Schaefer was drafted in the first-round, 32nd overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old has yet to play an NHL game. He has 14 points (4G / 10A) in 15 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this season.
The last-place Nashville Predators (7-12-4) are coming off a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings and will likely turn to Saros to tend the twine on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Saros is winless in his last three games (0-3-0), posting a 3.00 GAA and .852 SV%. The 30-year-old Finnish goalie has a 3.08 GAA and .889 SV% in 18 games this season (6-9-3). The Predators enter Friday's contest as slight -107 road favorites against a Blackhawks team that has scored only eight goals in its last four games (0-3-1).
Scott Morrow will draw back into New York's lineup on Friday against Boston, sending Vaakanainen to the sidelines as healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Vaakanainen is averaging 14:33 time-on-ice and has three points (0G / 3A) in 16 games this season.
Urho Vaakanainen will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Boston Bruins, allowing Morrow to re-enter the lineup. The 23-year-old Morrow is averaging 13:11 time-on-ice and has zero points in three games this season.
Kindel recorded an assist in his most recent game, snapping a five-game pointless skid, but was a healthy scratch on Wednesday. He returns to the lineup on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 18-year-old forward is averaging 15:21 time-on-ice and has eight points (5G / 3A) in 19 games this season.
With Andre Burakovsky returning to the lineup, Lafferty will be the odd-man out as a healthy scratch. The 30-year-old Lafferty is averaging 9:091 time-on-ice and has one goal in 10 games this season.
Jarry was stellar, returning from a three-week absence in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%) and will return to the crease on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After an ugly 2024-25 season, posting a 3.12 GAA and .892 SV% in 36 appearances (16-12-6), the 30-year-old Jarry continues his resurgent 2025-26 campaign, showcasing a 2.53 GAA and .914 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Penguins enter Friday's contest as +121 road underdogs against a Blue Jackets team coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Foegele is battling an undisclosed injury and his status is uncertain for Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. The 29-year-old Foegele had a career-high 46 points (24G / 22A) in 82 games last season, but is off to a slow start in 2025-26 with only four points (4G / 0A) through 18 games.
Duchene suffered an upper-body injury after a massive open-ice hit from Minnesota's Jacob Middleton in the third game of the season, was sidelined for one game, returned, and has mysteriously been out of the lineup since. Few details have been released regarding Duchene's injury, but has has been practicing with the team for the last several days. That said, there is no real timeline for when he may return, despite travelling with the team on the current road trip. The 34-year-old Duchene led Dallas last season with 82 points (30G / 52A) in 82 games.
Burakovsky has not played in the Blackhawks' previous three games, but he will return to the lineup on Friday against the Nashville Predators. The 30-year-old Burakovsky had a career-high 61 points (22G / 39A) in 80 games with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021-22 season, but has never come close to that total in other seasons. Playing predominantly alongside superstar Connor Bedar, Burakovsky has shown that evasive scoring tough through 18 games this season, scoring 15 points (7G / 8A).
Halliday made his NHL last week, tallying an assist in four games, but will return to the AHL, accommodating the return of Ottawa's captain Brady Tkachuk. The 23-year-old Halliday has 16 points (1G / 15A) in 15 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL) this season.
Schaefer was drafted in the first-round, 32nd overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old has yet to play an NHL game. He has 14 points (4G / 10A) in 15 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this season.
Foligno was limited to only 7:28 time-on-ice in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, exiting the contest due to a lower-body injury. The 34-year-old Foligno has a -10 plus/minus and is off to the worst offensive start to his career, with only two points (0G / 2A) in 23 games.
Jarry was stellar, returning from a three-week absence in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%) and will return to the crease on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After an ugly 2024-25 season, posting a 3.12 GAA and .892 SV% in 36 appearances (16-12-6), the 30-year-old Jarry continues his resurgent 2025-26 campaign, showcasing a 2.53 GAA and .914 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Penguins enter Friday's contest as +121 road underdogs against a Blue Jackets team coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With David Pastrnak (undisclosed) and Pavel Zacha (undisclosed) added to a growing list of noteworthy injured players for the Bruins, Georgii Merkulov and Riley Tufte will draw into the lineup on Friday against the New York Rangers. The 27-year-old Tufte has spent most of the season with Providence (AHL), scoring 16 points (8G / 8A) in 13 games, but has one goal in three games with Boston.
With David Pastrnak (undisclosed) and Pavel Zacha (undisclosed) added to a growing list of noteworthy injured players for the Bruins, Georgii Merkulov and Riley Tufte will draw into the lineup on Friday against the New York Rangers. The 25-year-old Merkulov has spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season campaign in the AHL, scoring 14 points (6G / 8A) in 17 games.
Zacha has missed only four games over the previous three seasons, but will not play on Friday against the New York Rangers, missing his first contest of 2025-26 due to an undisclosed injury and being listed as day-to-day. The 28-year-old Czech forward has 17 points (5G / 12A) and joins a growing list of noteworthy Bruins players sidelined due to injuries.
A Bruins team that is already without the services of several key players will also be without Pastrnak on Friday against the New York Rangers. The 29-year-old elite Czech forward has 29 points (11G / 18A) in 25 games, factoring in on 37 percent of Boston's goals this season. Pastrnak has played all 82 games in three straight seasons and will miss his first contest of 2025-26, out day-to-day.
Despite several major player departures since last season and several key injuries in 2025-26, the Bruins are off to a competitive 14-11-0 start, due in part to strong play between the pipes from Jeremy Swayman. That said, the Bruins will turn to Korpisalo on Friday afternoon against the New York Rangers. The 31-year-old Korpisalo has an ugly 3.43 GAA and .878 SV% in nine games (4-5-0) and will be hard-pressed for a Bruins’ victory with David Pastrnak (undisclosed) out of the lineup.
With Michael Rasmussen returning from a three-game absence due to an injury, Soderblom will be the odd-man out of the lineup as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old Soderblom is averaging 10:31 time-on-ice and has one goal in 12 games.
