Howe was Pittsburgh's 46th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old forward played 47 WHL games this season, split between the Regina Pats and Calgary Hitmen, scoring 46 points (18G / 28A).

Ristolainen's final game of the season was March 11th, missing the final month due to an upper-body injury. He ended the 2024-25 regular season with four goals, 19 points and a +3 plus/minus in 63 games played. His recovery timeline likely sets his target return date for late October.

Cirelli exited Tuesday's 6-2 Game 1 loss to the Florida Panthers after playing only 6:21 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury, and his status is up in the air for Game 2. Nick Paul centered Tampa Bay's second line after Cirelli's injury. The 27-year-old Cirelli scored a career-high 59 points (27G / 32A) in 80 games this season.

Alexeyev exited Game 1 on Monday due to an upper-body injury after playing only 14:02 time-on-ice. The 25-year-old defenseman only played eight games this season, scoring zero points. He will be able to return to the lineup for Game 2 on Wednesday.

Protas missed the final six games of the regular season and will now miss the first two games of the playoffs due to a laceration on his foot, but appears to be nearing a return to the lineup as he was a game-time decision on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Protas scored an impressive 66 points (30G / 36A) in 76 games this season.

Klingberg has not played since March 27th and has only played 11 games this season, scoring four points (1G / 3A), but will return to the lineup for Game 2 on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Klingberg has only played 11 playoff games in the previous five seasons but has been a proven performer, scoring 39 points (8G / 31A) in 63 career contests. Josh Brown will exit Edmonton's lineup to accommodate Klingberg's return.

Kane has spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season recovering from abdominal surgery but will make his return to the lineup in Game 2 on Wednesday. The 33-year-old Kane has spent the previous three seasons with the Oilers, tallying 111 points (62G / 49A) in 161 games. Jeff Skinner will exit the lineup to accommodate Kane's return.

Cirelli exited Tuesday's 6-2 Game 1 loss to the Florida Panthers after playing only 6:21 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury. Nick Paul centered Tampa Bay's second line after Cirelli's injury. The 27-year-old Cirelli scored a career-high 59 points (27G / 32A) in 80 games this season.

Ehlers has only played twice in the last three weeks and will await his 2024-25 playoff debut, not travelling with the Jets to St. Louis for Game 3. As they are with Gabriel Vilardi (upper body), the Jets are taking a cautious approach with returning two integral offensive pieces to their lineup with a comfortable 2-0 lead over the Blues. The 29-year-old Ehlers scored 63 points (24G / 39A) in 63 games this season.

Up 2-0 in the first-round series against the St. Louis Blues, the Jets are taking a cautious approach with returning Vilardi to the lineup. Vilardi appears to be nearing a return but without a rush to insert him into to the lineup, the Jets will likely wait until Vilardi returns to 100% health before proceeding with full-contact practices. The 25-year-old Vilardi was having a tremendous season for the Jets before his injury, scoring 61 points (27G / 34A) in 71 games.

Protas missed the final six games of the regular season and missed Game 1, but could return to the lineup for Game 2. The 24-year-old Protas scored an impressive 66 points (30G / 36A) in 76 games this season.

Alexeyev exited Game 1 on Monday due to an upper-body injury after playing only 14:02 time-on-ice. The 25-year-old defenseman only played eight gams this season, scoring zero points. He could be ready to return to the lineup for Game 2 on Wednesday.

Landeskog participated in the pregame skate on Monday but was a late scratch, delaying his return to the lineup. He has not played in an NHL game since the 2021-22 season, but appeared in two AHL games during a conditioning loan this month. The Avalanche did not confirm that he would play, but implied a realistic chance that he returns to the lineup on Wednesday for Game 3.

Tkachuk suffered a lower-body injury as a member of USA's team in the 4-Nations Face Off and has not played since. After practicing with the Panthers the last several days, he appears set to return to the lineup for Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 27-year-old Tkachuk scored 57 points (22G / 35A) in 52 games this season.

Tkachuk suffered a lower-body injury as a member of USA's team in the 4-Nations Face Off and has not played since. That said, he has been practicing with the Panthers the last several days and could return to the lineup for Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 27-year-old Tkachuk scored 57 points (22G / 35A) in 52 games this season.

Kane has spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season recovering from abdominal surgery but could make his return to the lineup in Game 2 on Wednesday. The 33-year-old Kane has spent the previous three seasons with the Oilers, tallying 111 points (62G / 49A) in 161 games.

Klingberg has not played since March 27th and has only played 11 games this season, scoring four points (1G / 3A), but could return to the lineup for Game 2 on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Klingberg has only played 11 playoff games in the previous five seasons but has been a proven performer, scoring 39 points (8G / 31A) in 63 career contests.

Robertson was injured in the final game of the season, and remains out of the lineup, week-to-week, without further update. Given the uncertainty and lack of updates around Robertson's injury, it would be surprising to see him return in the first round of the playoffs. The 25-year-old forward had 80 points (35G / 45A) in 82 games this season.

Heiskanen has practiced in a non-contact jersey the past few days and will travel to Colorado with the Stars. The tight first-round matchup is tied 1-1 with Game 3 on Wednesday, followed by a two-day break before Game 4 on Saturday. Heiskanen scored 25 points (5G / 20A) in 50 games and would provide a huge lift for a Stars team that struggled defensively down the stretch.

Up 2-0 in the first-round series against the St. Louis Blues, the Jets likely will not insert Vilardi into the lineup until he is fully healed. Given his up-in-the-air status for Game 3, Vilardi's health is likely near perfect as his return to the lineup seems to be on the imminent horizon. The 25-year-old Vilardi was having a tremendous season for the Jets before his injury, scoring 61 points (27G / 34A) in 71 games.