NHL Player News

Dobes is set to start at home against the Wild on Thursday, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports Wednesday.

Dobes has a 5-0-1 record, 1.93 GAA and .933 save percentage in six appearances in 2024-25. He suffered his first career NHL loss Saturday when he stopped 40 of 44 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to New Jersey. Minnesota ranks 18th in goals per game with 2.92.

Demko will defend the road crease against the Predators on Wednesday, Dan Murphy of Sportsnet reports.

Demko hasn't been very sharp in recent outings, as he's gone 1-3-0 with a 4.03 GAA and .833 save percentage over his last four starts. He'll have a favorable chance to get back on track Wednesday, as the Predators have generated 2.69 goals per game this season, which is the fifth-worst mark in the NHL.

Ullmark (back) might be an option against either the Capitals or Wild on Thursday or Saturday, respectively, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports.

Ullmark was riding a seven-game winning streak prior to suffering his back injury, which has kept the netminder on the shelf since Dec. 22 versus Edmonton. Once the 31-year-old backstop is given the all-clear, he figures to replace Leevi Merilainen as the No. 1 option in Ottawa, though he could be forced into more of a split share to start.

Vanecek (face) was sent to AHL San Jose on Wednesday for a conditioning stint.

Vanecek hasn't played between the pipes since Dec. 14, so this will give him a chance to shake off the rust before playing for the Sharks. He has a 3-8-1 record, 3.84 GAA and .885 save percentage in 2024-25. Yaroslav Askarov has likely done well enough to warrant him staying in the NHL even after Vanecek is available, though that might create a situation where the Sharks are carrying three goaltenders, including Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev. Perhaps Georgiev, who has a 3.65 GAA and an .876 save percentage in 30 outings in 2024-25, will be put on waivers once Vanecek is back with the Sharks.

Fleury will get the starting nod on the road versus Montreal on Thursday, Kevin Falness of KFAN reports.

Fleury will guard the cage against his hometown club for the final time on his retirement tour. The 40-year-old backstop has put up solid numbers this year, going 10-5-1 with a 2.76 GAA and .904 save percentage. With the Wild heading into a back-to-back, it will be Filip Gustavsson between the pipes for Wednesday's road clash with Toronto before Fleury gets the nod Thursday.

Gustavsson is set to start on the road against Toronto on Wednesday, per Kevin Falness of KFAN 1003.

Gustavsson saved 18 of 20 shots en route to a 4-2 win over Chicago on Sunday. He has a 19-10-3 record, 2.61 GAA and .913 save percentage in 33 appearances in 2024-25. He faced last faced the Maple Leafs on Nov. 3 when he turned aside 27 of 28 shots (.964 save percentage) in a 2-1 overtime victory.

Bobrovsky is expected to start at home against the Kings on Wednesday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

Bobrovsky has a 20-11-2 record, 2.80 GAA and .898 save percentage over 33 appearances in 2024-25. He's won his past two starts while stopping 49 of 53 shots (.925 save percentage). The Kings rank 20th in goals per game with 2.87.

Sorokin made 30 saves in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Avalanche.

The 29-year-old netminder was locked in a 1-1 tie through two periods with Mackenzie Blackwood, but the Isles' offense broke things open in the third. Sorokin has won four straight starts, allowing just four goals on 89 shots (.955 save percentage) during that hot streak, and he'll continue to shoulder a heavy workload while Semyon Varlamov (lower body) is on the shelf.

Blackwood turned aside 23 of 27 shots in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Islanders, with New York's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

The 28-year-old netminder battled Ilya Sorokin to a 1-1 tie through two periods, but the floodgates opened for the Isles in the third. Blackwood has just one win in his last five starts and has given up at least three goals in each of those outings, going 1-3-1 with a 3.68 GAA and .874 save percentage over that stretch.

Shesterkin stopped 22 shots in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes.

The Rangers' skaters had a rough night at both ends of the ice, giving up lots of prime scoring chances while failing to solve Frederik Andersen in the other crease. Shesterkin's January hot streak appears to be over as a result -- he's given up nine goals on 48 shots (.813 save percentage) while losing his last two starts -- but on the month, he still boasts a 6-2-1 record in nine outings with a 2.07 GAA and .921 save percentage.