The Lightning will hand Vasilevskiy his fifth start of the young season when they host the Blackhawks on Thursday. The former Vezina Trophy winner has endured a tough start to his 2025-26 campaign, going winless with an .886 SV% across his first four starts, although he did look more like his regular self in his most recent outing. Vasilevskiy stopped 29 of the 31 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss in Detroit on Friday. Luckily for Vasilevskiy, he draws a great matchup on Thursday as the Lightning enter action at -300 on the money line.

Nystrom was a seventh-round pick of the Hurricanes in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old defenseman has only played seven professional games in North America over the past two seasons, recording two points (0G / 2A) with the Chicago Wolves.

Luukkonen missed the majority of training camp due to a lower-body injury and subsequently the first two weeks of the season. He was sent down to the Rochester Americans (AHL) for a conditioning stint, where he posted a 2.01 GAA and .913 SV% in one game (1-0-0). Alex Lyon has occupied the Sabres crease during Luukkonen's absence and has played well, which could lead to a battle for playing time between the two netminders now that Luukkonen has returned.

Sabourin is an undrafted 33-year-old forward with eight points (2G / 6A) in 47 career NHL games. He spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, where he scored 25 points (10G / 15A) in 68 games with the San Jose Barracuda.

Rempal is an undrafted 30-year-old forward that signed with the Capitals in the offseason after spending the 2024-25 season in the KHL, scoring 61 points (31G / 30A) in 68 games with Ufa Salavat Yulayev. He played four games in the AHL this season, scoring two points (1G / 1A) for the Hershey Bears.

After a disappointing 2024-25 season, posting a pedestrian 2.90 GAA and .889 SV% in 23 games (10-8-3), Demko has returned to elite form early in 2025-26, boasting an excellent 2.28 GAA and .922 SV% in four games (3-1-0). The 29-year-old Demko returns to the crease on Thursday in a meeting with the Nashville Predators. The Canucks enter Thursday's contest as slight -101 road underdogs against a Predators team that has been outscored 24-17 through seven games this season (2-3-2).

Hunt has spent most of the previous three seasons in the AHL, but is no stranger to the NHL, with 235 career games, scoring 54 points (18G / 36A). The 29-year-old forward started the season with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL), where he scored six points (2G / 4A) in four games.

The Sharks (0-4-2) continue their search for their first victory in the 2025-26 season, and will turn to Nedeljkovic to tend the twine on Thursday against the New York Rangers. The 29-year-old Nedeljkovic has a pedestrian 3.69 GAA and .890 SV% through three games this season (0-2-1). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as sizable +242 road underdogs against a Rangers team that has been outscored 9-1 at home (0-4-0).

McBain exited Utah's most recent game early after only 4:56 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury, but will not miss any more time, suiting up for Thursday's game against the St. Louis Blues. The 25-year-old McBain averaged 3.5 hits and 0.3 points per game in the 2024-25 season but is trailing that pace early in 2025-26, averaging only 2.1 hits and 0.1 points through seven games.

Utah has been one of the NHL's best defensive teams early in the 2025-26 season, allowing only 13 goals (2.17 GA / GP) through six games (5-1-0), and will roll with Vejmelka between the pipes on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues. The 29-year-old Czech goalie is off to a great start to the season, posting a solid 2.20 GAA and .911 SV% in five games (4-1-0). Utah enters Thursday's outing as a slight +104 road underdog against a St. Louis team with a 3-2-1 record.

With Marc Gatcomb clearing waivers and being sent to Bridgeport (AHL) , New York has recalled Marshall Warren in a corresponding move. The 24-year-old defensemen has yet to appear in the NHL after joining the Islanders from the University of Michigan (NCAA) in 2023-24. He's earned his promotion due to his hot start to begin 2025-26, with two goals and five points in four games with Bridgeport.

Highmore came flying out of the gate with Bridgeport (AHL) to start this season, picking up four assists in his first four games and has earned himself his first promotion to the Islanders on Thursday.The 29-year-old is expected to provide some forward depth for the Islanders after he appeared in 41 games with Ottawa in 2024-25, picking up two goals and six points.

Gatcomb drew into the Islanders lineup in the second game of the season, replacing a suspended Jonathan Drouin, but has not played since. The 26-year-old cleared waivers on Thursday and will report to the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL), where he will have more exposure to playing time.

Agozzino played two games with Utah, recording zero points, and returns to a familiar placed in the AHL after clearing waivers. The 34-year-old Agozzino spent all of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, where he scored 43 points (20G / 23A) in 55 games with the Tucson Roadrunners. The Mammoth recalled Kevin Rooney from Tucson in a corresponding move.

Andrew Agozzino was reassigned to Tucson (AHL) after he cleared waivers on Thursday, allowing the team to recall Rooney. The 32-year-old Rooney played a career-high 70 games with the Calgary Flames last season, scoring 10 points (5G / 5A). He started the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL, where he recorded four points (3G / 1A) with Tucson.

With Darcy Kuemper's return from a lower-body injury, the Kings placed Copley on waivers on Wednesday. The 33-year-old Copley spent the majority of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, tallying a 2.49 GAA and .904 SV% in 42 games with the Ontario Reign (24-17-1). He will report back to Ontario after clearing waivers on Thursday.

Kadri played 22:46 time-on-ice in yesterday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, his second-highest total of the season. He was absent from practice on Thursday for maintenance but is not expected to miss any time. The 35-year-old Kadri has four points (0G / 4A) in eight games this season.

With Kirby Dach (lower body) returning from a three-game absence, Roy will head to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Roy made his season debut in Montreal's previous game, playing 7:58 time-on-ice.

Dach has not played in Montreal's previous three games, recovering from a lower-body injury, but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 24-year-old Dach is averaging 14:29 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in five games this season.

The Red Wings' five-game winning streak snapped last night in a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the front end of a back-to-back. They will switch to Talbot between the pipes on Thursday against the New York Islanders. The 38-year-old Talbot has been sensational early in the 2025-26 season, posting a 1.78 GAA and .932 SV% in four appearances (3-0-0). The Red Wings enter Thursday's contest as +115 road underdogs against an Islanders team riding a three-game winning streak.