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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Injured winger Jason Zucker skated with the Buffalo Sabres for the first time on Saturday since being injured in Calgary on December 8. The veteran winger indicated that he is unsure how long it will be before he returns to the lineup and that he might not travel with the club next week. Zucker's return to full action remains without a definitive timeline.
Rasmus Dahlin (personal) will miss Saturday's game against Boston as he returns from Sweden after the holiday break. Head coach Lindy Ruff indicated he is doubtful for the game but should be back for the upcoming three-game road trip. Bowen Byram is expected to replace Dahlin on the top defensive pairing and first power-play unit. Dahlin has recorded four goals, 28 points, 88 shots, 41 blocked shots, and 27 hits across 33 appearances this season for the Buffalo Sabres.
Yaroslav Askarov will guard the road goal against Vancouver on Saturday. The San Jose Sharks netminder has lost his last two outings, allowing seven goals on 47 shots. This season, Askarov holds a 12-10-1 record with a 3.37 GAA and an .897 save percentage across 23 appearances. Vancouver currently sits 25th in the league with 2.78 goals per game this year.
Leo Carlsson (lower body) will return to the Anaheim Ducks' lineup against the Kings on Saturday after a one-game absence. He is expected to rejoin the top line and first power-play unit. This season, Carlsson has compiled 17 goals, 41 points, and 89 shots on net across 36 appearances. With Carlsson back, Jansen Harkins will be a healthy scratch for the game.
Elias Pettersson (upper body) will be activated off injured reserve and play against San Jose on Saturday. The Vancouver Canucks forward missed eight straight games due to the injury. Now that he's back, he'll presumably play on the top line and first power-play unit. Pettersson has recorded eight goals and 22 points in 28 appearances this 2025-26 season.
Vegas Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart was the first off the ice at Saturday's morning skate, signaling he will start against Colorado. Hart is coming off a 21-save performance in Tuesday's 7-2 victory over San Jose. This season, he holds a 4-1-2 record across seven appearances, having stopped 170 of 188 shots. He faces a tough challenge against Colorado, who lead the league with 3.94 goals per game.
Buffalo Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is slated to start at home against Boston on Saturday. In his last outing Sunday, Luukkonen secured a 3-1 victory over New Jersey, stopping 26 of 27 shots. For the season, he boasts a 5-5-1 record with a 2.73 GAA and an .892 save percentage through 11 appearances. He'll face a Boston team tied for 11th in the league with 3.16 goals per game.
St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer will guard the home net against Nashville on Saturday, marking his fifth start in the team's last seven games. Hofer holds a 7-7-2 record this season, including three shutouts, a 2.91 GAA, and an .898 save percentage, as he challenges Jordan Binnington for the top goaltending position. He faces a streaking Predators team, currently 16-16-4 and winners of three straight, sitting just three points out of a Western Conference wild card spot.
Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros will start on the road against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Saros has won his last two starts, allowing five goals on 54 shots. His season record stands at 14-11-3 with a 2.92 GAA and an .899 save percentage over 28 appearances. While St. Louis has a league-low 2.50 goals per game, Saros will contend with the return of offensive forwards Jordan Kyrou (lower body) and Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist) from injured reserve.
Connor Ingram is set to guard the road net for the Edmonton Oilers against Calgary on Saturday, marking his third consecutive start. He has been strong in his last two outings, stopping 46 of 50 shots and securing two victories. Calgary currently ranks 29th in the league with 2.59 goals per game, presenting a favorable matchup for Ingram.
Lukas Dostal will tend the road crease for the Anaheim Ducks in Los Angeles on Saturday. This season, Dostal holds a 13-8-1 record with a 2.87 GAA and an .899 save percentage across 22 starts. He previously had an outstanding performance against the Kings last season, stopping 74 of 77 shots. The Kings are currently struggling offensively, tied at the bottom of the rankings with 2.50 goals per game.
Joonas Korpisalo is slated to start in net for the Boston Bruins in Buffalo on Saturday. This follows his worst performance of the season, where he allowed five goals on just 17 shots in a 6-2 loss to Ottawa on Sunday. Korpisalo's season record stands at 6-7-0 with a 3.63 GAA and an .880 save percentage over 14 games. He faces a challenging matchup against the Sabres, who are currently the hottest team in the NHL with seven consecutive wins.
The Montreal Canadiens have officially recalled goaltender Samuel Montembeault from his conditioning stint with the Laval Rocket. Montembeault played two games in the AHL, recording two losses, allowing five goals, and posting a 2.53 GAA with a .904 save percentage while backstopping a weakened Rocket side. During his absence, the Canadiens went 3-1-1 with strong performances from Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes. The team faces a decision on its goaltending strategy with four games this week, as Montembeault's AHL stint has yet to definitively prove beneficial.
Jesper Wallstedt is confirmed to start in goal for the Minnesota Wild on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. This follows his second loss of the season last Sunday, where he allowed four goals on 41 shots in a 5-1 defeat to Colorado. Overall, Wallstedt holds a strong 10-2-2 record with four shutouts, a 2.10 GAA, and a .933 save percentage across 14 appearances this season.
Dustin Wolf will start in goal for the Calgary Flames at home against Edmonton on Saturday. This will be an opportunity for Wolf to rebound after giving up five goals on 39 shots in a 5-1 loss to the Oilers earlier this week. Through 28 NHL appearances this season, Wolf has an 11-14-2 record, two shutouts, a 3.00 GAA, and an .895 save percentage.
Jake Oettinger is set to start in goal for the Dallas Stars at home against Chicago on Saturday. Oettinger enters the game on a two-game winning streak, having stopped 61 of the 65 shots he has faced during that span. For the season, he boasts a 16-6-2 record with two shutouts, a 2.50 GAA, and a .910 save percentage across 24 appearances.
Linus Ullmark will be in net for the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, patrolling the road crease in Toronto. He has been in strong form recently, holding a 4-0-1 record over his last five starts while posting a .918 save percentage, having allowed just 10 goals on 122 shots. Overall this season, Ullmark's record stands at 14-8-5 with a 2.86 GAA and an .884 save percentage.
Jordan Kyrou (lower body) has been activated from injured reserve and is set to return to the St. Louis Blues' lineup Saturday against Nashville after missing nine games. Prior to his injury, the 27-year-old winger had struggled offensively, recording eight goals and 16 points in 28 games, a significant decrease from his 36-goal, 34-assist campaign last season. Kyrou will skate on the second unit with Brayden Schenn and Jonatan Berggren, and also receive first-unit power-play time.
Zach Werenski (lower body) is considered doubtful to play Sunday against the Islanders. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman missed Saturday's morning skate and is undergoing further evaluation after sustaining an injury Saturday in Anaheim. Before his current setback, Werenski was on a five-game scoring streak, tallying five goals and 10 points. This season, he has accumulated 14 goals, 26 assists, 132 shots on goal, and 52 blocked shots in 35 appearances.
Jake Allen is confirmed to protect the home net for the New Jersey Devils against Washington on Saturday. He is coming off a 22-save performance in Sunday's 3-1 loss to Buffalo. This season, Allen holds a 10-8-0 record with one shutout, a 2.48 GAA, and a .912 save percentage through 19 appearances. Washington ranks 11th in the league with 3.16 goals per game.
