NHL Hockey Player News

Shaefer made his NHL debut this season, scoring six points (4G / 2A) in 25 games with the Predators, but will head down to Milwaukee (AHL). The 22-year-old 32nd-overall pick from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft exclusively spent the previous two seasons in the AHL with Milwaukee.

Before Rick Bowness assumed head coaching duties in Columbus, Merzlikins had been an afterthought between the pipes, starting only three games in over a month. The 31-year-old Latvian goalie seems to have, at least temporarily, gained the trust of the new coaching staff, as he is poised to start for a third straight game. He has won two straight and saved 59 of 63 shots (.937 SV%) in the process.

The Devils narrowly defeated the Calgary Flames, 2-1 in overtime last night, and they will turn to Allen on Tuesday, in the tail end of a back-to-back. The 35-year-old Allen has lost five of his last six outings (1-4-1), posting a 3.23 GAA and .890 SV%. That said, he has been serviceable most of the season and was solid in a 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in October. The Devils enter Tuesday's contest as +152 road underdogs against an Oilers team that has dominated opponents in their last two games (2-0-0), outscoring them 11-0.

Oettinger has strung together a few solid performances, posting a 2.04 GAA and .922 SV% in his last three games (1-2-0), but remains below .500 in that stretch, a regularity for a Stars team that has struggled in recent weeks. The 27-year-old Oettinger has a 2.94 GAA and .890 SV% in his last 11 games since mid-December (3-6-2). The Stars hope to end their downward spiral, entering Tuesday's contest as -136 home favorites against a Boston Bruins team on a six-game winning streak.

Dach has not played in over two months, recovering from a fractured foot, but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. The 24-year-old Dach has struggled to live up to his third-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, a struggle compounded by recurring injuries over the past few seasons. He has seven points (5G / 2A) in 15 games this season. With Alexandre Texier (lower body) out of the lineup, Dach will likely get the opportunity to fill in for him on the top line.

Texier has been productive since joining the Canadiens earlier this season, scoring 16 points (7G / 9A) in 27 games, but he will not play on Tuesday because of a lower-body injury. Kirby Dach (fractured foot) is returning to the lineup from a multi-week absence and will fill in as Texier's replacement.

Jayden Struble will draw back into Montreal's lineup on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, sending Xhekaj to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old Xhekaj is averaging 11:37 time-on-ice, recording two points (1G / 1A) and 123 hits in 45 games this season.

Arber Xhekaj will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, allowing Struble to re-enter the lineup. The 24-year-old Struble is averaging 14:20 time-on-ice and has six assists in 36 games this season.

Dobes has had a wildly inconsistent season, varying month to month. He had an elite 2.03 GAA and .930 SV% in six October games (6-0-0), which he followed up with a dreadful November, posting a 4.02 GAA and .849 SV% in seven games (2-3-2). The 24-year-old Czech goalie has been more reliable lately, with a 2.63 GAA and .890 SV% in nine games since the beginning of December (6-2-1). The Canadiens enter Tuesday's contest as -126 home favorites against the Minnesota Wild, which defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 last night.

James Reimer was serviceable in his Ottawa debut on Sunday, evidently giving the team enough trust in him to send Leevi Merilainen down to Belleville (AHL). As a result, Ottawa has recalled Shepard, who will likely serve as the backup to Reimer.

James Reimer was serviceable in his Ottawa debut on Sunday, evidently giving the team enough trust in him to send Merilainen down to Belleville (AHL). The 23-year-old Merilainen has had a terrible season in Ottawa, which has been even worse since Linus Ullmark (personal) has been away from the team, posting a dreadful 3.27 GAA and .843 SV% in 10 games (4-5-1).

Hughes exited Monday's 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames in the second period because of a shoulder injury. He is still being evaluated, but early reports suggests that it may be a longer-term injury. The 22-year-old Hughes has 26 points (5G / 21A) in 49 games this season.

Stolarz has been sidelined since November 11th, but he's nearing a return, so he'll go to the Marlies to get back up to game speed. Both Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby have performed well in Stolarz's absence, so it's unclear how much playing time he'll get once he returns to the Maple Leafs.

Mancini will take a seat on Monday as Elias Nils Pettersson draws back into the lineup. Mancini has played in nine games this season and is yet to register a point.

Pettersson will play for the first time since January 10th after serving as a healthy scratch in each of the last four games. Victor Mancini will sit in his place.