Bains has earned his second call-up of the season to Vancouver after scoring 14 goals, and 49 points in 53 games with Abbotsford (AHL) this season. The 23-year-old undrafted left-winger appeared in five games already with the Canucks, but had failed to pick up a point while averaging 12:57 TOI with six SOG and a -3 plus/minus.
In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks have placed Thatcher Demko on LTIR retroactive to March 9th for some cap relief. The 28-year-old is first eligible to return on April 6th, so he has the potential to return before the playoffs begin on April 20th. He was one of the league's top goaltenders when he went down with injury, noticeable by his 34-13-2 record, 2.47 GAA, .917 SV% and five shutouts.
Cotter will play on Tuesday as the Golden Knights opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. William Carrier will sit in his place.
Lekkerimaki was the 15th overall pick of the Canucks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and will make his professional North American debut in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks. In 46 games with Orebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League, Lekkerimaki had 31 points (19G / 21A) in 46 games this season.
Oleksiak played only 9:49 time-on-ice before exiting Monday's 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres with an undisclosed injury. The 31-year-old Oleksiak has 10 points (2G / 8A), 98 hits, and 150 blocks in 67 games this season.
Cotter has been held without a point in five straight contests and will head to the press box Thursday vs. Seattle as he is replaced by Pavel Dorofeyev (undisclosed). The 24-year-old Cotter is in his third NHL season and has already passed career highs in games played (65), points (22) and PIMs (39) in 2023-24.
Oleksiak played only 9:49 time-on-ice before exiting Monday's 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres with an undisclosed injury. The 31-year-old Oleksiak has 10 points (2G / 8A), 98 hits, and 150 blocks in 67 games this season.
The red-hot Predators, riding a 13-0-2 point streak in their last 15 games, will turn to Lankinen between the pipes for only the second time in the last 10 games. Lankien has been solid when called upon, including a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in his last outing, when he saved 33 of 34 shots (.971 SV%). The Predators enter action as +159 road underdogs against the Florida Panthers.
Pavel Dorofeyev will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Cotter to re-enter the lineup. Cotter did not play the last two games and has been held without a point in four straight contests.
O'Connor has missed the last three games due to a concussion but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators. The 25-year-old O'Connor has 21 points (9G / 12A) in 60 games this season.
O'Connor has missed the last three games due to a concussion but could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators. The 25-year-old O'Connor has 21 points (9G / 12A) in 60 games this season.
Demko exited Saturday's 5-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in the second period with a knee injury and did not return to the contest. While further evaluations have ensured it is not a long-term injury, Demko is expected to miss several games as his initial prognosis is 2-3 weeks. Expect Case DeSmith to tend the twine in Demko's absence.
Fix-Wolansky is currently third in AHL scoring with 23 goals and 54 points in 51 games played but will put a halt to his production as he earned his second promotion of the season to Columbus on Friday. The 24-year-old offensive right-winger had appeared in one game early this season for the Blue Jackets, but failed to put up any counting stats across 12:32 TOI.
