Kreider is coming off a one-goal performance in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars, but is battling an illness and will miss Friday's game against the Los Angeles Kings. The 34-year-old veteran has 25 points (15G / 10A) in 42 games this season.
Carlsson's injury was first reported after he left practice on Monday and was originally deemed to be questionable for Tuesday's game against the Dallas Stars. This latest development puts his status for the 2026 Winter Olympics in doubt, though no official determination has been made on his availability for Team Sweden at this time. The 21-year-old Carlsson is having an excellent season for Anaheim, with 44 points (18G / 26A) in 44 games, but has drifted off in recent weeks as the Ducks have struggled, being held off the scoresheet in nine of the team's last 11 games.
The Predators will unsurprisingly turn to their franchise netminder when they travel to Denver to take on the mighty Avalanche on Friday. Saros secured the victory in his last start, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Oilers on Tuesday. The 11-year-veteran owns an 18-15-3 record and an .897 SV% across a league leading 36 appearances this season. Saros and the Preds enter action on Friday as major underdogs at +260 on the money line.
Broberg exited Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights early in the first period because of a concussion and has not played since. Broberg has appeared in 46 games this season, registering two goals and 13 assists.
The Lightning will hand Vasilevskiy his 29th start of the season when they travel to St. Louis on Friday. Vasilevskiy won his eighth straight start in spectacular fashion on Tuesday, allowing just a single goal on 27 shots in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Penguins. The former Vezina Trophy winner is enjoying another fantastic season between the pipes for the Lightning, posting a 19-7-2 record and a .914 SV% across 28 appearances. The Lightning enter action on Friday as heavy favourites at -200 on the money line.
Gostisbehere was a game-time decision on Friday, and the Hurricanes will be hopeful he can play on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. The 32-year-old defenseman has cooled off a little, but is still having an excellent season, with 32 points (6G / 26A) in 35 games.
Philp is an undrafted 27-year-old who made his NHL debut last season after some success at the AHL level. He scored three points (2G / 1A) in 15 games with the Oilers this season before being placed on waivers and ultimately claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes. He has zero point in two games with Carolina.
In 33 games this season, his first exposure to the NHL, Nystrom has eight assists and is averaging 15:37 time-on-ice. He takes the roster spot of Noah Philp, who was placed on IR with a concussion.
Miroshnichenko went scoreless in two games with the Capitals earlier this season, but has spent most of the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL. The 20th-overall pick from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft has 16 points (6G / 10A) in 20 games with Hershey (AHL) this season.
Vincent Iorio will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings, allowing the veteran Leddy, a former Red Wing, to re-enter the lineup. The 34-year-old Leddy has three assists in 18 games this season.
Nick Leddy will draw back into San Jose's lineup on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings, sending Iorio to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old Iorio is averaging 16:3 time-on-ice and has three assists in 21 games this season.
With Will Smith (upper body) set to return, Jeff Skinner will head to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old Skinner has struggled this season with only 13 points (6G / 7A) in 32 games. That said, he has five points (1G / 4A) in his last five games.
In their last 21 games (12-9-0), the Sharks have allowed fewer than three goals only three times, all while Alex Nedeljkovic has been between the pipes. During that stretch, the Sharks rank second-worst in the league defensively (4.00 GA/GP), and have not received the stout netminding from Askarov that they became accustomed to earlier in the season. In his last 13 games (7-6-0), the 23-year-old Askarov has an ugly 3.64 GAA and .865 SV%. The Sharks enter Friday’s contest as +158 road underdogs against a Detroit Red Wings team whose four-game winning streak was snapped on Tuesday in a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Slavin just recently returned after missing ten games with an upper-body injury, and was given the night off after playing two games. He will return to the lineup on Friday against the Florida Panthers. The 31-year-old veteran defenseman has one assist in seven games this season.
Carrier is battling an undisclosed injury, did not play for Carolina on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings, and will remain sidelined on Friday against the Florida Panthers. The 31-year-old Carrier scored a goal in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken, giving him 10 points (5G / 5A) in 38 games this season.
Gostisbehere has been overcoming an illness and did not practice on Thursday. He is unlikely to play on Friday against the Florida Panthers, but the Hurricanes will be hopeful he can play on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. The 32-year-old defenseman has cooled off a little, but is still having an excellent season, with 32 points (6G / 26A) in 35 games.
Bussi was serviceable in his previous outing, saving 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%), but received no goal support as the Hurricanes were defeated 3-0 by the St. Louis Blues. The 27-year-old Bussi, in his first NHL season, remains the most reliable option between the pipes for the Hurricanes, with a 2.31 GAA and .902 SV% in 20 games (16-3-1). The Hurricanes enter Friday's contest as -172 home favorites against a Panthers team on a two-game winning streak.
The Ducks are coming off an impressive 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars, where Dostal saved 24 of 25 shots (.960 SV%), marking the first time in seven starts that he has allowed fewer than four goals (1-5-1). The 25-year-old goalie has struggled since returning from a multi-week injury in mid December, posting a 3.23 GAA and .863 SV% in 13 games (3-9-1). The Ducks enter Friday's contest as +127 road underdogs against a Los Angeles Kings team that beat Dostal six times on 30 shots (.800 SV%) in a 6-1 win three weeks ago.
