Utah Mammoth News

Vejmelka will play the back end of a back-to-back for the Coyotes on Saturday when they face off against the Buffalo Sabres. Vejmelka has played only once since November 25th, a matchup also against the Sabres, when he allowed four goals on 37 shots (.892 SV%) in a 5-2 loss earlier this week. The Czech netminder is now winless in his last nine appearances, dating back to a 2-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on October 21st, which also marks the last time he has allowed less than two goals in a game.

McBain has missed 16 straight games due to a lower-body injury dating back to November 9th but is expected to make his return to the Coyotes lineup on Friday. In 13 games this season, McBain had seven points (4G / 3A) while averaging 12:13 time-on-ice.

Schmaltz played 21:23 in the Coyotes' last game on Tuesday but suffered an undisclosed injury that will make him a game-time decision on Friday. Schmaltz has been held without a point in four straight games, his worst skid this season.

DeSimone will play in Vegas on Tuesday, marking his first appearance since November 20th. He has no goals and four assists in eight games this season.

DeSimone has been recalled from the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL as Chris Tanev will be unavailable to play due to an undisclosed injury. DeSimone has played eight games this season, averaging 12:50 time-on-ice, tallying four points (0G / 4A), six blocks, and six hits.

Logan Stanley will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Schmidt to return to the lineup for the first time since November 30th. Schmidt is expected to skate on the third defensive pair alongside Dylan Samberg.

Jones will re-enter the Rangers lineup as K'Andre Miller will not suit up due to personal reasons. The 23-year-old Jones has not played since November 27th and has three points (0G / 3A), averaging 13:16 through 11 games this season.

After alternating starts evenly for the first six weeks of the season, Vejmelka has served as the backup for the last two weeks as Connor Ingram has demanded the crease, playing exception hockey over that stretch. Vejmelka will start for the first time since November 22nd and hope this extended rest can help him get his season on track, as he has a subpar 3.45 GAA and 892 SV% in 11 games (2-6-2). With Ingram faltering over his last two games, Vejmelka will once again have the chance to win some starts between the pipes as the Coyotes are +112 road underdogs against the Buffalo Sabres.

Schmidt will be a healthy scratch as the Jets return to the more traditional 12-forward, six-defenseman setup on Thursday. In 20 games this season, Schmidt has only one point (0G / 1A) but has 23 blocks while averaging 16:51 time-on-ice.

Peeke will take the place of the injured Erik Gudbranson. It will be just his fifth game of the season and his first since November 11th. He has no goals and one assist on the season.

Schmidt will be a healthy scratch on Saturday, allowing Declan Chisholm to make his season debut. The 32-year-old Schmidt is averaging only 16:51 time-on-ice through 20 games this season, significantly less than the 19:16 he has averaged over his career. He has one point (0G / 1A), a -4 plus/minus, 23 blocks, and nine hits.

Tanev played just 3:37 TOI before leaving Friday's loss to the Canucks and will not play on Tuesday but does not expect to be out long-term. Tye Kartye moved up to the second line with Tanev out and the Kraken recalled Marian Studenic from the AHL on Tuesday morning.

Tanev played just 3:37 TOI before leaving Friday's loss to the Canucks. Tye Kartye moved up to the second line with Tanev out and they'll recall a forward from the AHL in the upcoming day with Tanev out for the foreseeable future.

Despite being outperformed by teammate Connor Ingram, the Coyotes will stick to their equal goaltending split as Vejmelka re-enters the crease on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues. Vejmelka owns only two of the Coyotes' eight wins this season and has not recorded a victory since October 21st. Since then, Vejmelka has allowed 26 goals in seven appearances (0-5-2), posting an ugly .876 SV%. The Coyotes will hope Vejmelka can get back into the win column as they face off against the Blues, who are scoring at the seventh-lowest rate this season (2.71 GF / GP).

Hayton has been placed on the injured reserve Saturday and will miss 4-6 weeks. Hayton scored a goal for the Coyotes despite exiting the game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:57 time-on-ice. The Coyotes finished the game down two forwards as Matias Maccelli also exited the game but was more fortunate than Hayton with his post-game prognosis, as he is not expected to miss much (if any) time. Hayton had four points (2G / 2A) in his last five games after being held without a single point in his first 11.

Schmidt had played 11 straight games for the Jets, tallying only one point (0G / 1A), seven hits, and five shots, before being a healthy scratch on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres. Logan Stanley will sit in place of Schmidt.

Arizona's goaltending carousel continues Saturday as Karel Vejmelka takes the crease hoping to snap a person's six-game losing streak. The 27-year-old Czech netminder has struggled to win in 2023-24 but is putting up career-highs in almost all other statistical categories as he is 2-5-2 with a 3.08 GAA and .906 SV%. They will look to slow down Winnipeg Saturday on the road, who has won five of their last six games and are 6th in the NHL in goals per game (3.63).

The Coyotes have recalled Jan Jenik from Tuscon (AHL) as a forward replacement for Hayton, who will miss 4-6 weeks. Hayton scored a goal for the Coyotes despite exiting the game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:57 time-on-ice. The Coyotes finished the game down two forwards as Matias Maccelli also exited the game but was more fortunate than Hayton with his post-game prognosis, as he is not expected to miss much (if any) time. Hayton had four points (2G / 2A) in his last five games after being held without a single point in his first 11.