Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Jacob Markstrom will start Wednesday's home game against the St. Louis Blues, marking his second consecutive start, as reported by Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site. In six starts during November, Markstrom has posted a 4-1-1 record with a 2.98 GAA and an .895 save percentage. He faces a Blues team that is tied for the fifth-worst scoring in the league, averaging 2.65 goals per game.
Tristan Jarry (lower body) will guard the cage for Wednesday's home clash with Buffalo, as reported by Josh Getzoff. Jarry returns following a seven-game stint on injured reserve due to his lower-body problem. In his seven outings this year, the 30-year-old Penguins netminder holds a 5-2-0 record with a .911 save percentage and one shutout. With Jarry's return, Pittsburgh is expected to send Sergei Murashov back to the minors.
Jeremy Swayman will tend the twine on the road versus the Islanders on Wednesday, Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe reports. This marks Swayman's third consecutive appearance in the crease, a first for him this year, having previously played about two out of every three games. This change is likely related to an upcoming back-to-back against the Rangers and Red Wings on Friday and Saturday, where Swayman is expected to split starts with Joonas Korpisalo.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (lower body) is confirmed to be in the lineup for Wednesday's game against Columbus, per Joshua Kloke of The Athletic. The 23-year-old is expected to return to a top-six role, potentially making Easton Cowan the odd man out. Knies will aim to end his five-game goal drought against a Blue Jackets team that ranks eighth in the NHL, allowing 3.26 goals per game.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust (illness) has confirmed he will play in Wednesday's game against Buffalo, as reported by Dan Potash of SportsNet Pittsburgh. Despite missing Wednesday's practice due to the illness, it is not expected to sideline him from game action. Rust has been held scoreless in his last five appearances, but in nine November outings, he has recorded a goal, four assists, six blocked shots, five hits, and a minus-8 rating.
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is confirmed to start at home against Philadelphia on Wednesday, according to Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site. Bobrovsky aims to rebound after allowing four goals on 17 shots in a 6-3 loss to Edmonton on Saturday. This season, he holds a 10-6-0 record with a 2.80 GAA and an .887 save percentage through 16 appearances. The Flyers, with an 11-7-3 record, rank 26th in goals per game (2.67).
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin was the first goalie off the ice during Wednesday's morning skate, signaling he will draw the home start against the Bruins, as reported by Andrew Gross of Newsday. Sorokin has been solid recently, posting a 4-2-0 record with a 1.67 GAA and .943 save percentage over his last six starts. Earlier this season, he went 0-1-1 against Boston with a 3.39 GAA and .854 save percentage in two starts.
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren was the first goalie off the ice Wednesday, indicating he will start at home against the Jets, per Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post. His 2025-26 campaign has been middling, with a 3-3-1 record, 3.14 GAA, and one shutout in eight appearances. The 31-year-old's decreased workload this season suggests he might miss the 20-win threshold for the first time since 2022-23.
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves will defend the home crease against the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, as reported by Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site. After a night off Monday, Greaves returns for his eighth start in the last 10 games. He has been solid over his last seven starts, posting a 4-0-3 record with a 2.71 GAA and a .901 save percentage, including an overtime victory against Toronto last Friday where he stopped 27 of 29 shots.
Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko (upper body) has been officially ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Maple Leafs, according to Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site. This marks his second consecutive game missed due to the upper-body injury. Prior to getting hurt, the 25-year-old was in an eight-game goal drought and had gone pointless in his last three outings. He is still considered capable of reaching the 30-goal mark for the second straight year.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (upper body) is expected to play Wednesday against Toronto, according to Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site. Despite sustaining an upper-body injury during Monday's 5-1 loss to Washington, the issue will not cause him to miss any game action. Werenski has recorded seven goals and 21 points in 23 outings this season and is slated to play on the top pairing and first power-play unit.
Jason Robertson scored a power-play goal and added two assists in Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Oilers. This extended his goal streak to seven games, setting a new Dallas Stars record, surpassing Mike Modano. Robertson is also on an eight-game point streak, tallying 11 goals and seven helpers during this span. For the season, the 26-year-old winger has 14 goals, 17 assists, 14 power-play points, 100 shots on net, and a plus-8 rating through 23 appearances.
Wyatt Johnston recorded a goal on three shots and three assists in Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Oilers. His second assist marked his 100th career helper and 200th career point. Johnston, 22, also added a power-play goal and assist in the second period. This performance broke a four-game point drought for the consistent forward. Through 23 appearances this season, he has 12 goals, 13 assists, 65 shots, and a minus-2 rating, with 15 of his 25 points coming on the power play.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ville Koivunen is nearing a return from a lower-body injury sustained 11 days ago during the NHL Global Series. Placed on injured reserve and designated "week-to-week," he returned to practice Tuesday, taking line rushes on the third line with Tristan Broz and Tommy Novak. He could be cleared to play Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. Koivunen, still seeking his first NHL goal, aims to boost the Penguins, who have lost seven of their last nine games.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tristan Broz skated on the third line with Ville Koivunen and Tommy Novak during Tuesday's practice. Koivunen, nearing a return from a lower-body injury, expressed excitement about playing with Broz again, stating, "It's a lot of fun to play with him. Of course, we played a lot together last year, so he's a great player. He's great with the puck. He can win some battles, too." Their prior experience as teammates in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton suggests a familiar dynamic as Koivunen integrates back into the lineup.
Forward Milan Lucic, 37, has been released from his AHL professional tryout (PTO) by the St. Louis Blues and Springfield Thunderbirds. Lucic initially signed a PTO with the Blues, tallying two points in four pre-season games before an injury. He then joined the Thunderbirds on another PTO, recording one assist in five AHL games. His last NHL appearance was in Oct. 2023 before taking an indefinite leave for the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, following an arrest in Nov. 2023 where a domestic violence charge was later dropped.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman and 2024 Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes has been linked to the Detroit Red Wings by NHL Insider Tyler Yaremchuk, amid speculation the Canucks are preparing to sell assets. Hughes, who holds Canucks franchise records for assists and points by a defenseman and reached 300 career assists in 376 games, has strong ties to the metro-Detroit area. He is under contract for one more season at a $7.85 million cap hit. While Vancouver isn't actively shopping him, Detroit has ample cap space for a potential trade and extension.
Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta is ready to return from his lower-body injury. Coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday that Kiviranta will be back in action Wednesday night when the Avalanche face the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena. He is expected to slot into a wing position on the fourth line alongside rookie center Zakhar Bardakov. Kiviranta's return provides a boost to the NHL-leading Avalanche lineup.
Buffalo Sabres veteran center Josh Norris is nearing a return to action after missing 21 games since being injured in the season's first game. Norris, who has played only four games with the Sabres, expressed frustration Tuesday, stating, "It’s never easy being out... I’ve been on the wrong side of it for a little bit now." While his return, potentially this coming weekend, would boost the team's depth at center, concerns about his durability persist given his history of injuries.
Anaheim Ducks rookie Beckett Sennecke, 19, is excelling, currently second in NHL rookie scoring and tied for first in goals. He quickly silenced preseason doubts with a goal in his debut and a multi-point second game. Sennecke, who rooms with Leo Carlsson on road trips, has shown maturity, bouncing back from a turnover to set up two goals in a 7-5 win. General Manager Pat Verbeek confirmed Sennecke's advanced testing means his modified load management plan won't force him to miss games, allowing him to continue his impactful play.
