Eller missed practice on Monday, but was back on the ice for the Capitals morning skate and is now listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s game vs. the Maple Leafs. If Eller is unable to go, Tyler Graovac will draw into the lineup. Eller has two assists in six games this season.
Kulikov is expected to miss two weeks, which will likely cost him about five games. The 26-year-old blueliner has picked up three points (1G / 2A) in five games this season but will not be replaced by Tucker Poolman for the next few weeks.
Eller’s status for Tuesday’s game vs. the Maple Leafs is in question after missing Monday’s practice session with an illness. With Eller not on the ice, Tyler Graovac centred the Capitals’ third line. Eller has just assists in six games this season and doesn’t carry much fantasy value as a bottom-6 option in Washington.
Markstrom allowed three goals on 19 shots in the Canucks’ loss to Winnipeg on Thursday. Markstrom has posted a 2.30 GAA and .927 SV% in his first three starts of the season and tonight he will make his fourth straight tonight vs. the Flames—he was 0-2-0 with a 3.08 GAA and .910 SV% in two starts vs. Calgary last season.
Markstrom allowed two goals on 42 shots in the Canucks’ shootout loss to Ottawa on Tuesday. In his first two starts of the season, Markstrom has gone 1-0-1 while turning aside 73 of 77 shots (.948 SV%). Tonight he will take on a Jets team that has started the season 1-2-0 while averaging 3.33 goals for and 5.00 goals against on the young season.
Markstrom made 33 saves on 35 shots in the Canucks’ season opening win over the Oilers. It was a strong season debut for Markstrom, who will go for a second game in a row tonight vs. Ottawa. Markstrom won’t see a lot of the Senators throughout his career, but he was great in a losing effort vs. Ottawa last year—he stopped 23 of 24 shots in a 1-0 defeat.
With Ryan Miller now in Anaheim, Markstrom is the man in Vancouver and he will start his run as the No.1 tonight vs. the Oilers. Last year he went 10-11-3 with a 2.63 GAA and .910 SV% but will need to be better if the Canucks are to have any success. He is a terrible option tonight vs. Connor McDavid and the rest of the Oilers.
Forsling, 21, was “sent down” yesterday as a paper transaction to get under the salary cap ceiling before they put Marian Hossa on LTIR. In 2016-17, Forsling split time between the NHL and AHL, collecting five points (2G / 3A) in 38 games with the Blackhawks. He is expected to open this season on the Blackhawks’ third pair.
Verhaeghe, 21, was a third round pick (No.82 overall) in 2013 but has split his last two seasons between the AHL and ECHL. Last season he had 29 points (16G / 13A) in 45 games with Bridgeport (AHL) and an impressive 32 points (12G / 20A) in just 16 games with Missouri (ECHL). Verhaeghe will likely report to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) to start 2017-18.
Kulikov broke into the NHL with a bang, but has struggled in recent years, culminating in him being traded to Buffalo last summer and him only posting five points (2G / 3A) in 47 games with the Sabres. Still only 26-years-old, the Jets obviously see something they like in the former No.14 overall pick (2009). Kulikov will be leaned on as a No.4/No.5 defenseman in Winnipeg, which should help him in the defensive aspect of the game.
Despite appearing in just 49 games last season, Petrovic nearly topped his career-high in points, posting 14 points (1G / 13A) with the Panthers. Petrovic is a solid third-pairing defenseman on a talented Panthers’ back-end, but won’t have a fantasy impact.
