Rifai has yet to play this season, but could make his debut, returning from a wrist injury on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 27-year-old defenseman only has two games of NHL experience.
Carlo has not played since November 13th due to a lower-body injury. He was seemingly nearing his return, but suffered a setback and ultimately underwent foot surgery on December 3rd. The 29-year-old defenseman was averaging 20:04 time-on-ice and scored two assists in 18 games before his injury.
McCann had been the picture of durability over the past three seasons, only missing five combined games, but has battled injury concerns throughout the 2025-26 season. The 29-year-old McCann has already missed 17 games this season and will return to the sidelines for the next few weeks, tending to a lower-body injury. He has eight points (5G / 3A) in 11 games this season.
Woll has not played since suffering a lower-body injury late in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on December 4th. He was given a roughly one-week recovery timeline, which seems to hold true after returning to practice on Wednesday. The recent success of Dennis Hildeby between the pipes for the Maple Leafs gives the team a bit more leeway in easing Woll back into the lineup, as he will not play on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers.
Hunt is a veteran of 237 career NHL games, but has primarily been an AHL player for the past four seasons. The 30-year-old forward has 18 points (5G / 13A) in 16 games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) this season.
Lindgren has been sidelined for the last week due to an upper-body injury, but should return to the lineup, at least in a backup role, on the teams upcoming two-game road trip. The 31-year-old Lindgren has a 2.90 GAA and .893 SV% in 10 appearances this season (5-3-1).
Solovyov has not played since November 1st and will get some playing time on a conditioning loan with the Colorado Eagles (AHL). The 25-year-old defenseman averaged 11:33 time-on-ice and had zero points in nine games with the Avalanche this season.
Dumba was regularly scratched by the Dallas Stars last season and ultimately dealt way to Pittsburgh in the offseason. The 31-year-old Dumba continued being a scratch in his tenure with the Penguins, tallying three points (1G / 2A) and a -5 plus/minus while being limited to only 11 games. If he does not get claimed, he will likely report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
With Jonas Brodin battling an undisclosed injury, Minnesota has recalled Jiricek from the Iowa Wild (AHL). The 22-year-old Jiricek has three points (1G / 2A) in 10 games with Iowa this season.
Brodin exited Thursday's game against the Dallas Stars late in the third period and no update and is questionable for Minnesota’s games this weekend. The 32-year-old defenseman is averaging 22:05 time-on-ice and has nine points (3G / 6A) in 30 games this season.
Knight had his worst performance of the season on Saturday, allowing six goals on 32 shots (.813 SV%) in a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, but followed it up with one of his best, saving all 21 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over the New York Rangers. The 24-year-old Knight has regularly been a bright spot in an up-and-down season for the Blackhawks, posting a 2.50 GAA and .916 SV% in 21 games (10-6-5). The Blackhawks enter Friday's contest as +106 road underdogs against a struggling St. Louis Blues team that has been outscored 12-4 in their last two games (0-2-0).
With the trade of Brett Kulak to the Pittsburgh Penguis, the Oilers need reinforcements on the blueline and have recalled Stillman from the Bakersfield Condors (AHL). The 27-year-old Stillman has 26 points (4G / 22A) in 163 career NHL games, but has primarily played in the AHL for the past three seasons.
Drouin has not played in over a week due to a lower-body injury, but has practiced the past several days and should return to the lineup on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 30-year-old Drouin has 15 points (3G / 12A) through 26 games in his first season with the Islanders. He has only one assist in his last nine games and was recently demoted to the team's second powerplay unit before his injury.
An NHL veteran of over 600 games, Kulak was a regular presence this season on the Oilers' third defensive pair, averaging 17:42 time-on-ice through 31 games. The 31-year-old defenseman will add a veteran presence to a Penguins defensive core with several inexperienced blueliners.
After speculations had regularly circulated around the Oilers organization about a change between the pipes, a move was finally made on Friday in a deal that sent Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 27-year-old Skinner was unable to consistently be a reliable goaltending option for the Oilers and hopes a change of scenery can help him flourish with the Penguins. Skinner had a 2.83 GAA and .891 SV% in 23 games with Edmonton this season (11-8-4), and was ironically moved after his most consistent stretch, posting a solid 2.15 GAA and .913 SV% in his last seven games (4-2-1).
Poulin was a first-round pick of the Penguins in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to make an impact at the NHL level, appearing in only 15 career games. The 24-year-old forward had 20 points (9G / 11A) in 22 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) this season.
With the Oilers struggling to find consistency in net with Stuart Skinner, rumors have regularly circulated about the team looking to improve the position. They hope to have found that improvement in Tristan Jarry. The 30-year-old Jarry had a forgetful 2024-25 season, including a lengthy demotion to the AHL, posting an ugly 3.12 GAA and .892 SV% in 36 games with Pittsburgh (16-12-6). He was off to a semi-resurgent 2025-26 season, posting a 2.66 GAA and .909 SV% in 14 games before being traded (9-3-1). Jarry has battled inconsistency throughout his career and has a limited, but troubling playoff history, appearing in only 8 total games (2-6-0) while posting a 3.00 GAA and .891 SV%.
Stastney was a fifth-round pick of the Nashville Predators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 25-year-old defenseman became an NHL regular for the first time this season, averaging 14:52 time-on-ice and scoring nine points (1G / 8A) in 30 games. He will likely suit up on the Oilers' third defensive pair, replacing Brett Kulak, who was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade earlier today.
The Bruins have had trouble staying healthy this season, with new players being injured seemingly as soon as another returns to the lineup. Arvidsson has already missed seven games this season due to injuries and returns to the sidelines with a lower-body ailment. The 32-year-old Arvidsson has been productive in a middle-six role for the Bruins this season, tallying 14 points (7G / 7A) and 65 shots in 25 games.
