Makar briefly left the Avalanche game on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres after being pushed into the boards by Kyle Okposo but returned shortly after. He has nine points (3G / 6A) in eight games and was a game-time decision on Wednesday.
Drouin has only one point (0G / 1A) while averaging 13:16 time-on-ice through eight games with the Avalanche this season. Drouin started the season playing on the top line, skating alongside his former junior hockey linemate Nathan MacKinnon but has since been shifted off the line after failing to refind their chemistry. Riley Tufte will slot into the lineup and play alongside Ryan Johansen and Valeri Nichushkin.
Makar briefly left the Avalanche game on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres after being pushed into the boards by Kyle Okposo but returned shortly after. He has nine points (3G / 6A) in eight games and is expected to be a game-time decision on Wednesday. Look for Devon Toews to assume his role on the top powerplay unit. If Makar is unable to go, Caleb Jones, who was recalled earlier from the Colorado Eagles (AHL), could be an option to slide into the lineup.
Blackwood struggled his last time out against the Lightning on Thursday, surrendering five goals on 21 shots enroute to a 6-0 defeat. Like the Sharks, Blackwood is winless on the season despite some terrific individual performances. San Jose has scored just eight goals in eight games, and that glaring lack of goal support combined with Blackwood's own inconsistencies leave him with little to no fantasy value. He's nothing more than a desperation play on Sunday in Washington.
Wedgewood will start between the pipes for the second time in the last two games for the Stars as Jake Oettinger will receive a maintenance day. The Stars coaching staff has made it clear that they don't want to overwork Oettinger this season so Wedgewood starting a third of games could be a realistic expectation. Wedgewood was tremendous in a losing effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, saving 40 of 43 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss. The undefeated Stars (4-0-1) are -109 home favourites but will have their work cut out for them against a Maple Leafs team riding a two-game winning streak.
Blackwood will start for the fifth time in six games for the Sharks on Thursday. Despite an 0-3-1 record, Blackwood has had a couple of very strong performances in losing efforts. On Tuesday, he made 32 of 34 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. On the season as a whole, Blackwood has a 3.47 GAA and .914 SV%, admirable totals playing on a Sharks team that gives him virtually zero goal support (1.33 GF/GP). That said, expectations remain extremely low for Blackwood and the Sharks as they are +250 road underdogs against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In his NHL debut on Tuesday, Ludvig made awkward contact with his head when delivering a hit a Dallas Stars' forward Radek Faksa. In a scary scene afterward, Ludvig spent several minutes with the trainers on the ice, regaining his composure. Last season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, Ludvig had 17 points (3G / 14A) in 54 games.
Blackwood seems to be the early-season coaching favourite as he will start for the Sharks for the fourth time in their last five outings. After a remarkable season debut where he saved 51 of 52 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche, Blackwood has fallen back to earth with an ugly 5.50 GAA and .855 SV%. The Sharks have yet to win a game this year (0-4-1) and are being outscored by a lopsided 19-7 margin. Expectations will be low for Blackwood and the Sharks tonight as they are +225 road underdogs against the Florida Panthers.
It appears John Ludvig will make his NHL debut for the Penguins on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars. Ludvig was the 69th overall pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Last season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, Ludvig had 17 points (3G / 14A) in 54 games. He will likely play next to Ryan Shea on the Penguins' third defensive pairing.
Blackwood allowed six goals on 42 shots (.857 SV%) for his second straight loss as he was downed by Carolina in his previous start. The 26-year-old has played well dispite facing a tremendous amount of rubber in his two starts, posting a 0-2-0 record with a 3.36 GAA and .926 SV%. He will look to get San Jose in the win column Saturday as they take on Nashville, who won their last game 4-1 over NYR and are 23rd in the NHL in goals for per game (2.6).
Lindgren returns to the Rangers lineup after missing Saturday's contest against the Blue Jackets due to the upper-body injury. The 25-year-old blue-liner registered one goal and 17 assists to go along with an impressive +29 rating in 63 games with the Rangers last season. He is expected to skate alongside Adam Fox at 5v5 on the team's second pair.
Blackwood will get his second consecutive start for the Sharks after coming up short in a heroic 51-save, 2-1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Blackwood is coming off a frustrating, injury-riddled campaign with the New Jersey Devils in which he posted a 3.20 GAA and .893 SV% in 22 games (10-6-2). It is unlikely that Blackwood will replicate his first-game performance but if he can consistently put forth valiant efforts, he will likely be in line to become the go-to guy in between the pipes for the Sharks. That said, things won't get any easier for Blackwood and the Sharks Tuesday night as they are +269 home underdogs against a Carolina Hurricanes team that has scored 13 goals in their first three games of the season (2-1-0).
Lindgren missed the Rangers' previous contest vs. Columbus due to an upper-body injury but will be a game-time decision Monday as they take on Arizona. The 25-year-old defensemen played 19:50 TOI in the Rangers season opener but failed to pick up any counting stats besides one SOG. He had a goal, 17 assists, 45 PIMs and a +29 plus/minus in 63 games as a key part of the Rangers in 2022-23.
Cogliano missed the Avalanche season opener with a neck injury but is expected to replace Kurtis MacDermid on the fourth line on Saturday. The veteran winger is a solid depth piece and penalty killer but carries no fantasy value. He had 19 points (10G / 9A) in 79 games last year.
Blackwood will see his first action between the pipes as a member of the San Jose Sharks after signing with them in the offseason. Blackwood struggled in his last three seasons with the New Jersey Devils, recording a cumulative 3.19 GAA and .897 SV% across 82 games. He will be hard-pressed to improve those numbers on a Sharks team that seems destined to be at the bottom end of the NHL standings this season. To make matters worse, Blackwood will be facing the high-powered offence of the Colorado Avalanche, who are coming off a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
