Thompson started Saturday's game on the first line with Jack Eichel but was quickly bumped down the lineup. With Thompson coming out, Casey Mittelstadt was promoted from the taxi squad and will draw into the lineup on Sunday.
With Sam Reinhart day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Thompson will draw into the lineup vs. the Devils. Thompson is expected to skate on the top line with Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson and comes in with one assist in four games this year.
The Avalanche are loaded with NHL-ready defensemen and Timmins looks like he's seventh on the depth chart, so this could be a regular occurrence for the 22-year-old. Erik Johnson will replace him on Tuesday.
Ennis has had a slow start to the season, failing to pick up a point in his first four games. On Tuesday he cleared waivers and will go to the taxi squad, so look for Patrick Russell to make his season debut in Ennis' spot in the bottom-6.
Byram was the No.4 overall pick in 2019 and will replace Erik Johnson and make his NHL debut in Los Angeles. The 19-year-old blueliner was a standout at the 2021 World Juniors, picking up five points (1G / 4A) in seven games on the Silver Medal-winning Canadian team. In 2020, Byram had 14 goals and 38 assists (52 points) in 50 games with the Vancouver Giants (WHL).
Byram was the No.4 overall pick in 2019 and is coming off of a terrific showing as a member of Team Canada at the World Juniors. The 19-year-old defenseman had 52 points (14G / 38A) in 50 AHL games a season ago and could make his NHL debut at some point during the 2021 season.
Sheahan was in Sabres camp on a PTO but signed Friday after the news of Zemgus Girgensons being out for the season. Sheahan spent the 2020 season with the Oilers, collecting eight goals and seven assists (15 points) in 66 games. Sheahan will likely open the 2021 season on the fourth line and will help replace Girgensons on the penalty kill.
With Bishop out for at least one month, the Stars will continue to lean on Anton Khudobin as their No.1 netminder, as they did during their playoff run. Bishop told The Athletic that the surgery was to repair the meniscus in his right knee and that he is expecting to get back to Dallas in the next couple of weeks and hopes to be on the ice soon.
Greenway set a new career-high with 28 points (8G / 20A) in 67 games in 2019-20. With Kirill Kaprizov coming over from the KHL, Greenway gets pushed down the depth chart, likely limiting him to a third-line role for most of 2021. The big, physical power-forward ranked third on the Wild with 95 hits last year.
Ennis returns to the Oilers on a one-year deal after posting four points (2G / 2A) in nine games as a trade deadline acquisition. Ennis is a candidate to play with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, making him someone worth keep an eye on on the waiver wire.
After spending four years at Brown University and one full season in the AHL, Lafferty spent most of 2020 with the Penguins, scoring six goals with seven assists (13 points) in 50 games. There were a lot of moving parts in Pittsburgh in the offseason but Lafferty should still have a spot in their bottom-6 come January.
Thompson missed most of the 2020 season with a shoulder issue, which required surgery in mid-January. He had six goals and six assists (12 points) in 16 games with Rochester (AHL) and only appeared in one game with the Sabres. Since being selected No.26 overall in 2016, Thompson has just 10 goals and 11 assists (21 points) in 107 career NHL games.
