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Utah Mammoth News

Nate Schmidt is expected to be a healthy scratch Friday vs. Buffalo.

Schmidt has played 11 straight games for the Jets, tallying only one point (0G / 1A), seven hits, and five shots and will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres. The Jets dressed seven defencemen in their last contest but will opt for the more traditional six-defenceman formation as Logan Stanley, who entered the lineup in their previous game, will remain dressed in favour of Schmidt.

Nate Schmidt
Barrett Hayton (upper body) left Thursday's game vs. Columbus early and will be re-evaluated Friday.

Hayton managed to score 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. Hayton has four points (2G / 2A) in his last five games after being held without a single point in his first 11.

Barrett Hayton
The Coyotes announced Hayton will be out for the remainder of Thursday's game after suffering an upper-body injury.

It couldn't have come at a worse time for Hayton, who was finally finding his stride after going pointless in his first 11 games. Hayton has registered four points in his last five games, including a goal in Thursday's game in Columbus prior to leaving due to the injury. We should expect to receive an update on Hayton's injury and a possible timeline for his recovery in the coming days.

Barrett Hayton
Karel Vejmelka will start Tuesday in Dallas.

Vejmelka served as the backup to Connor Ingram in the Coyotes last game on Saturday and, as has been the pattern all season, will re-take the starter's crease on Tuesday. Vejmelka is coming off an excellent showing in a 2-1 losing effort to the St. Louis Blue last week, saving 31 of 33 shots (.939 SV%). That said, Vejmelka is in the midst of an ugly stretch of hockey, losing five consecutive games (0-4-1) and posting a .878 SV% in the process. He will be hard-pressed to snap his losing streak as the Coyotes are +207 road underdogs against the Dallas Stars.

Karel Vejmelka
Tanev (lower-body) is on the ice for warmups and is expected to play against the Avalanche on Monday.

Tanev, who has not played since the season opener on October 10th, looks set to return on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. Tanev had a career-high 35 points (16G / 19A) in 82 games last season and will likely slot in on the second line with Jared McCann and Alexander Wennberg.

Brandon Tanev
Brandon Tanev (lower body) was activated from the injured reserve and will be a game-time decision Monday vs. Colorado

Tanev, who has not played since the season opener on October 10th, is a possibility to return on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. Tanev had a career-high 35 points (16G / 19A) in 82 games last season and would likely slot in on the second line with Jared McCann and Alexander Wennberg.

Brandon Tanev
Jack McBain (upper body) is week-to-week with an injury.

McBain, in his third NHL season, was pacing to crush his career-highs, with seven points (4G / 3A) in 13 games this season. He did not play on Saturday and will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Coyotes have recalled Milos Kelemen as a potential roster replacement during McBain's absence.

Jack McBain
Karel Vejmelka will start Thursday in St. Louis.

After saving 98 of the first 103 shots he faced this season (.951 SV%) and recording a 2-1-0 record, Vejmelka has been somewhat of a liability between the pipes, allowing 16 goals on the subsequent 115 shots (.861 SV%), failing to record a victory in the process (0-3-1). The Coyotes are listed as slight +102 road underdogs on Thursday but will hope Vejmelka can shut the door against the St. Louis Blues and their 28th-ranked offence (2.36 GF / GP).

Karel Vejmelka
Karel Vejmelka is in the starter's crease at Arizona's morning skate.

After saving 98 of the first 103 shots he faced this season (.951 SV%) and recording a 2-1-0 record, Vejmelka has been somewhat of a liability between the pipes, allowing 16 goals on the subsequent 115 shots (.861 SV%), failing to record a victory in the process (0-3-1). The Coyotes are listed as slight +102 road underdogs on Thursday but will hope Vejmelka can shut the door against the St. Louis Blues and their 28th-ranked offence (2.36 GF / GP).

Karel Vejmelka
Andrew Peeke will draw back into the Blue Jackets' lineup vs. Florida.

Peeke will play his second game of the season for the Blue Jackets as David Jiricek is expected to be a healthy scratch. The 25-year-old Peeke was a regular in the Blue Jackets lineup the last two seasons, playing 162 games and tallying 28 points (8G / 20A). He skated next to Ivan Provorov at practice on the Blue Jackets' second defensive pairing.

Andrew Peeke
Karel Vejmelka will start Saturday vs. Winnipeg.

Vejmelka allowed four goals on 29 shots (.862 SV%) in his previous start for his third loss in a row but will look to right the ship Saturday vs. Winnipeg. The 27-year-old has done well when called up this season, with his 2-3-1 record, .916 SV% and 2.75 GAA. He will face Winnipeg for a Saturday matinee, who has lost three straight games and are 15th in the NHL in goals per game (3.1).

Karel Vejmelka
Karel Vejmelka is the likely starter Saturday vs. Winnipeg.

Vejmelka allowed four goals on 29 shots (.862 SV%) in his previous start for his third loss in a row but will look to right the ship Saturday vs. Winnipeg. The 27-year-old has done well when called up this season, with his 2-3-1 record, .916 SV% and 2.75 GAA. He will face Winnipeg for a Saturday matinee, who has lost three straight games and are 15th in the NHL in goals per game (3.1).

Karel Vejmelka
Nick DeSimone has been recalled from the Calgary Wranglers (AHL).

DeSimone has four assists and a +4 plus/minus in six games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) and has been recalled to the Flames Friday for the first time this season. The 28-year-old returns to the NHL, where he failed to pick up a point in a short four game appearance in 2022-23 where he averaged only 11:15 TOI. DeSimone will replace Jordan Oesterle on the Flames who was waived on Thursday afternoon.

Nick DeSimone
Karel Vejmelka will start Wednesday at Anaheim.

The even rotation between the pipes will continue for the Coyotes on Wednesday as Vejmelka will start for the fifth time in nine games. Despite a 2-3-0 record, Vejemelka has been terrific to start the season for the Coyotes, posting a 2.51 GAA and .926 SV% and has played a big part in the Coyotes ranking seventh defensively, allowing an average of only 2.63 goals allowed per game, a stark difference to last season's 24th-ranked 3.60. The Coyotes are -128 road favourites on Wednesday against an Anaheim Ducks team that has also shown improvements this season as they are off to a 5-4-1 start.

Karel Vejmelka
Crouse (illness) will play against the Blackhawks on Monday.

Crouse was absent Friday vs. Los Angeles and was a game-time decision for Monday's game against the Blackhawks. The 26-year-old has struggled out of the gate thus far in 2023-24, with only an assist, eight SOG, four PIMs and a +1 plus/minus through six games.

Lawson Crouse