Josh Manson is battling a lower-body injury and will be replaced by Jones if he is not able to suit up. Jones has not played since January 15th, an 18-game stretch.
Novak's production has slipped slightly from the 43 points (17G / 26A) he posted in 51 games last season but has nevertheless been rewarded for another strong campaign. In 51 games this season, Novak has 34 points (13G / 21A) while most recently playing on a line with Mark Jankowski and Luke Evangelista.
Brazeau played six straight for the Bruins before being a healthy scratch on Saturday but will return to the lineup on Monday night. Brazeau has two points (1G / 1A), eight shots, and four hits in six games.
Rust did not play on Tuesday and will be out on a week-to-week basis as he recovers from an upper-body injury. He was starting to heat up before his injury, scoring four points (3G / 1A) in two games before his injury. Pittsburgh has recalled Jonathan Gruden as a lineup replacement in the interim.
With the news of TJ Oshie (lower body) out for an indefinite period, Hendrix Lapierre was recalled on Friday from Hershey (AHL) and is expected to join the lineup on Saturday. The 22-year-old centre has enjoyed a solid season in Hersey, with five goals, 17 points and six PIMs in 21 games played but returns to Washington where he also has seven points in 25 games during his previous call up.
Brazeau impressed in his first two NHL games, scoring a goal and registering eight shots on goal, but he will be the odd-man out on Thursday. Jakub Lauko (upper-body) draws back into the lineup in Brazeau's place.
A fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Bemstrom scored 31 goals and 38 assists in 204 games across parts of five seasons in Columbus, playing predominantly in the team's bottom-six. It's unclear where the Penguins plan to deploy the 24-year-old Swede in their lineup.
Lizotte has been out of the lineup since January 15th with a lower-body injury but is set to return on Thursday night against the Nashville Predators. The 26-year-old Lizotte had been held without a point in 11 straight games before his injury.
