NHL Player News

Varlamov will get the starting nod on the road against the Senators on Thursday, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.

Varlamov gave up three goals on 22 shots in his only other appearance this season, falling 5-2 to the Rangers on Oct. 6. While the veteran netminder isn't going to supplant Ilya Sorokin as the No. 1 option for the Islanders, the coaching staff has expressed its desire to give Varlamov about one start per week, which would equate to roughly around 30 starts over the course of the season.

Merilainen was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports, indicating that he'll draw the road start against Florida.

Merilainen will draw a second consecutive start after he allowed three goals on 38 shots during a 3-2 regulation loss to the Islanders on the road Tuesday. He's appeared in five games to begin the regular season, going 1-1-0 with a 2.40 GAA and .927 save percentage.

Spurgeon (upper body) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Blues and doesn't have a timetable to return, Joe Smith of The Athletic reports.

Spurgeon will be sidelined for a second consecutive game due to his upper-body injury, and it's not yet clear when he'll be able to return to action. David Spacek will likely remain in the lineup during Spurgeon's absence.

Maatta (upper body) will not play in Thursday's home game against the Blues, per Dylan Loucks of The Hockey News.

Maatta was injured in the late stages of Minnesota's Frozen Frenzy game, which caused him to miss the final six minutes of the contest. Prior to going down with the injury, Maatta posted a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign with two assists, three shots on net and nine blocked shots across six outings. In his absence Thursday, Matt Kiersted will be elevated to play in Maatta's second line role. Further information will need to be provided regarding the veteran blueliner's timetable to return, but if the injury isn't too serious, he'll likely have a shot to appear in Sunday's matchup against the Blue Jackets.

Bourque (upper body) will be a game-time decision for Thursday's clash with San Jose, Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean reports.

Bourque is at risk of missing his third straight game due to his upper-body problem, though he hasn't been officially ruled out. Even if the 24-year-old center does get into the lineup, it figures to be in a bottom-six role where he will offer minimal fantasy upside.

Annunen (undisclosed) is considered a game-time decision for Thursday's home matchup against San Jose, Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean reports.

Annunen was also deemed a game-time decision for Tuesday's matchup against the Golden Knights, but he was held out once again as he remains on injured reserve. Even if the 26-year-old is activated ahead of Thursday's matchup, Juuse Saros appears likely to serve as the Predators' starter against San Jose.

Garand will start Thursday's road game against New Jersey, Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports.

Garand has picked up wins in each of his last two starts, posting a 1.50 GAA and .936 save percentage during that time. He'll be rewarded with a third consecutive start Thursday and should continue to see plenty of time in the crease since Igor Shesterkin (knee) is out for the season, while Joonas Korpisalo (lower body) is slated to miss approximately four more weeks.

Wallstedt will defend the home crease in Thursday's clash against the Blues, per Dylan Loucks of The Hockey News.

Wallstedt continued his dominant start to the 2026-27 campaign Monday, where he posted a 21-save win over the Golden Knights. The 23-year-old netminder has a 4-1-1 record, a 1.82 GAA and a .933 save percentage across six appearances in the new season. For as long as Filip Gustavsson (hip) is sidelined, Wallstedt projects to be an elite fantasy option that sees multiple starts per week. Thursday's matchup won't be a cake walk, however, as the Blues put up seven goals against the Senators during Frozen Frenzy. Regardless, start Wallstedt with confidence Thursday.

Eklund had surgery to repair a torn ankle tendon and will be out 10-12 weeks, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports Thursday.

Eklund's timeline would seem to indicate that he will be out of action until the calendar flips to 2027, though it's possible he makes a late-December return if on the early side of his timeline. While the 24-year-old winger is already on injured reserve, he could be a candidate for long-term injured reserve if the Senators need the cap space to make a move.

Ullmark is expected to guard the home crease in Thursday's clash against the Islanders, per Andrew Gross of Newsday.

Ullmark has truly been elite to begin the 2026-27 season. He's won each of his five starts thus far, with his most recent win being a convincing 29-save effort in a 4-1 win over New Jersey. Alongside his 5-0-0 record, the 33-year-old netminder has a 1.27 GAA and a .948 save percentage across 116 shots on net over five appearances. He'll face a tough test Thursday, as the Islanders have won two of their last three games. Regardless, Ullmark is a high-level fantasy option moving forward and a priority waiver-wire add in leagues where he isn't rostered.