Valimaki was second among Coyotes' defensemen in TOI last game with 20:56 but will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. San Jose as Sean Durzi returns from a three-game absence. The 25-year-old Valimaki has yet to score this season but has six assists, 17 SOG, six PIMs and a +2 plus/minus in 25 games played.
Gibson was away from the team on Monday to attend the birth of his child but has returned to the Ducks and will serve as the backup to Lukas Dostal against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. In his last outing, Gibson allowed one goal on 19 shots before leaving due to dehydration on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.
Emil Heineman will make his NHL debut on Thursday as Pezzetta will watch from the press box as a healthy scratch. Pezzetta had played four straight games for the Canadiens, recording one point (0G / 1A), three shots, and 15 hits.
Michael Pezzetta will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Heineman to make his NHL debut on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. Heineman was the 43rd overall pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL Draft and has four points (1G / 3A) in seven games with the Laval Rocket this season.
Blais has only played one of the last six games for the Blues but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. Blais' ice time has decreased by more than a minute this season but he is still committed to his hard-nosed style of play, averaging 3.08 hits per game.
Girard returned to practice, skating as an extra, for the first time after entering the players' assistance program nearly one month ago. Girard has played 15 games this season, scoring one point (0G / 1A) in his first 13 before tripling that with three points (2G / 1A) in his last two games. During Girard's absence, Josh Manson has seen a significant uptick in usage and production.
Dellandrea centred the fourth line on Monday but will be a healthy scratch on Thursday as Radek Faksa will return to the lineup. Dellandrea has one point (1G / 0A) , three hits, and four penalty minutes in his last two games.
Faksa was a healthy scratch on Monday but will return to the lineup on Thursday in favour of Ty Dellandrea. Faksa is riding a two-game point streak (0G / 2A) and will assume his regular role on the fourth line with Craig Smith and Sam Steel.
David Jiricek will draw into the lineup on Thursday in favour of Blankenburg, who will be a healthy scratch. Blankenburg has played six games this season and has zero points while averaging 17:53 time-on-ice.
Nick Blankenburg will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Jiricek to return to the lineup after not playing on Tuesday. Tuesday was Jiricek's first time out of the lineup in 17 games. He has three points (0G / 3A) while averaging under 15 minutes of time-on-ice in his last two games.
Johnson did not play in Tuesday's 9-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets but will draw back into the lineup on Thursday against the Maple Leafs. In his last two games, Johnson is averaging 11:50 time-on-ice, has a -1 plus/minus, and two hits.
Marc Staal will draw back into the lineup in favour of Zamula, who has played five of the last six games for the Flyers. Through 23 games this season, Zamula has four points (1G / 3A), 31 blocks, and 10 hits while averaging 15:20 time-on-ice.
Egor Zamula will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Staal to draw back into the lineup. The veteran Staal played 17:12 in his last contest, well above his season average of 13:56, recording two hits and blocking one shot in the process.
Brown has failed to materialize as a contributor to the Oilers' offence this season and will likely serve as a healthy scratch on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. While averaging 14:26 time-on-ice, Brown has scored only one point (0G / 1A) through 23 games, including occasional deployment in the Oilers' top six.
Miroshnichenko was the 20th overall pick of the Washington Capitals in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and was recalled from the Hershey Bears of the AHL on Tuesday. In his first season in North America, the 19-year-old has 15 points (8G / 7A) in 27 games with Hershey. He will make his NHL debut on Wednesday against the New York Islanders.
