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NHL Hockey Player News
Lankinen will start in Chicago on Friday.

The Canucks will unsurprisingly turn to Lankinen between the pipes when they travel to Chicago for the tail-end of their back-to-back on Friday. Lankinen's lone appearance this season came in a 5-2 loss to the Blues on Monday, where he allowed four goals on 35 shots. Despite the Canucks playing their second game in as many nights, Lankinen has a great chance of breaking into the win column on Friday as Vancouver enters action at -135 on the money line.

Kevin Lankinen
Vasilevskiy will start in Detroit on Friday.

Tampa Bay is off to a disappointing 1-2-1 start to the 2025-26 season and will turn to Vasilevskiy on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings as he searches for his first win this season. The 31-year-old Vasilevskiy has an ugly 4.08 GAA and .870 SV% in three games (0-2-1), but he played well in his most recent outing, saving 25 of 28 shots (.893 SV%) in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals. Tampa Bay enters Friday's contest as -151 road favorites against a Red Wings team outscoring their opposition 13-6 during a three-game winning streak.

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Kirkland is expected to be a healthy scratch on Saturday in Vegas.

To accommodate the season debut of Jonathan Huberdeau (undisclosed) Kirkland will return to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 29-year-old Kirkland played a career-high 21 games last season and scored eight points (2G / 6A). He has zero points through three games this season.

Justin Kirkland
Gridin has been assigned to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL).

Gridin has been assigned to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) in a move to help accommodate activating Jonathan Huberdeau (undisclosed) off of Injured Reserve. The 19-year-old Gridin made his NHL debut last week and has recorded one goal in four games with the Flames this season.

Matvei Gridin
Huberdeau (undisclosed) has been activated from IR.

Huberdeau has not played Calgary's first five games due to an undisclosed injury, but he has been activated from Injured Reserve and is expected to draw into the lineup on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights. He is expected to suit up on a line with Nazem Kadri and Joel Farabee. The 32-year-old Huberdeau averaged 19:33 time-on-ice and had 62 points (28G / 34A) in 81 games last season, his most productive campaign with the Flames.

Jonathan Huberdeau
Kopitar will be out week-to-week with a foot injury.

Kopitar did not play in the Kings' previous game and will be sidelined week-to-week as he recovers from a foot injury. The Kings are off to a sluggish start to the 2025-26 season (1-3-1) and will be further challenged to create offense without Kopitar, who announced several weeks ago that he will be retiring at the conclusion of the season. The 38-year-old Kopitar has four points (0G / 4A) in four games this season.

Anze Kopitar
Kessel will make his season debut on Saturday vs. the Dallas Stars.

Logan Mailloux will be a healthy scratch on Saturday against the Dallas Stars, allowing Kessel to draw into the lineup for his season debut. The 29-year-old Kessel played 29 games with the Blues in 2024-25 and scored three points (0G / 3A).

Matthew Kessel
Mailloux will be a healthy scratch on Saturday vs. the Dallas Stars.

Mailloux's previous career-high was seven games last season with the Montreal Canadiens, and he will be a healthy scratch on Saturday as the Blues attempt to integrate him into a full-time NHL role. The 22-year-old defenseman has zero points and a -7 plus/minus through four games this season. Matthew Kessel will draw into the lineup as Mailloux's replacement.

Logan Mailloux
Ottawa has loaned Olle Lycksell to Belleville (AHL).

Lycksell was held off the scoresheet in two games with Ottawa this season but will report to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. The 26-year-old forward has been limited to 11 points (1G / 10A) in 47 career NHL games but has been electric at the AHL level, scoring 128 points (52G / 76A) in 134 games.

Olle Lycksell
San Jose has acquired Kyle Masters in a trade from the Minnesota Wild for Oskar Olausson.

Masters was a fourth-round pick, 118th overall, of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old defenseman has yet to play an NHL game. He spent most of the 2024-25 season in the ECHL, where he tallied 13 points (5G / 8A) in 27 games with the Iowa Heartlanders.

Kyle Masters
Minnesota acquired Oskar Olausson in a trade from the San Jose Sharks for Kyle Masters.

Olausson was the 28th-overall pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old forward has been limited to only four career NHL games. He scored 26 points (11G / 15A) in 61 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) last season.

Oskar Olausson
Duchene (upper body) has not been ruled out of Saturday's game in St. Louis.

Duchene was on the receiving end of a hit from Minnesota's Jacob Middleton that made contact with his head in Tuesday's 5-2 win. The 34-year-old Duchene was shaken up on the play but skated off the ice under his power, although he was not able to return to the game. Duchene has two points (1G / 1A) in three games this season and left a notable void in the Stars' roster in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Stars' head coach Glen Gulutzan seemed optimistic, stating that Duchene was close to playing on Thursday, but the team erred on the side of caution and will reevaluate ahead of Saturday's game against the St. Louis Blues.

Matt Duchene
Harley (illness) is expected to play on Saturday in St. Louis.

Harley is battling an illness but is not expected to miss any time. The 24-year-old Harley scored 15 or more goals in each of the previous two seasons and is off to an excellent start in 2025-26, scoring six points (1G / 5A) in his first four contests.

Thomas Harley
Lundkvist is being evaluated for a lower-body injury suffered on Thursday vs. Vancouver.

Lundkvist battled injuries throughout the 2024-25 season, limited to only 39 games, and will hope to receive positive news after being evaluated for a lower-body injury. The 25-year-old Lundkvist is off to a strong offensive start to the 2025-26 season, scoring three points (1G / 2A) in four games.

Nils Lundkvist
Borgen (lower body) is expected to lay on Saturday in Montreal.

Borgen was a game-time decision in Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but took to the ice, playing a season-low 16:22 time-on-ice. His lower-body injury continues to linger but he will likely stay in the lineup on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Will Borgen