Benjamin Kindel will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, allowing Acciari to re-enter the lineup. The 33-year-old Acciari is averaging 13:04 time-on-ice and has seven hits through three games this season.
The Penguins are off to a 2-2-0 start to the 2025-26 season and will continue to alternate their goalies, turning to Silovs on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. Silovs has shown a mixed bag in his two games as a Penguin. He opened the season with a spectacular 25-save shutout in a 3-0 win over the New York Rangers, but followed it up by allowing six goals on 30 shots (.800 SV%) against the same Rangers team four days later. The Penguins enter the action on Thursday as +172 road underdogs against a Kings team that has been outscored 16-12 through four games this season (1-2-1).
The Penguins are off to a 2-2-0 start to the 2025-26 season and will continue to alternate their goalies, turning to Silovs on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. Silovs has shown a mixed bag in his two games as a Penguin. He opened the season with a spectacular 25-save shutout in a 3-0 win over the New York Rangers, but followed it up by allowing six goals on 30 shots (.800 SV%) against the same Rangers team four days later. The Penguins enter the action on Thursday as +172 road underdogs against a Kings team that has been outscored 16-12 through four games this season (1-2-1).
Kindel was Pittsburgh's 11th-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and will serve has a healthy scratch for the first time in his young career. Through four games, the 18-year-old has one point (1G / 0A) and is averaging 14:20 time-on-ice.
With Miles Wood (upper body) out of the lineup for at least a week, Chinakhov will draw in and make his season debut on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche. The 24-year-old Chinakhov scored 15 points (7G / 8A) in 30 games last season. The talented forward had a season-opening stint with 14 points (7G / 7A) in his first 21 games last season, but has lacked consistent production.
Clifton will slot in for Harrison Brunicke, who is being rested on Tuesday. Clifton appeared in 73 games with the Sabres last season, tallying one goal and 15 assists.
Brunicke will take a seat on Tuesday by design as the Penguins are opting to limit the 19-year-old's workload early on in the season. Connor Clifton will draw into the lineup in his place.
The Oilers have split starts in their 2025-26 season (1-0-1) and will return to their season-opening starter, Stuart Skinner, on Tuesday against the New York Rangers. The 26-year-old Skinner was serviceable in his only start of the season, saving 19 of 22 shots (.864 SV%), but mishandled a puck in the third period, resulting in a goal en route to an eventual 4-3 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames. The Oilers enter Tuesday's contest as -134 road favorites against a Rangers team that has failed to score in two of their four games this season (2-2-0).
Letang exited Saturday's game against the New York Rangers after 15:29 time-on-ice but was back at practiced on Monday. The Penguins return to action on Tuesday evening in Anaheim against the Ducks.
Letang left early in the third period and did not return to Saturday's 6-1 loss to the Rangers. Head coach Dan Muse said that Letang is being evaluated and he should be considered questionable to play Tuesday in Anaheim.
Rust was back at practice on Thursday but will remain out of the lineup against the New York Islanders. The 33-year-old Rust scored a career-high 65 points (31G / 34A) in 71 games last season and will likely return to a role on the team's top powerplay unit when he returns.
Connor Dewar will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Hallander to make his season debut against the New York Islanders. The 25-year-old Hallander spent the previous two seasons playing hockey in Sweden, including an impressive 2024-25 season where he scored 53 points (26G / 27A) in 51 games with Timra IK (SweHL).
Coming off a forgetful 2024-25 season where he posted a 2.81 GAA and .896 SV% in 51 outings (26-18-4), Skinner will hope to return to the form that made him a top-15 netminder in his previous two seasons. The Oilers are expected to have one of the NHL's best offenses again in 2025-26, which should allow Skinner to accumulate plenty of victories. The 26-year-old netminder will be between the pipes in Edmonton's season opener on Wednesday, entering the contest as sizable -214 home favorites against the Calgary Flames.
