Vejmelka will protect the road goal versus the Red Wings on Wednesday.

Vejmelka has won his last two starts, but he's allowed 14 goals over his last four games. The 29-year-old netminder has been a good source of wins with 14 in 26 appearances this season. He has a tough matchup Wednesday, as the Red Wings have scored 20 goals while going 5-1-0 over their last six games.

Kemell scored a goal and added an assist in AHL Milwaukee's 3-2 loss to Chicago on Wednesday.

Kemell has put together a strong December with four goals and four assists over seven games so far. He's already had a couple of stints in the NHL, and with the Predators likely to pivot to their youth at some point, Kemell should get another chance before the end of the year. He has 17 points in 18 outings in the AHL this season.

Smith (upper body) was activated from injured reserve Wednesday.

Smith's activation paves the way for him to be back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Hurricanes. The 30-year-old will be in the mix for bottom-six minutes moving forward. It's not yet clear who might come out of the lineup to make room for Smith's return.

Pesce (upper body) has been activated from long-term injured reserve ahead of Wednesday's clash with Vegas, per the NHL media site.

As expected, Pesce's activation will clear the way for him to play against the Golden Knights. The veteran blueliner is poised to link up with Luke Hughes on the Devils' second pairing, while Dennis Cholowski will head to the press box as a healthy scratch. Pesce has contributed three assists, eight shots on goal, 24 blocked shots and four hits in nine appearances this season.

Dellandrea is considered questionable for Thursday's game against the Stars due to an upper-body injury, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.

Dellandrea sustained an upper-body injury while blocking a shot during Tuesday's game against Calgary, and it's not yet clear whether he'll be available against Dallas. If the 25-year-old is unable to suit up against his former team, Adam Gaudette will presumably enter the lineup after moving past his lower-body issue. Dellandrea has yet to miss a game this year, and he's recorded two goals, eight assists, 97 hits, 31 blocked shots and 12 PIM while averaging 14:52 of ice time over his first 34 appearances of the season.

Gaudette (lower body) told reporters he was fully fit ahead of the Sharks' clash with Dallas on Thursday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.

Even with his injury concern behind him, Gaudette is far from a lock to suit up versus the Stars, and could still find himself serving as a healthy scratch. The veteran forward is stuck in a rut, going six games without finding the back of the net while generating six shots and two assists.

Montour (undisclosed) is not expected to be available versus the Flames on Thursday, per Emerald City Hockey.

Montour has struggled to put pucks on net of late, generating just three shots in his last three outings. Despite the recent slump, the 31-year-old Ontario native continues to see minutes with the man advantage, averaging 2:02 of power-play ice time in 27 games this year. He has six goals, 16 points, 68 shots on net, 35 blocked shots and 34 hits through 27 appearances this campaign.

Dorofeyev (undisclosed) is set to play Wednesday versus New Jersey.

Dorofeyev left Sunday's 3-2 win over Columbus due to the injury, but he won't miss a full game. He has two goals and one assist during his three-game point streak. The 25-year-old has 13 goals and 21 points through 31 appearances in 2025-26.

Lauzon (undisclosed) will be available for Wednesday's game against the Devils.

Lauzon spent the past month on injured reserve due to an unspecified injury, but he will return from a 14-game absence against New Jersey. In 17 appearances this season, he has recorded four assists, 57 hits, 28 PIM and 26 blocked shots while averaging 15:54 of ice time. His clearance to play is timely, as Shea Theodore (upper body) won't be in the lineup for Wednesday's matchup.

Gritsyuk (upper body) was put on injured reserve Wednesday, per the NHL media site.

Gritsyuk hasn't been in the lineup since Thursday's 8-4 loss to Tampa Bay. He has seven goals and 16 points in 31 appearances in 2025-26. Gritsyuk didn't join the Devils for their two-game road trip, so in addition to missing Wednesday's game in Vegas, he's also set to miss Friday's clash in Utah. However, it's unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup, and his move to the IR list suggests that he could be out for a while.