wild enter the action as +111 road underdogs.

With only five games left in Colorado's regular season, the team will likely be inclined to turn to Scott Wedgewood as their starting goalie in the playoffs unless Blackwood can quickly turn things around. The 29-year-old Blackwood has lost three straight outings, allowing 12 goals on 68 combined shots (.824 SV%). Since the beginning of March, he has had a sub- .900 SV% in seven of 11 appearances (4-4-0). That said, Colorado enters Thursday's contest as significant -312 home favourites against a Calgary Flames team they defeated 9-2 last week.

Makar has not played in over a week due to an upper-body injury, and with the postseason just over a week away, the team remains cautious in returning him to the lineup. That said, he was back at practice in a limited capacity on Thursday and is expected to play before the end of the regular season.

With Nils Lundkvist (illness) out of the lineup on Thursday, Dallas will welcome Hughes back in as they return to a six-defenseman, 12-forward formation. The 29-year-old Hughes made his season debut last earlier this month, his third career NHL game, playing 6:34 time-on-ice.

With Lundkvist out of the lineup due to an illness, the Stars will return to the traditional six-defensemen, 12-forward formation, welcoming Cameron Hughes back into their lineup. The 25-year-old Lundkvist has become a more reliable presence on the Dallas blueline this season, recording 11 points (3G / 8A) and a +12 plus/minus through 51 games.

Nolan Foote will re-enter Florida's lineup on Thursday, sending Reinhardt to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Reinhardt scored a goal in Florida's previous game, giving him 10 points (5G / 5A) in 56 games this season.

Cole Reinhardt will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Foote to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Foote is averaging 9:54 time-on-ice and has one goal in eight games this season.

The reigning two-time Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers have battled through an unprecedented myriad of injuries this season, with Jones being added to the list, presumably out for the team's final four games of the season after a break in his foot. The 31-year-old Jones has 32 points (7G / 25A) in 52 games this season.

Jansson was a fourth-round pick of the Panthers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft that made his professional North American debut this season, scoring 10 points (3G / 7A) in 29 games with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). The 22-year-old Swedish defenseman has yet to play an NHL game.

Alscher was drafted by Florida in the third-round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft Draft, but he has yet to make his NHL debut. The 22-year-old Czech defenseman has 11 points (3G / 8A) this season in 51 games with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

Bobrovsky has finished only one season with a sub-.900 SV% in his career, when he posted a .899 SV% in 29 games as a 23-year-old in the 2011-12 season with the Philadelphia Flyers. The now 37-year-old goalie is on pace to finish the 2025-26 season with easily the worst totals of his career, posting a 3.05 GAA and .878 SV% through 51 appearances (27-22-1). He allowed six goals on 19 shots (.684 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Panthers enter Thursday's contest as significant +254 road underdogs against a Senators team that has outscored opponents 12-5 in their last two games (2-0-0).

Greaves was excellent in the Blue Jackets' previous game, saving 34 of 37 shots (.919 SV%) in a come-from-behind 4-3 shootout win over the Detroit Red Wings to keep their playoff hopes alive. The 25-year-old Greaves has been excellent in his first NHL season, but has battled some adversity in recent weeks, losing five of his last seven games (2-4-1) despite posting an impressive 2.41 GAA and .915 SV%. The Blue Jackets enter Thursday's contest as slight +105 road underdogs against a Buffalo Sabres team coming off a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers last night.