Valimaki has not played since January 26th and will be sidelined for 8-9 months, recovering from ACL surgery. The 26-year-old defenseman averaged 16:33 time-on-ice and recorded five points (2G / 3A) in 43 games with Utah this season.
Vanecek is expected to make his Panthers debut on Saturday after being acquired from the Sharks on Wednesday. Vanecek has struggled this season, going 3-10-3 with a. 3.88 GAA and .882 SV% while playing behind one of the worst teams in the league. He goes from San Jose, who is last in the league in xGA/60 (3.50) to Florida who ranks fifth (2.76). He's a solid streaming option on Saturday with the Panthers being -254 home favourites.
Tanev will cap off what was an incredibly busy Friday for him by making his debut in New Jersey against the Devils. Tanev was thankfully already in nearby Philadelphia when he was acquired from the Kraken earlier on Friday. The 33-year-old Tanev has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 60 games this season.
Utah HC has won four of their last five (1-4-0) and will roll with Vejmelka between the pipes on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Vejmelka was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 38 of 40 shots (.950 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. The Czech netminder has a 2.44 GAA and .912 SV% in 39 appearances this season (17-16-4). Utah enters Friday's contest as -163 road favorites against a Chicago team with points in three straight (2-0-1).
Seattle kept Tanev out of the lineup on Thursday, anticipating a trade of the impending UFA, and have dealt him to Winnipeg on Friday. The 33-year-old Tanev has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 60 games this season.
Carcone has not played since February 25th, but will re-enter the lineup on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. The 28-year-old Carcone is averaged 11:39 time-on-ice and has 13 points (5G / 8A) in 41 games this season.
Fresh off a five-year, $4.75M AAV contract extension, Vejmelka will be between the pipes on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. Vejmelka allowed three goals on 29 shots (.897 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. The 28-year-old Czech netminder has a 2.45 GAA and .910 SV% in 38 games this season (16-16-4). Utah HC enters the action on Thursday as -132 road favorites against a Red Wings club amid a three-game losing skid (0-3-0).
Tanev is an impending UFA will be held out of Seattle's lineup on Thursday as the team anticipates to trade him before Friday's trade deadline. The 33-year-old Tanev has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 60 games this season.
Hebig an undrafted 28-year-old forward that has yet to play an NHL game. He has spent most of the previous seven seasons in the AHL, including scoring 37 points (20G / 17A) in 48 games with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) this season.
Vejmelka is in the final year of a three-year, $2.725M AAV contract and is now signed though the 2029-30 season. Vejmelka has enjoyed the best season of his four-year career so far, going 16-16-4 with a 2.45 GAA, .910 SV% and one shutout in 38 games (35 starts).
Cole was set to become an unrestricted free-agent on July 1st, but will instead remain in Utah for the 2025-26 season. The 36-year-old defenceman has one goal and 12 assists in 61 games for Utah this season and leads the NHL with 160 blocked shots.
Kerfoot was set to become an unrestricted free-agent on July 1st, but will instead remain in Utah next season on a $3-million dollar cap hit. Kerfoot has seven goals and nine assists in 61 games this season.
The Sharks opted not to play Vanecek on Tuesday in anticipation of a trade, which was realized on Wednesday morning, sending him to Florida in exchange for Patrick Giles. Vanecek posted an unimpressive 3.88 GAA and .882 SV% in 18 games with the Sharks this season (3-10-3). Though he will be predominantly backing up Sergei Bobrovsky, Vanecek should see an improvement in his statistics on a much stronger Florida team.
Despite being in the tail end of a back-to-back, the Sharks will turn to Georgiev between the pipes on Tuesday, keeping Vitek Vanecek sidelined for trade-related reasons. The 29-year-old Vanecek has a 3.88 GAA and .882 SV% in 18 appearances this season (3-10-3).
Maatta has impressed in his first season with Utah, earning himself a three-year contract extension. The 30-year-old defenseman started the season with the Detroit Red Wings before being traded to Utah. He has 14 points (2G / 12A) through 51 games and is averaging 20:41 time-on-ice, his highest total since his second NHL season in 2014-15.
Utah HC has won three straight, all with Vejmelka between the pipes, and will roll with him again on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. The 28-year-old Vejmelka has been terrific lately, allowing two or fewer goals in four straight (4-0-0) while posting a near-perfect .942 SV%. He has a 2.44 GAA and .910 SV% through 37 appearances this season (16-15-4).
O'Brien will fill in for late scratch Michael Carcone (lower-body). O'Brien has zero goals and one assist in 20 games this season.
