NHL Hockey Player News

Lankinen has been abysmal to start the 2026-27 season. His Vancouver Canucks have struggled offensively, but Lankinen has done little to build confidence, often being outplayed by his counterpart, Leevi Merilainen. The 31-year-old Lankinen has not played since October 22nd, when he allowed five goals on 31 shots (.839 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. He has a comical 6.17 GAA and an .812 SV% in eight games this season (1-7-0). The Canucks enter Tuesday's game as +139 home underdogs against an Anaheim Ducks team they defeated 6-5 in overtime last week.

Mercer tweaked a lingering upper-body issue in Winnipeg's previous game, and did not practice on Monday, but will play on Tuesday. The 25-year-old forward has two assists (0G / 2A) in five games since joining the Jets via trade earlier this season.

Lyon suffered an upper-body injury in training camp and has not played this season, but returned to practice on Monday. The Sabres have seen inconsistent goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colten Ellis in the interim. They are eager for Lyon's return, hoping he can regain his form from last season, when he posted a 2.77 GAA and .907 SV% in 36 appearances (20-10-4).

Howard did not play on Sunday after suffering a lower-body injury the day before and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future. The 22-year-old Howard is averaging 8:53 time-on-ice and has three points (1G / 2A) in 13 games this season.

Devon Levi was running away with the starting gig for the Oilers, but suffered a multi-week injury, opening the door for Jarry, who has excelled in his most recent opportunity. The 31-year-old Jarry has stopped 42 consecutive shots and recorded shutouts in his last two games. He has a 2.53 GAA and a .901 SV% in seven games this season (4-1-2). The Oilers enter Tuesday's contest as +138 road underdogs against a surging New Jersey Devils team that is 5-1-0 in their past six games.

Benson was drafted 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and made his presence felt with a breakout 2025-26 season, scoring 43 points (13G / 30A) in 65 games. The 21-year-old forward has built on momentum from a successful postseason, starting the 2026-27 campaign at nearly a point-per-game pace, scoring 13 points (2G / 11A) in 14 games. He was absent from practice on Monday, but returned on Tuesday and should play on Wednesday.

With Bowen Byram (upper body) on IR, the Blackhawks have recalled Boucher from Rockford (AHL). The 29-year-old Boucher has never played an NHL game. He has zero points and 13 penalty minutes this season in seven games with Rockford.

Byram has played only six games this season and has been sidelined for over three weeks, with little insight into his upper-body injury. The 25-year-old defenseman was signed to a massive six-year deal worth $12.5M AAV ($75.0M total) in the offseason. When Byram returns to the lineup, expect him to be a fixture on the team's top power-play unit.

Since the season opener, the Blues have made it clear that Hofer is their go-to goalie. The 26-year-old Hofer battled adversity in his most recent outing, allowing four goals on 28 shots (.857 SV%), but still salvaged a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Hofer has won four of his last five games (4-1-0), posting a 2.44 GAA and .925 SV%. The Blues enter Tuesday's action as slight +104 road underdogs against a New York Rangers team that has lost six of their last seven games (1-5-1).

Cossa made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings last season, playing one game, but this season has been his first full-time exposure at the NHL level. The 23-year-old goalie has had some solid outings, but has been inconsistent between the pipes, posting a subpar 3.20 GAA and .855 SV% in five appearances (3-1-0). That said, he was solid in his most recent outing, saving 30 of 33 shots (.909 SV%) in a 4-3 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Mammoth enter Tuesday's game as -128 road favourites against a Toronto Maple Leafs team that is 1-2-0 in their last three games.

Radek Faksa will return from an undisclosed injury on Tuesday, resulting in Blackwell being a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old Blackwell is averaging 9:58 time-on-ice and has one assist in 12 games this season.

The Stars have struggled offensively this season, but are off to a solid 8-5-1 record thanks to strong netminding from Jake Oettinger. The 27-year-old American goalie was solid in his most recent outing, saving 24 of 25 shots (.960 SV%) in a 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his last 10 games (7-2-1), he has a dazzling 1.58 GAA and a .923 SV%. The Stars enter Tuesday's outing as slight -102 road underdogs against a Washington Capitals team coming off a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

Faksa has been sidelined for nearly two weeks with an undisclosed ailment, but will return to the lineup on Tuesday, replacing Colin Blackwell. The 32-year-old Czech forward is averaging 10:45 time-on-ice and has one assist in 10 games this season.

Ross Johnston will return from a lower-body injury on Tuesday, resulting in Kaskimaki being a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Kaskimaki is averaging 11:48 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in six games.

Aleksanteri Kaskimaki will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Johnston to re-enter the lineup. Johnston has not played since October 15th due to a lower-body injury. The 32-year-old forward is averaging 8:20 of ice time and has one assist in six games.

Sabourin has been used sparingly this season, but has become a go-to option for Tampa Bay when they are looking for a more physical presence. The 34-year-old forward has one assist, seven penalty minutes, and nine hits in three games.

Cernak was a late ommission from Saturday's lineup due to an undisclosed injury, but he will return on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. The 29-year-old Slovak defenseman is averaging 19:01 time-on-ice, recording two assists, 17 blocks, and 25 hits in 12 games.