NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day Feb 5, 2026 - IHM News

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day Feb 5, 2026 – IHM News

Date: 04 February
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Update: Additional matchups will be added as projected lineups are updated throughout the day.


Columbus Blue Jackets vs Chicago Blackhawks

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Blue Jackets - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
  • Dimitri Voronkov - Sean Monahan - Kent Johnson
  • Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
  • Isac Lundestrom - Boone Jenner - Miles Wood

Defense

  • Zach Werenski - Damon Severson
  • Ivan Provorov - Denton Mateychuk
  • Erik Gudbranson - Dante Fabbro

Goalies

  • Jet Greaves
  • Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched

  • Jake Christiansen
  • Egor Zamula
  • Danton Heinen

Injured

  • Brendan Smith (knee surgery)

IHM Lineup Note:
With Marchenko back, Columbus regains a direct shooting threat that complements Fantilli’s transition speed. Werenski continues to drive offense from the back end, while Fabbro stabilizes defensive zone exits under forecheck pressure.

Blackhawks - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Frank Nazar - Connor Bedard - Tyler Bertuzzi
  • Teuvo Teravainen - Oliver Moore - Andre Burakovsky
  • Ryan Donato - Jason Dickinson - Ilya Mikheyev
  • Colton Dach - Nick Foligno - Ryan Greene

Defense

  • Alex Vlasic - Louis Crevier
  • Wyatt Kaiser - Sam Rinzel
  • Matt Grzelcyk - Connor Murphy

Goalies

  • Spencer Knight
  • Arvid Soderblom

Scratched

  • Sam Lafferty
  • Artyom Levshunov
  • Landon Slaggert

Injured

  • None

IHM Lineup Note:
Chicago leans heavily on Bedard’s line for controlled zone entries and offensive creativity, while the middle six is built for puck retrieval and secondary pressure. The blue line prioritizes simple exits and defensive spacing rather than aggressive activation.


Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Panthers - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart
  • Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
  • Sandis Vilmanis - Evan Rodrigues - A.J. Greer
  • Luke Kunin - Cole Schwindt - Mackie Samoskevich

Defense

  • Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
  • Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis
  • Tobias Bjornfot - Jeff Petry

Goalies

  • Sergei Bobrovsky
  • Daniil Tarasov

Scratched

  • Donovan Sebrango
  • Jesper Boqvist

Injured

  • Brad Marchand (lower body)
  • Seth Jones (upper body)
  • Aleksander Barkov (knee)
  • Tomas Nosek (knee)
  • Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)
  • Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder)

IHM Lineup Note:
Florida still plays a pressure-heavy game built on forecheck intensity and net-front presence. Without Barkov, Lundell assumes more defensive responsibility, while Tkachuk and Bennett drive chaos and physical engagement in high-traffic areas.

Bruins - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Morgan Geekie - Marat Khusnutdinov - David Pastrnak
  • Casey Mittelstadt - Fraser Minten - Viktor Arvidsson
  • Tanner Jeannot - Matthew Poitras - Mark Kastelic
  • Michael Eyssimont - Sean Kuraly - Alex Steeves

Defense

  • Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy
  • Nikita Zadorov - Andrew Peeke
  • Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei

Goalies

  • Joonas Korpisalo
  • Jeremy Swayman

Scratched

  • Henri Jokiharju
  • Jordan Harris

Injured

  • Elias Lindholm (upper body)
  • Pavel Zacha (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Boston’s lineup shifts toward a heavier puck-protection style without Lindholm and Zacha. Pastrnak remains the primary scoring driver, while McAvoy anchors puck movement and defensive structure against Florida’s aggressive forecheck.


Winnipeg Jets vs Montreal Canadiens

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Jets - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Alex Iafallo
  • Cole Perfetti - Adam Lowry - Gabriel Vilardi
  • Nino Niederreiter - Jonathan Toews - Vladislav Namestnikov
  • Cole Koepke - Morgan Barron - Gustav Nyquist

Defense

  • Josh Morrissey - Dylan DeMelo
  • Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson
  • Logan Stanley - Luke Schenn

Goalies

  • Connor Hellebuyck
  • Eric Comrie

Scratched

  • Danil Zhilkin
  • Isaak Phillips
  • Tanner Pearson

Injured

  • Haydn Fleury (bruised back)
  • Colin Miller (knee)
  • Neal Pionk (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Winnipeg maintains a balanced structure built around Morrissey’s puck-moving ability and Hellebuyck’s stability in goal. The forward group emphasizes layered attacks and strong defensive tracking through the neutral zone.

Canadiens - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Cole Caufield - Nick Suzuki - Kirby Dach
  • Juraj Slafkovsky - Oliver Kapanen - Ivan Demidov
  • Joe Veleno - Jake Evans - Zachary Bolduc
  • Josh Anderson - Phillip Danault - Brendan Gallagher

Defense

  • Mike Matheson - Kaiden Guhle
  • Lane Hutson - Noah Dobson
  • Jayden Struble - Alexandre Carrier

Goalies

  • Samuel Montembeault
  • Jakub Dobes

Scratched

  • Arber Xhekaj

Injured

  • Patrik Laine (lower body)
  • Alex Newhook (broken ankle)
  • Alexandre Texier (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Montreal blends skill and structure, with Suzuki’s line controlling pace through possession. Hutson-Dobson adds offensive creativity from the blue line, while the bottom six focuses on defensive zone stability and forecheck support.


Nashville Predators vs Minnesota Wild

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Predators - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Steven Stamkos - Ryan O’Reilly - Luke Evangelista
  • Filip Forsberg - Erik Haula - Jonathan Marchessault
  • Cole Smith - Michael McCarron - Michael Bunting
  • Reid Schaefer - Tyson Jost - Matthew Wood

Defense

  • Brady Skjei - Roman Josi
  • Adam Wilsby - Nick Perbix
  • Nick Blankenburg - Justin Barron

Goalies

  • Juuse Saros
  • Justus Annunen

Scratched

  • Ozzy Wiesblatt

Injured

  • Nicolas Hague (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Nashville relies on Josi to control tempo from the back end, while Stamkos and Forsberg remain the primary shooting threats. The lineup favors quick puck movement over sustained physical play.

Wild - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello
  • Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Matt Boldy
  • Yakov Trenin - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko
  • Vinnie Hinostroza - Nico Sturm - Tyler Pitlick

Defense

  • Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber
  • Jacob Middleton - Jared Spurgeon
  • Daemon Hunt - Zach Bogosian

Goalies

  • Filip Gustavsson
  • Cal Petersen

Scratched

  • David Jiricek
  • Matt Kiersted

Injured

  • Jonas Brodin (lower body)
  • Jesper Wallstedt (illness)
  • Marcus Foligno (illness)

IHM Lineup Note:
Minnesota’s top six is built around puck control and east-west movement, with Kaprizov driving offensive creativity. Hughes-Faber offers elite transition play, while Eriksson Ek’s line anchors defensive matchups.


Colorado Avalanche vs San Jose Sharks

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Avalanche - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Valeri Nichushkin
  • Ross Colton - Brock Nelson - Victor Olofsson
  • Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Joel Kiviranta
  • Taylor Makar - Zakhar Bardakov - Gavin Brindley

Defense

  • Devon Toews - Cale Makar
  • Josh Manson - Brent Burns
  • Samuel Girard - Sam Malinski

Goalies

  • Mackenzie Blackwood
  • Scott Wedgewood

Scratched

  • None

Injured

  • Gabriel Landeskog (upper body)
  • Logan O’Connor (hip surgery)
  • Martin Necas (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Colorado continues to play at elite pace through MacKinnon-driven transitions. The Toews-Makar pairing controls exits and entries, while depth lines focus on sustained forecheck pressure and quick puck recovery.

Sharks - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Will Smith - Macklin Celebrini - Kiefer Sherwood
  • William Eklund - Alexander Wennberg - Tyler Toffoli
  • Philipp Kurashev - Michael Misa - Collin Graf
  • Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Adam Gaudette

Defense

  • Mario Ferraro - Timothy Liljegren
  • Dmitry Orlov - John Klingberg
  • Shakir Mukhamadullin - Vincent Desharnais

Goalies

  • Yaroslav Askarov
  • Alex Nedeljkovic

Scratched

  • Sam Dickinson
  • Pavol Regenda
  • Jeff Skinner

Injured

  • Ty Dellandrea (lower body)
  • Ryan Reaves (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
San Jose leans into youth-driven tempo with Smith and Celebrini, but defensive zone coverage remains a concern. The Orlov-Klingberg pair adds puck-moving ability, though gap control against Colorado speed will be tested.


Utah Mammoth vs Detroit Red Wings

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Mammoth - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Clayton Keller - Nick Schmaltz - Lawson Crouse
  • JJ Peterka - Barrett Hayton - Kailer Yamamoto
  • Michael Carcone - Jack McBain - Dylan Guenther
  • Brandon Tanev - Kevin Stenlund - Liam O’Brien

Defense

  • Mikhail Sergachev - Sean Durzi
  • Nate Schmidt - John Marino
  • Ian Cole - Nick DeSimone

Goalies

  • Karel Vejmelka
  • Vitek Vanecek

Scratched

  • Olli Maatta

Injured

  • Logan Cooley (lower body)
  • Alexander Kerfoot (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Utah relies on speed through the neutral zone and layered forecheck pressure. Sergachev-Durzi provides aggressive blue-line activation, but defensive recoveries must stay tight against Detroit’s transition game.

Red Wings - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Marco Kasper - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond
  • Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane
  • Emmitt Finnie - J.T. Compher - Mason Appleton
  • Elmer Soderblom - Michael Rasmussen - James van Riemsdyk

Defense

  • Albert Johansson - Moritz Seider
  • Ben Chiarot - Jacob Bernard-Docker
  • Travis Hamonic - Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Goalies

  • John Gibson
  • Cam Talbot

Scratched

  • Erik Gustafsson

Injured

  • Simon Edvinsson (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Detroit’s top six balances skill and structure, with Kane operating as a half-wall creator. Seider anchors defensive stability, while controlled breakouts remain key against Utah’s aggressive forecheck.


Dallas Stars vs St. Louis Blues

Faceoff: 03:30 CET

Stars - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Justin Hryckowian - Wyatt Johnston - Mikko Rantanen
  • Jason Robertson - Roope Hintz - Mavrik Bourque
  • Sam Steel - Matt Duchene - Jamie Benn
  • Oskar Back - Radek Faksa - Adam Erne

Defense

  • Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
  • Thomas Harley - Nils Lundkvist
  • Kyle Capobianco - Ilya Lyubushkin

Goalies

  • Jake Oettinger
  • Casey DeSmith

Scratched

  • Nathan Bastian
  • Colin Blackwell
  • Alexander Petrovic

Injured

  • Tyler Seguin (ACL)
  • Lian Bichsel (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Dallas emphasizes structured puck possession and layered offensive entries. Heiskanen dictates tempo from the back end, while Johnston’s line drives matchup advantages at even strength.

Blues - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Brayden Schenn - Dalibor Dvosky - Jimmy Snuggerud
  • Jake Neighbours - Pavel Buchnevich - Jordan Kyrou
  • Jonatan Berggren - Pius Suter - Nick Bjugstad
  • Alexey Toropchenko - Oskar Sundqvist - Mathieu Joseph

Defense

  • Philip Broberg - Colton Parayko
  • Tyler Tucker - Justin Faulk
  • Cam Fowler - Logan Mailloux

Goalies

  • Joel Hofer
  • Jordan Binnington

Scratched

  • Matthew Kessel
  • Robby Fabbri
  • Matt Luff
  • Nathan Walker

Injured

  • Robert Thomas (lower body)
  • Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain)

IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis relies on physical puck battles and direct attacks, but missing Thomas limits playmaking through the middle. Defensive coverage will be tested by Dallas’ pace and puck movement.


Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Flames - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Yegor Sharangovich - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato
  • Connor Zary - Nazem Kadri - Joel Farabee
  • Jonathan Huberdeau - Morgan Frost - Matvei Gridin
  • Ryan Lomberg - Martin Pospisil - Adam Klapka

Defense

  • Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud
  • Yan Kuznetsov - Mackenzie Weegar
  • Joel Hanley - Zayne Parekh

Goalies

  • Dustin Wolf
  • Devin Cooley

Scratched

  • Brayden Pachal
  • Hunter Brzustewicz

Injured

  • Jake Bean (undisclosed)
  • Samuel Honzek (upper body)
  • John Beecher (upper body)
  • Blake Coleman (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Calgary leans into physical pressure and straight-line hockey, with Kadri driving offensive zone entries. Defensive cohesion will be critical against Edmonton’s elite transition speed.

Oilers - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
  • Vasily Podkolzin - Leon Draisaitl - Kasperi Kapanen
  • Matt Savoie - Josh Samanski - Jack Roslovic
  • Andrew Mangiapane - Mattias Janmark - Trent Frederic

Defense

  • Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
  • Darnell Nurse - Jake Walman
  • Spencer Stastney - Ty Emberson

Goalies

  • Tristan Jarry
  • Connor Ingram

Scratched

  • Curtis Lazar
  • Alec Regula

Injured

  • Adam Henrique (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Edmonton’s attack remains driven by McDavid’s speed and Draisaitl’s puck protection. Ekholm-Bouchard continues to dictate breakout efficiency, while depth lines focus on maintaining tempo.


Los Angeles Kings vs Seattle Kraken

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Kings - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Trevor Moore - Anze Kopitar - Joel Armia
  • Corey Perry - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe
  • Kevin Fiala - Quinton Byfield - Andrei Kuzmenko
  • Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Defense

  • Brian Dumoulin - Drew Doughty
  • Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
  • Jacob Moverare - Cody Ceci

Goalies

  • Darcy Kuemper
  • Anton Forsberg

Scratched

  • Joe Hicketts
  • Warren Foegele

Injured

  • Mikey Anderson (upper body)
  • Alex Turcotte (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Los Angeles plays a structured, layered game built on strong defensive spacing and controlled puck support through the middle. With Anderson out, the Kings may simplify breakout routes and rely more on Doughty to manage exits and offensive tempo.

Kraken - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Jared McCann - Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle
  • Ryan Winterton - Chandler Stephenson - Eeli Tolvanen
  • Jaden Schwartz - Shane Wright - Kaapo Kakko
  • Tye Kartye - Frederick Gaudreau - Jacob Melanson

Defense

  • Vince Dunn - Adam Larsson
  • Jamie Oleksiak - Brandon Montour
  • Ryker Evans - Ryan Lindgren

Goalies

  • Joey Daccord
  • Philipp Grubauer

Scratched

  • Josh Mahura
  • Cale Fleury
  • Oscar Fisker Molgaard

Injured

  • Berkly Catton (upper body)
  • Matt Murray (lower body)
  • Ben Meyers (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Seattle’s forward group leans into pace and straight-line pressure, with Beniers’ unit driving transition looks and Tolvanen’s line providing shot volume. If the Kraken can win the first forecheck battle, they can disrupt the Kings’ clean zone exits.


Vegas Golden Knights vs Vancouver Canucks

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Golden Knights - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Alexander Holtz
  • Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Mark Stone
  • Reilly Smith - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
  • Cole Reinhardt - Kai Uchacz - Branden Bowman

Defense

  • Jeremy Lauzon - Shea Theodore
  • Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
  • Ben Hutton - Kaedan Korczak

Goalies

  • Akira Schmid
  • Adin Hill

Scratched

  • None

Injured

  • Carter Hart (lower body)
  • Brett Howden (lower body)
  • William Karlsson (lower body)
  • Brayden McNabb (upper body)
  • Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)
  • Brandon Saad (undisclosed)
  • Colton Sissons (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas remains a matchup-driven team that pressures through the neutral zone and attacks off quick recoveries. Holtz on Eichel’s wing adds a pure finishing profile, while Theodore’s activation can tilt shot volume if Vancouver’s coverage collapses low.

Canucks - Projected lineup

Forwards

  • Evander Kane - Elias Pettersson - Drew O’Connor
  • Jake DeBrusk - David Kampf - Linus Karlsson
  • Liam Ohgren - Teddy Blueger - Conor Garland
  • Max Sasson - Aatu Raty - Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Defense

  • Elias Pettersson - Filip Hronek
  • P.O Joseph - Tyler Myers
  • Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander

Goalies

  • Nikita Tolopilo
  • Kevin Lankinen

Scratched

  • Victor Mancini

Injured

  • Filip Chytil (migraines)
  • Nils Hoglander (lower body)
  • Brock Boeser (concussion protocol)
  • Zeev Buium (facial fracture)
  • Thatcher Demko (hip surgery)
  • Marco Rossi (lower body)
  • Derek Forbort (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vancouver’s injuries force simplified roles and heavier defensive workload for Hronek’s pair. Pettersson remains the key transition driver, but the Canucks must manage puck risk on exits to avoid feeding Vegas’ counter-forecheck and quick strike chances.


Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies

Q1: What are projected lineups?
Projected lineups are the expected forward lines and defense pairs based on the latest practice information, morning skate reports, and beat-writer updates. They can change closer to puck drop.

Q2: When are starting goalies confirmed?
Starters are most often confirmed after morning skate or during pregame media availability. Final confirmation can also come 30 to 90 minutes before faceoff.

Q3: Why do line combinations change on game day?
Coaches adjust lines for matchups, injury status, travel fatigue, and special teams roles. Late scratches can force quick reshuffles and role changes.

Q4: What is the difference between scratched and injured?
A scratched player is healthy but not in the lineup. Injured players are unavailable due to a reported injury or medical status designation.

Q5: How should I read forward lines and defense pairs?
Lines reflect expected even-strength usage, while defense pairs indicate matchup structure and puck-moving roles. Special teams usage can differ from the listed units.

Q6: What do the IHM lineup notes focus on?
The notes focus on forecheck structure, neutral-zone approach, transition quality, and how personnel changes affect matchups, tempo, and scoring chance quality.

Q7: Can projected lineups change after this post is published?
Yes. Treat projected lineups as the latest snapshot. Always re-check starters and late lineup updates closer to puck drop.