Koekkoek has been steady on the Oilers' blueline this season, so he'll be a bit of a surprise scratch on Tuesday. With Koekkoek sitting, Caleb Jones will draw back into the lineup for the first time since January 16th.
Jones is expected to make his season debut on Friday after replacing Sonny Milano (undisclosed) on the roster. Jones had 12 points (8G / 4A) in 59 games a season ago.
Kapanen missed the first three games of the season due to immigration issues and quarantine but is set to make his Penguins debut on Tuesday. Kapanen is expected to jump right onto the Penguins' top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel vs. Washington.
Smith was scheduled to start on Thursday but was scratched due to injury and it’s obviously serious enough to land him on LTIR, which will cost him a minimum of 24 days. With Smith out, Mikko Koskinen is the only NHL-calibre goalie on their roster and could force the Oilers to make a move after losing Anton Forsberg on waivers last week.
Kapanen remains in quarantine so he will not be available Friday in Philadelphia but barring any setbacks, head coach Mike Sullivan expects to have him back "fairly soon." Evan Rodrigues will remain on the Penguins' top line with Kapanen still out.
Arvidsson missed Wednesday's practice but head coach John Hynes expects him to be available for Thursday's game vs. the Blue Jackets. Arvidsson will look to bounce back after a down 2020 season, where he had just 15 goals and 13 assists (28 points) in 57 games.
Kapanen is in Finland as he works through immigration issues that have been complicated by COVID-19. HE is not slated to have a visa meeting until later this week and the hopes are that he will be on a plane to Pittsburgh shortly after. However, once he arrives, he would need to quarantine for seven days, which will force him to miss training camp and likely the first game of the regular season.
Koekkoek played well in his first full season with the Blackhawks, particularly after he was paired up with Olli Maatta. The duo put up some terrific underlying numbers and Koekkoek set a new career-high with 10 points (1G / 9A) in just 42 games. In Edmonton, he'll provide some depth on the blueline and will likely serve as a reserve most of the time. However, he should be the first man in whenever there is an injury.
After striking out in a crowded goalie market, the Oilers have brought Smith back to serve next to Mikko Koskinen as their goaltending duo. Smith was 19-12-6 with a 2.95 GAA and .902 SV% in 2020--he now ranks 30th in GAA (2.81) and tied for 45th/49 in SV% (.900) over the last two seasons. Smith's game has eroded in his late-30s and likely won't be a fantasy asset in 2021.
Stecher is an extremely mobile, puck-moving defenseman that will help the Red Wings' blueline immensely. Stecher set a new career-high in goals (5) last season but went from 19:55 ATOI to 15:21 as he was pushed down the Canucks' depth chart. Expect him to be back near 19:00 ATOI as he moves into the Red Wings' top-4.
Griffith has been terrific at the AHL-level since he turned pro in 2014 but has had very little success in the NHL. Most recently, Griffith had 41 points (21G / 20A) in 58 games with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) and will likely start 2021 in Bakersfield (AHL).
Murray has one-year left with a $4.6M cap-hit and is a cheap, low-risk addition for the Devils. The Blue Jackets were dumping salary left and right and the oft-injured Murray was a logical choice. The 27-year-old was the No.2 overall pick in 2012 but has not played more than 60 games in the last four years. He's averaged 46.8 games played with 1.5 goals and 13.8 assists (15.3 points) over that stretch.
Brown was acquired from the Panthers for a 2020 fourth-round pick last Friday and he will likely skate in the Senators' top-6 defensemen in 2021. The 26-year-old is a towering defenseman (6-foot-5, 217 lbs.) but offers very little in terms of offence--10 points (4G / 6A) in 93 career NHL games.
Brown was originally a sixth-round pick of the Panthers (2013) and worked his way into an NHL defenseman in 2020. Brown spent the whole season in Florida, where he played primarily as Keith Yandle's D-partner and scored three goals with five assists (eight points) in 56 games. At 6-foot-5, 217 lbs. Brown can be a physical force on the ice but had just 77 hits (to lead FLA defensemen) in 2020.
