NHL Hockey Player News

Minnesota is playing its best hockey of the season, 5-0-1 in its last six, largely due to the elite play of goalie Jesper Wallstedt, but the team will turn to Gustavsson on Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 27-year-old Gustavsson has a subpar 2.99 GAA and .897 SV% in 14 games this season (5-7-2), but has played much better lately, posting a 2.50 GAA and .909 SV% in his last six (3-2-1). Minnesota enters Friday's contest as +109 road underdogs against a rested Penguins team that has not played since Sunday.

Skinner drew into the Blues' lineup for his NHL debut last week, playing one game, but has been assigned back to the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL). The 24-year-old defenseman scored 23 points (8G / 15A) in 71 games with Springfield last season.

Del Bel Belluz has been a lineup-regular for the Blue Jackets since being recalled two weeks ago, but will return to the AHL. The 22-year-old forward averaged 9:35 time-on-ice and scored one assist in seven games with Columbus. In a corresponding move, Columbus has recalled Brendan Gaunce from Cleveland (AHL).

Gaunce is no stranger to the NHL, with 189 career games, but has yet to suit up for the Blue Jackets this season. The 31-year-old forward has six points (4G / 2A) with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season. Luca Del Bel Belluz has been loaned to Cleveland in a corresponding move.

The Penguins return to action for the first time since playing in Sweden last weekend, and will turn to Silovs to tend the twine on Friday against the Minnesota Wild. Silovs played well in his most recent outing, saving 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%), but did not receive ample goal support in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators. The 24-year-old Latvian goalie has been impressive in his first season with the Penguins, posting a 2.44 GAA and .918 SV% in 10 games (4-2-4). The Penguins enter Friday's contest as -120 home favorites against a Wild team with points in six straight games (5-0-1).

Zucker has missed seven straight games, but returned to practice this week, and will return to the lineup on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 33-year-old Zucker is averaging 14:44 time-on-ice, recording seven points (4G / 3A), 15 hits, and 27 shots in 12 games this season.

The Sabres have favored rookie Colten Ellis in recent games, but they will likely turn to Luukkonen on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Luukkonen was injured for the first four weeks of the season and has been inconsistent in limited use since. The 26-year-old Finnish netminder has a 3.02 GAA and .883 SV% in four games this season (1-2-1). The Sabres enter Friday's contest as -180 home favorites against a Blackhawks team that played last night and allowed three unanswered goals in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken.

MacEachern will slot in for Lukas Reichel, who was a surprise scratch on Thursday. He'll skate with Linus Karlsson and Max Sasson on Vancouver's fourth line.

Mrazek will make just his fifth start of the season on Thursday as the Ducks are on the tail-end of a back-to-back. In his last start, Mrazek turned in arguably his best performance of the season in a losing effort, allowing just one goal on 29 shots in a 2-0 loss in Minnesota on Saturday. He carries a 3-1-0 record and an .887 SV% into Thursday night's matchup against the Senators, where the Ducks enter action at +105 on the money line.

It's unclear whether Reichel is dealing with an undisclosed injury or if he's simply a healthy scratch. MacKenzie MacEachern will play in his place.

The Sharks have been impressive lately, going 7-2-1 in their last 10, and will continue to roll with Askarov between the pipes on Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Kings. Askarov struggled to start the season, but has been other-worldly lately, allowing two or fewer goals in six straight (5-1-0) while posting an absurd .959 SV%. The 23-year-old goalie has a 2.99 GAA and .905 SV% in 12 games this season (6-5-1). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as +152 home underdogs against a Kings team that leads the Pacific Division despite being in the bottom half of the league offensively (2.8 GF/GP).

The Golden Knights will turn to Schmid between the pipes for the 10th time this season when they travel to Utah on Thursday. Schmid picked up his second victory in as many starts on Tuesday, stopping 17 of the 19 shots he faced in a 3-2 win over the Rangers. The 25-year-old netminder has been a stabilizing force in net for the Golden Knights in Adin Hill's absence, compiling an impressive 8-1-2 record. Schmid and the Golden Knights enter action on Thursday at -115 on the money line.

The Rangers have lost two straight and hope to return to the win column on Thursday with Shesterkin tending the twine against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old Shesterkin has a serviceable 2.43 GAA and .911 SV% in 16 gams (7-7-2), but has been unspectacular lately, allowing three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-2-0) while posting a .903 SV%. The Rangers enter the action on Thursday as +180 road underdogs against an Avalanche team on a six-game winning streak.

The Blackhawks continue to impress, collecting points in eight of their last 10 (6-2-2), and will turn to Knight on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken. The 24-year-old Knight has been solid all season for the Blackhawks and is coming off a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he saved 31 of 33 shots (.924 SV%). He has a 2.42 GAA and .924 SV% in 13 games this season (7-3-3). The Blackhawks enter the action on Thursday as slight -108 home favourites against a Kraken team that is in the bottom five of the league offensively (2.68 GF/GP).

The Kraken will hand Daccord his 18th start of the season when they travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks on Thursday. Daccord took the loss in his last outing, allowing three goals on 26 shots in a 4-2 defeat in Detroit on Tuesday. Seattle's workhorse netminder owns a 6-3-3 record on the season to go along with a 2.85 GAA and .898 SV%. The Kraken enter action on Thursday at an even +100 on the money line.

Tampa Bay has lost two of its last four (2-2-0), but is coming off an explosive 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, where Vasilevskiy dazzled with a 31-save performance (.969 SV%). The 31-year-old Vasilevskiy has been inconsistent this season, but he returns to the crease on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers, looking to build on a 2.64 GAA and .903 SV% through 14 games (7-5-2). Tampa Bay enters the action on Thursday as -156 home favorites against an Edmonton team that only has one win in their last four games (1-3-0) despite scoring four or more goals three times.

van Riemsdyk will be the odd-man out as Capitals opt to get some fresh legs in the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Dylan McIlrath will dress in his place.