Belluz was drafted 44th-overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and seems poised to make his season debut after being recalled from Cleveland (AHL) on Thursday. The 21-year-old forward was productive in a brief 15-game stint with the Blue Jackets last season, scoring eight points (2G / 6A).
Connor Clifton will draw back into Pittsburgh's lineup on Thursday against the Washington Capitals, sending Brunicke to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 19-year-old Brunicke is averaging 15:43 time-on-ice and has one point (1G / 0A) through nine games in his first NHL season.
Clifton has been limited to only three games this season, last playing on October 25th, and will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Washington Capitals. The 30-year-old defenseman is averaging 17:34 time-on-ice, recording zero points, nine blocks, and 16 hits.
Graves started the season in the AHL, scoring seven points (1G / 6A) in 10 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but will suit up for his season debut with Pittsburgh on Thursday. The 30-year-old defenseman has 118 points (32G / 86A) in 433 career NHL games.
Kozak has not played since October 24th, recovering from a lower-body injury, but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year-old Kozak is averaging 9:52 time-on-ice, recording 19 hits and two goals in seven games.
With Tristan Jarry (lower-body) out week-to-week, Silovs will be the go-to option between the pipes for the Penguins, beginning with Thursday's contest against the Washington Capitals. The 24-year-old Silovs struggled in his most recent outing, allowing four goals on 33 shots (.879 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, but has otherwise been solid, boasting a 2.66 GAA and .913 SV% in seven games (3-2-2). The Penguins enter the action on Thursday as slight -103 home underdogs against a Capitals team coming off a dominant 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues last night.
Monahan suffered an upper-body injury, exiting Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the Calgary Flames after only 13:11 time-on-ice, but is not be out long-term. The 31-year-old Monahan is off to a slow start this season despite top-line and top-powerplay deployment, scoring only six points (1G / 5A) in 13 games.
Koivunen has been back and forth from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) this season, but could get another shot to draw into Pittsburgh's lineup after being recalled on Thursday. The 22-year-old Finnish forward has a whopping 11 points (4G / 7A) in six AHL games, but only one point (0G / 1A) in seven games at the NHL level.
Pettersson will take a seat on Wednesday after being limited to under 12 minutes of ice time in Monday's game in Nashville. Pierre-Olivier Joseph will draw into the lineup in his place.
Joseph will slot in for Elias Nils Pettersson, who is a healthy scratch on Wednesday. Joseph has appeared in seven games this season and is yet to register a point.
Knight has lost consecutive starts (0-1-1) and hopes to return to the win column on Wednesday, tending the twine against the Vancouver Canucks. The 24-year-old Knight has been solid in his first full season with the Blackhawks, posting a 2.62 GAA and .913 SV% in nine games (4-3-2). The Blackhawks enter Wednesday's contest as +138 road underdogs against a Canucks team coming off a 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators.
Misa was a healthy scratch in San Jose's most recent game, and will be sidelined for a second straight contest, this time due to injury after leaving practice early on Wednesday. The Sharks have been easing the 18-year-old Misa into gameplay this season, limited to only seven games, scoring three points (1G / 2A).
Seattle has only lost twice in regulation through 12 games this season (6-2-4), largely due to strong goaltending from Joey Daccord. The 29-year-old Daccord will return to the crease on Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks. He was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 29 of 30 shots (.967 SV%) in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, improving his season totals to a 2.53 GAA and .910 SV% in 10 games (6-1-3). Seattle enters Wednesday's contest as -155 home favorites against a Sharks team with points in four of their last five games (3-1-1).
The Maple Leafs are coming off an exciting come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins and will roll with Stolarz between the pipes on Wednesday against the Utah Mammoth. The 31-year-old Stolarz has won three straight contests and has improved his totals to a 3.12 GAA and .896 SV% in 10 games (5-4-1) after a rocky start to the season. The Maple Leafs enter Wednesday's contest as -149 home favorites against an exciting Mammoth team that is 9-4-0 this season.
Mermis will slot in for Simon Benoit, who was a surprise scratch on Wednesday. It will be just the second appearance of the season for Mermis.
Benoit was a surprise scratch on Wednesday, with the Maple Leafs not announcing his absence prior to warmups. Dakota Mermis will dress in his place.
The Mammoth will turn to Vanecek between the pipes for the tail-end of their back-to-back in Toronto on Wednesday. Vanecek picked up his second win in as many starts his last time out, stopping 28 of the 30 shots he faced in a 3-2 win in Boston last Sunday. The 30-year-old netminder carries a 2-1-0 record and a .913 SV% into Wednesday's matchup with the Maple Leafs, where the Mammoth enter action at +130 on the money line.
Fensore made his season debut on October 28th but has not played since. The 24-year-old blueliner has picked up seven points (3G / 4A) in five AHL games this season.
White has 48 games of NHL experience, but has exclusively played in the AHL since the 2022-23 season, when he played 46 games as an Anaheim Duck. The 28-year-old defenseman has zero points in eight games with the Utica Comets (AHL) this season.
Casey has appeared in two games for the Devils this season but has been assigned to Utica (AHL) for additional playing time. The 21-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut last season and scored eight points (4G / 4A) in 14 games with the Devils.
