Barre-Boulet will be a scratch on Thursday as Lightning head coach Jon Cooper elects to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Austin Watson will draw into the lineup in place of Barre-Boulet.
Malinski will sit in favour of Jack Johnson on Thursday. Malinski has three goals and seven assists in 23 games this season.
Wedgewood takes the crease for the first time in five games as he will give Jake Oettinger a rest on the second half of a back-to-back Wednesday. The 31-year-old backup has won this season despite his mediocre counting stats with his 13-4-4 record, 2.98 GAA and .899 SV%. He heads back to his hometown to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have lost six of their last ten games but are ninth in the NHL in goals per game (3.42).
Malinski will re-enter the lineup in place of Jack Johnson, who is listed as a healthy scratch for Tuesday's game in New Jersey. Malinski will skate alongside Bowen Byram on Colorado's third pair.
Malinski missed one game for the Avalanche as he was returned to the Colorado Eagles (AHL) but has been recalled again Monday. The 25-year-old was having an impressive season in his first taste of the big leagues, with three goals, 10 points, 29 SOG, and a +4 plus/minus in 22 games played.
MacDonald hasn't played since December 23rd, 2023 due to a lower-body injury and was activated from the Injured Reserve Monday with expectations to return to the lineup Tuesday vs. Seattle. The 30-year-old Swiss army knife had appeared in 17 games prior to his injury, picking up six goals, seven points, and a -10 plus/minus.
The Sharks' goalie starting carousel continues Tuesday as Blackwood will return to San Jose's crease vs. Seattle after backing up Kappa Kahkonen last game. The 27-year-old will look to extend a personal two-game winning streak which has drastically improved his 7-17-3 season record alongside his 3.63 GAA and .896 SV%. He takes on the struggle Seattle Kraken at home Tuesday, who has lost five of their last seven games and rank 27th in the NHL in goals per game (2.84).
MacDonald hasn't played since December 23rd, 2023 due to a lower-body injury but has been activated from the Injured Reserve Monday. The 30-year-old Swiss army knife had appeared in 17 games prior to his injury, picking up six goals, seven points, and a -10 plus/minus.
Malinski has played in eight straight games and has scored four points (1G / 3A) in his last four, but will be a healthy scratch on Friday to allow Jack Johnson to draw back into the lineup. Malinski has been effective in limited time this season, scoring 10 points (3G / 7A) in 22 games while averaging only 14:19 time-on-ice.
Lehkonen has been a full participant at practice for the last two weeks and will return to the lineup for the first time since suffering a neck injury on November 9th. Before his injury, Lehkonen had eight points (3G / 5A) in 12 games, averaging 18:30 time-on-ice, playing predominantly alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, including a spot on the top powerplay. With Valeri Nichushkin out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, Lehkonen should benefit immediately from favourable offensive deployment.
Blackwood served as the backup last night and will tend the twine on Tuesday in the back end of a back-to-back. The Sharks are riding a rare two-game winning streak, but are sizeable +291 home underdogs against a New York Rangers team that defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 in their last contest. Blackwood has saved 55 of the last 59 shots he faced (.932 SV%) over his last two games (1-0-1).
Wedgewood started Saturday and won after stopping 29 of 31 shots against (.935 SV%) and will surprisingly retake the Stars' crease Sunday for a second straight start. Tonight he will take on an Islanders team that has lost four in a row and eight of their last 10, but have a new head coach, after hiring Patrick Roy on Saturday.
Necas has been out since January 2nd due to an upper-body injury but will return to the Hurricanes' lineup Friday vs. Detroit. The 25-year-old broke out with a 71 point campaign in 2022-23 but has failed to take another step forward this season with just nine goals and 26 points in 38 games prior to the injury.
Barre-Boulet will be the odd-man out on Thursday as Waltteri Merela will draw into the lineup. Barre-Boulet has six goals and three assists in 31 games this season.
Necas has been sidelined for the last five games due to an upper-body injury, but was a full participant at practice on Wednesday, skating alongside Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen. Before his injury, Necas was amid a dry spell, scoring only three points (0G / 3A) in his last eight games.
Blackwood helped the Sharks snap a 12-game losing skid last week when he saved 33 of 35 shots (.943 SV%) in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens but followed that up by allowing five goals on 41 shots (.878 SV%) in a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators. The Sharks, on a fresh two-game losing streak, are +131 road underdogs against a Chicago Blackhawks club that has lost three straight, being outscored 7-3.
