Vanecek has seemingly secured the Devils' starting gig as he appears to be the starter for the fifth time in their last six games. Vanecek has been far from perfect but has done enough to give the high-scoring Devils (3.91 GF / GP) a chance to win on most nights, posting a 3.05 GAA and .900 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Devils, without Jack Hughes, are +160 road underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche, who will be desperate for a victory after being shut out in three of their last four contests (1-3-0).

Gadjovich signed with the Panthers in the offseason but, after serving as a healthy scratch for the team's first 11 games, is being loaned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL for a conditioning assignment. Last season, Gadjovich had seven points (3G / 4A), 57 penalty minutes, and 92 hits in 35 games with the San Jose Sharks.

Bobrovsky will return to the crease on Monday to face his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his most recent game, Bobrovsky saved all 22 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season and is in the midst of a six-game run (4-1-1) that has seen him post a 2.16 GAA and .925 SV%. The Panthers are heavy -219 home favourites on Monday as the Blue Jackets have lost five of their last six games (1-3-2) and have been very poor offensively all season, averaging only 2.55 goals per game.

Panthers' head coach Paul Maurice said that there's a chance Ekblad returns after the Panthers' upcoming road trip to California, which runs from Nov. 14 to Nov.17. This puts Ekblad on track to play somewhere around Nov.20 when they host the Edmonton Oilers.

Balinskis has played all 10 games for the Panthers this season, this first of his career, registering zero points, eight shots, and a -2 plus/minus while averaging 14:07 time-on-ice. The Latvian defender will be a healthy scratch on Monday to make room for Mike Reilly to make his season debut.

Vanecek allowed three goals on 25 shots in the Devils' win in Minnesota on Thursday. Vanecek was given a night off on Friday but will be back in the crease Sunday in Chicago. Vanecek comes in riding a three-game winning streak despite allowing a combined 10 goals on 86 shots (.884 SV%). Vanecek and the Devils are late -205 favourites, so he makes for a great start even with the Devils missing Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

Kahkonen missed practice Friday due to an undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision Saturday vs. Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old is coming off a horrific fourth-straight loss Thursday, where he was pulled after allowing six goals on 19 shots (.684 SV%). He has struggled this season with his 0-4-0 record, .876 SV%, and 4.30 GAA in five games played in 2023-24 and will likely have to be replaced by a goaltender on the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) if he is unable to go.

Vanecek has appeared in four straight games for the Devils and currently finds himself in the midst of a two-game winning streak after stopping 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%) and beating Minnesota in his previous start. The 27-year-old has won despite his mediocre play this season as he is 4-2-0, .895 SV%, and 3.24 GAA. He takes on the reeling Minnesota Wild, who have dropped their previous three games but are tied for seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.56).

Vanecek has appeared in four straight games for the Devils and currently finds himself in the midst of a two-game winning streak after stopping 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%) and beating Minnesota in his previous start. The 27-year-old has won despite his mediocre play this season as he is 4-2-0, .895 SV%, and 3.24 GAA. He takes on the reeling Minnesota Wild, who have dropped their previous three games but are tied for seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.56).

Rodrigues did not practice Wednesday due to an undisclosed injury and was originally a game-time decision Thursday vs. Detroit but will draw into the lineup without any restrictions. The signed a four-year, $12 million contract in the offseason to join the Panthers and has two goals, six assists, 26 SOG, six PIMs and a +7 plus/minus through eight games to start 2023-24.

Bobrosvky will start for the eighth time in nine games for the Panthers as they take on the Detroit Red Wings Thursday evening. As he has been for most of his tenure as a Panther, Bobrovsky has had an up-and-down season, averaging a 2.87 GAA and .903 SV% through seven games (3-3-1), with only three of those being quality starts. The Panthers are -117 road favourites but will be put to the test against a Red Wings team that has scored with ease, ranking fourth offensively early in the 2023-24 campaign (4.00 GF / GP).

Lockwood was a healthy scratch for the Panthers' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Thursday vs. Detroit as he replaces Sam Bennett (lower body). The 25-year-old is in his first campaign in Florida after signing a two-year, two-way contract in the offseason and has yet to pick up a point in his short two-game showing so far in 2023-24 while only averaging 6:54 TOI.

The Panthers have recalled Asplund from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, where he has five points (2G / 3A) in seven games this season. Asplund spent last season split between the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators, registering eight points (2G / 6A) in 46 games.

Kahkonen stopped 37 of 40 shots against (.925 SV%) in his previous start vs. Carolina but picked up his third-straight loss of the season and will take the crease again Thursday vs. Vancouver. The 27-year-old has been decent despite no offensive help with his 0-3-0 record, .907 SV%, and 3.16 GAA. He will try to get San Jose into the win column for the first time this season (0-8-1) as they take on Vancouver, who is third in the NHL in goals per game (4.0).

Bennett saw his first action of the season on Monday after returning from an injury (lower-body) but played only 7:54 before being forced to leave the game with another lower-body injury. This injury isn't believed to be related to the previous one that kept him out of action but is still cause for concern as he has a week-to-week timeline for his next potential return. Bennett had 16 goals, 24 assists, 193 SOG, 54 PIMs and, a +5 plus/minus in 63 games played in 2022-23.

Monday's start makes it the seventh time in the Panthers' opening eight games that they've turned to the two-time Vezina Trophy winner. Bobrovsky is fresh off one of his best starts of the season on Saturday, where he surrendered just two goals on 32 shots enroute to a 3-2 victory over the Kraken. On the season, the 14-year veteran owns a .906 SV% and a 2.88 GAA to go along with his 3-3-0 record. He draws a difficult assignment in Boston on Monday with Florida being a +138 road underdog.