December 5, 2025
Vancouver Canucks left wing Evander Kane (forearm, illness) is doubtful to play on Friday against the Utah Mammoth. He suffered a skate cut on his forearm during Tuesday's loss to the Colorado Avalanche and couldn't practice on Thursday and Friday due to illness. Kane is averaging nearly two hits per game and has contributed five goals and nine assists in 27 appearances. While Kane's absence would be a blow for the team, Vancouver's attack will get a boost on Friday night with the return of Conor Garland (upper body).
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 5, 2025
Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland (upper body) will rejoin the lineup on Friday against the Utah Mammoth. He has missed two games due to an upper-body injury. Garland is projected to start the contest as the partner of Brock Boeser and Max Sasson on the second line. He will skate on the second power-play unit. So far this season, Garland has produced 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 21 outings, firing 54 shots on the net. After recording points in each of his last two appearances, Garland has an opportunity to post his second three-game scoring streak of the season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 5, 2025
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (lower body) will remain out for an 11th consecutive game on Friday against the San Jose Sharks. However, Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan delivered some good news on Friday morning, noting that Harley could return to action next week. Nils Lundkvist (lower body) might also be back on the Dallas' blue line next week. Due to injuries, Vladislav Kolyachonok and Ilya Lyubushkin are working as the second defensive pairing for the Stars. Meanwhile, Kyle Capobianco has received opportunities on the second power-play unit. He has notched four points (one goal, three assists) across the past seven games.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 5, 2025
Anaheim Ducks forward Mikael Granlund (lower body) will hop back into the lineup for Friday's tilt against the Washington Capitals. A lower-body injury has kept Granlund on the sidelines for 10 games. The Ducks are expected to use Granlund on the third line next to Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome, who will re-enter the lineup following a two-game stint as a healthy scratch. Granlund has collected nine points (three goals, six assists) in as many appearances this season. However, his numbers are deceiving, as Granlund had a huge five-point performance against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 23. He has finished five of his nine outings without any points.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 5, 2025
Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (upper body) will miss a second consecutive game on Friday versus the Anaheim Ducks. He exited the lineup earlier this week due to an upper-body injury, opening a spot for Declan Chisholm. In his return to action, Chisholm recorded an assist in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. He will now attempt to score points in back-to-back games for the first time since December 2024. For the season, Chisholm has managed two assists in 11 games, failing to find the back of the net with eight shots on goal. Rasmus Sandin also benefits from Carlson's absence and has joined the second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 5, 2025
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal played a leading role in Thursday's big matchup against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, factoring in half of his team's goals in a 6-3 victory. He had two assists before scoring the Islanders' fifth goal on the power play late in the second frame. Barzal had recorded only one point in his previous five outings. Recently, Barzal has struggled to make an impact, but his season has gone well in general. The 28-year-old is the Islanders' second-highest scorer, with 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) through 27 outings. As a member of the top six and the first power-play unit, Barzal averages over 21 minutes of ice time. His scoring rate could significantly improve if the Islanders sort out their power play, which is currently one of the worst in the league at 13.8 percent.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 5, 2025
Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm showed off his creative side in Thursday's 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues, logging three assists. He already had two helpers after the opening period and ended up setting up three different teammates for goals. Lindholm's final assists came on the power play late in the second period. It was Lindholm's third multi-assist game in four contests. He has begun to make up for lost time, having missed 10 games with a lower-body injury in November. Lindholm is close to averaging a point per game for the first time since 2021-22. After 19 appearances, he boasts four goals and 12 assists. Last season, Lindholm had only 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists) in 82 outings, so it's looking like a really nice bounce-back campaign for him.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 5, 2025
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl contributed a goal and three assists during Thursday's high-scoring 9-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken. The German superstar finished with three power-play points, scoring Edmonton's third goal. Draisaitl had his 28th career four-point game, surpassing Mark Messier on Edmonton's all-time list to take the fourth spot. Connor McDavid also had four points (three goals, one assist) on Thursday, so the Oilers' leaders really stepped up in this game. The challenge is now to produce a similar effort on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. Draisaitl will head into the weekend with 16 goals and 35 points through 28 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 5, 2025
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid finished Thursday's 9-4 win over the Seattle Kraken with four points, including his 13th career hat trick. McDavid lit the lamp in each period and had two power-play goals to tie Mark Messier for the fourth most hat tricks in franchise history. Overall, McDavid had three power-play points in the contest. The Oilers captain became the third player in the league this season to reach 40 points. He has recorded 14 goals and 26 assists in 28 appearances. After a slow start by his standards, McDavid is firmly on track for his sixth consecutive 100-point campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 5, 2025
Chicago Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen (face) is not expected to miss time. The Finnish forward took a puck to the face in Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings and left the action with 56.4 seconds remaining. Fortunately, Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters postgame that Teravainen would be fine. Teravainen is among Chicago's leaders with eight power-play points and has amassed 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in total across 27 outings. In recent games, Teravainen has been quiet, finishing scoreless in two contests and recording only one shot on goal.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 5, 2025
Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (lower body) didn't finish Thursday's 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers. He had to exit the game in the first period due to a lower-body injury, logging only 5:07 of action. Pinto has had a great campaign with the Senators, scoring a team-high 12 goals and amassing 18 points. Ottawa lost Lars Eller (undisclosed) before Thursday's game, and the team's center depth will be tested if Pinto were to miss time. The Senators will return to action on Saturday at home against the St. Louis Blues.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
December 5, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (lower body) left Thursday's 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes after two periods. The team announced Woll suffered a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old made his eighth start of the season and stopped 21 of 22 shots before his premature exit. Dennis Hildeby, who took over the crease, saved all nine shots he faced. The Maple Leafs are already without Anthony Stolarz (upper body), and a serious injury to Woll would put the team in a tough spot. Woll holds a 4-3-1 record for the season and has allowed 2.44 goals with a .927 save percentage.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
December 4, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (knee) has been cleared for action and will return from a four-game absence on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. He will return to the top six and work on the first power-play unit. After putting together a 12-game point streak, Marchenko has gone scoreless in each of his last three appearances. Nonetheless, he continues to be Columbus' highest-scoring forward, boasting 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) through 22 appearances. Marchenko has finished four straight outings without a point only twice in 2025.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 4, 2025
Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (personal) has rejoined the team and will play on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. He missed Tuesday's loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs due to the birth of his son. Verhaeghe is close to becoming the fourth Panther this season with 20-plus points. He has managed four goals and 12 assists in 24 outings. Recently, Verhaeghe has been red-hot, notching six points (two goals, four assists) during a three-game point streak. On Thursday, Verhaeghe will skate on the second line with Sam Bennett and A.J. Greer. He will also rejoin the first power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 4, 2025
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (back) will not dress for Thursday's tilt against the New York Islanders. The veteran netminder exited Tuesday's win over the Vancouver Canucks early due to a back issue, and while Wedgewood is not expected to miss much time, he will have the night off on Thursday. Wedgewood's emergence has been one of the stories of the season in the NHL, as he currently holds a league-best 13-1-3 record. He has allowed 2.07 goals with a .920 save percentage and one shutout. Mackenzie Blackwood, who is 6-0-1 for the campaign, will get the start on Thursday, with Trent Miner providing backup.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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