Ice Chips: Leafs' McCabe activated off IR, expected to play vs. Ducks
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Defenceman Jake McCabe, and forwards Bobby McMann and David Kampf participated in the Maple Leafs' morning skate prior to their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, according to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun.
McCabe, 31, was activated off injured reserve and is expected to play against the Ducks
The 6-foot-1 defenceman has missed the team's last five games after taking a puck to the face during the Maple Leafs' 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30.
McCabe has five assists in 23 games this season while averaging 21:20 of ice time.
McMann, 28, missed the team's last six games after suffering a lower-body injury during the Maple Leafs' 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Nov. 27.
The 6-foot-2 winger has six goals and seven points in 21 games this season.
Kampf, 29, missed the team's last nine games with a lower-body injury.
The 6-foot-2 centre has three assists in 18 games this season.
Head coach Craig Berube told reporters that McMann is very close to returning to the lineup and the team will know more after tomorrow's practice while Kampf is still "probably a little bit ways away."
Anthony Stolarz is expected to make his second straight start on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old netminder is coming off a 38-save performance in Tuesday's win against the Devils.
Stolarz has a 9-5-2 record this season with a .928 save percentage and 2.13 goals-against average.
The Maple Leafs recalled forward Nikita Grebenkin from the AHL's Toronto Marlies and assigned defenceman Marshall Rifai to the Marlies on Thursday.
Grebenkin, 21, was assigned to the Marlies on Tuesday after the team activated forward Max Domi from injured reserve.
The 6-foot-2 winger appeared in seven games with the Maple Leafs this season, averaging 8:45 of ice time. He also has four goals and 10 points in 13 games with the Marlies.
Grebenkin was drafted 135th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2022 and is participating in his first season in North America.
Rifai, 26, has two goals and four points with the Marlies this season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs used these lines during Thursday's morning skate, according to TSN's Tony Ambrogio:
The Maple Leafs assigned forward Alex Nylander to the Marlies after he cleared waivers on Thursday.
Nylander, 26, appeared in five games with the Maple Leafs, averaging 9:53 of ice time with a minus-1 rating.
The 6-foot-1 winger joined the organization on a minor-league deal in the off-season and signed an NHL contract on Nov. 22.
Vancouver Canucks
Forward J.T. Miller will return to action when the Canucks take on the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
Miller, 31, has been out since Nov. 17 and wouldn't elaborate what those reasons were.
The Canucks have gone 5-3-2 in his absence.
Miller has six goals and 16 points in 17 games this season
Kevin Lankinen is expected to start in net against the Panthers, according to TSN's Farhan Lalji.
The 6-foot-2 netminder has a 13-4-3 record this season with a 2.65 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
The Canucks are projected to use these lines against the Panthers, according to Lalji:
Debrusk - Pettersson - Sherwood
Hoglander - Miller - Boeser
Joshua - Suter - Garland
Sasson - Blueger - Heinen
Hughes - Myers
Soucy - Juulsen
Forbert - Friedman
Lankinen
Demko
The Canucks recalled defenceman Mark Friedman from the Abbotsford Canucks on Thursday.
Friedman appeared in one game this season in Vancouver and has a goal and four points in eight games in the AHL this season.
Calgary Flames
The Flames are projected to use these lines against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday:
Huberdeau - Kadri - Pospisil
Sharangovic - Backlund - Coronato
Coleman - Zary - Kuzmenko
Lomberg - Rooney - Duehr
Bahl - Andersson
Weegar - Mironmanov
Bean - Pachal
Vladar
The Flames recalled forwards Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr from the AHL's Calgary Wranglers on Thursday.
Pelletier has a goal and two points in four games with the Flames this season while Duehr has an assist in four games.
Montreal Canadiens
Sam Montembeault is expected to start on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Montembeault, 28, has a 9-11-2 record this season with a .906 save percentage and 2.83 goals-against average this season.
The Canadiens are expected to use these lines on Thursday against the Penguins:
Caufield - Suzuki - Newhook
Slafkovsky - Dach - Laine
Anderson - Dvorak - Gallagher
Heineman - Evans - Armia
Hutson - Matheson
Guhle - Barron
Xhekaj - Savard
Montembeault
Primeau
Extra: Pezzetta, Struble
Edmonton Oilers
Calvin Pickard will get the start in net against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
Pickard, 32, has a 6-3-0 record with a 2.56 goals against average and .892 save percentage.
The Oilers are projected to use these lines against the Wild on Thursday:
Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Skinner - Henrique - Janmark
Perry - Ryan - Brown
Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Stecher
Kulak - Emberson
Pickard
Skinner
Extra: Dermott, Regula
The Oilers placed defenceman Travis Dermott on waivers on Thursday.
Dermott, 27, appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 13:05 of ice time with a minus-3 rating.
The 6-foot left-shot defenceman joined the Oilers after trying out for the club in training camp and signing a one-year deal.
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets are projected to use these lines for their game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
Connor Hellebuyck is expected to start against the Golden Knights.
The 6-foot-4 netminder has won his last three games and has an 18-5-0 record this season with a .927 save percentage and 2,09 goals-against average.
The Jets placed forward Henri Nikkanen on unconditional waivers on Thursday for the purpose of terminating his contract.
Nikkanen, 23, has one goal and four points in 13 games with the AHL's Manitoba Moose this season, his third with the team.
He was drafted in the fourth round (113th overall) by Winnipeg in 2019.
New Jersey Devils
Forward Erik Haula and goaltender Jake Allen did not participate in the Devils' morning skate prior to their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Haula, 33, skated 14:40 during the Devils' 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, recording a shot and two penalty minutes.
The 5-foot-11 winger has five goals and 11 points in 31 games this season and is expected to play against the Kings, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe.
Allen, 34, wasn't available for the Devils' loss to the Maple Leafs due to an undisclosed injury and called up netminder Isaac Poulter from the AHL's Utica Comets to backup Jacob Markstrom.
The 6-foot-2 goaltender has a 5-4-1 record this season with a .904 save percentage and 2.84 goals-against average.
Markstrom is expected to start against the Kings on Thursday.
The 6-foot-6 netminder has a 13-6-2 record with a .906 save precentage and 2.48 GAA.
The Devils recalled defenceman Colton White from the AHL's Utica Comets on Thursday.
White, 27, has a goal and eight points in Utica this season.
The 6-foot-1 defenceman joined the Devils in the off-season on a two-year, two-way contract.
Philadelphia Flyers
Aleksei Kolosov will start in net against the Detroit Red Wings, head coach John Tortorella confirmed on Thursday.
Kolosov has a 3-5-1 record this season with a 3.29 goals-against average and .881 save percentage.
Additionally, defenceman Egor Zamula will go into the lineup on Thursday with Emil Andrae coming out as a healthy scratch.
Andrae, 22, skated 21:28 in the Flyers' 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday and had a minus-2 rating.
The 5-foot-9 left-shot defenceman has a goal and five points in 19 games this season.
Zamula, 24, last appeared in the Flyers' 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday where he skated 13:51 and had a minus-1 rating.
The 6-foot-3 defenceman has a goal and six points in 19 games this season.
New York Islanders
Forward Mathew Barzal participated in the Islanders' morning skate on Thursday after missing a month with an upper-body.
Barzal, 27, hasn't played since the Islanders 2-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 30.
The 6-foot-1 centre has two goals and five points in 10 games this season.
Dallas Stars
Jake Oettinger is expected to start in net against the Nashville Predators on Thursday, according to team reporter Mike Heika.
Oettinger, 25, has a 14-6-0 record with a .912 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average this season.
Defenceman Matt Dumba is expected to miss his second straight game with an upper-body injury.
The 6-foot-1 right-shot defenceman has an assist in 19 games this season.
The Stars recalled defenceman Lian Bichsel from the AHL's Texas Stars on Thursday.
Bichsel, 20, was drafted 18th overall by the Stars in 2022 and has three goals and nine points in 21 games in Texas this season.
The 6-foot-7 left-shot defenceman is expected to make his NHL debut against the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Jet Greaves is expected to start in net against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Greaves was recalled from the AHL's Cleveland Monsters on Wednesday and has an 8-4-3 record with a .902 save percentage and 3.21 goals-against average in the AHL this season.
Elvis Merzlikins will serve as Greaves' backup on Thursday.
Forward Mathieu Olivier will play against the Capitals on Thursday, despite missing Wednesday's practice with an upper-body injury, according to Portzline.
The 6-foot-1 winger has eight goals and 11 points in 28 games this season.
Forward Justin Danforth will miss Thursday's game against the Capitals with a lower-body injury.
The 5-foot-8 winger has three goals and eight points in 25 games this season.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche recalled forward Ivan Ivan and defenceman Keaton Middleton from the AHL's Colorado Eagles on Thursday.
Ivan, 22, has five goals and eight points in 30 games this season.
Keaton has appeared in three games with the Avalanche this season. He also has four assists in 17 games with the Eagles.
Minnesota Wild
Forward Mats Zuccarello and defenceman Jonas Brodin participated in the Wild's morning skate prior to their game against the Edmonton Oilers, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.
Zuccarello, 37, has been out the last 12 games with a lower-body injury.
The 5-foot-8 winger has six goals and 14 points in 16 games this season.
Brodin, 31, has been out since Nov. 25 with an upper-body injury.
The 6-foot-2 left-shot defenceman has two goals and eight points in 19 games this season.
The Wild used these lines for Thursday's morning skate and Filip Gustavsson is expected to start against the Oilers, according to Russo.
The 26-year-old netminder has a 14-4-3 record this season with a .927 save percentage and 2.08 goals-against average.
Utah Hockey Club
Utah claimed defenceman Dakota Mermis off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Mermis has yet to play in a game with the Maple Leafs this season. He has one assist in three games with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.
The 30-year-old blueliner signed with Toronto in the off-season after posting three goals and eight points in 47 games with the Minnesota Wild last season. He carries a $775,000 on the one-year deal he inked in July.
Undrafted to begin his NHL career, Mermis has four goals and 12 points in 74 career games.
Florida Panthers
Sergei Bobrovskky will be in net when the Panthers take on the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
Bobrovsky, 36, has won his last four games and has a 13-5-1 record this season with a 2.81 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.
Boston Bruins
Joonas Korpisalo will be in net on Thursday when the Bruins take on the Seattle Kraken.
Korpisalo, 30, has won four of his last five starts and has a 6-2-1 record with a .909 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average in his first season with the Bruins.