NHL Projected Lineups - March 3, 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom
New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Rangers - Projected lineup
Forwards
J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad - Gabe Perreault
Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Tye Kartye - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary
Brendan Brisson - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh
Defense
Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
Braden Schneider - Will Borgen
Matthew Robertson - Vincent Iorio
Goalies
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
IHM Lineup Note: Rangers rely on Fox to drive puck movement and controlled zone exits. Top line deployment will dictate tempo against Columbus’ forecheck structure.
Blue Jackets - Projected lineup
Forwards
Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner - Sean Monahan - Danton Heinen
Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
Dmitri Voronkov - Isac Lundestrom - Miles Wood
Defense
Zach Werenski - Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov - Denton Mateychuk
Dante Fabbro - Erik Gudbranson
Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves
IHM Lineup Note: Columbus plays heavy along the walls and net-front. Werenski’s activation and transition play will be central to countering Rangers’ speed.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Philadelphia Flyers
Faceoff: 01:30 CET
Maple Leafs - Projected lineup
Forwards
Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi
Matias Maccelli - Nicolas Roy - Dakota Joshua
Easton Cowan - Scott Laughton - Steven Lorentz
Defense
Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Philippe Myers
Goalies
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
IHM Lineup Note: Toronto’s attack centers around Matthews and Nylander’s high-slot rotations. Defensive positioning must stay compact to limit Philadelphia’s transition rushes.
Flyers - Projected lineup
Forwards
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin - Carl Grundstrom - Garnet Hathaway
Defense
Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - Emil Andrae
Goalies
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson
IHM Lineup Note: Philadelphia relies on layered forecheck pressure and strong board battles. Defensive gaps versus Matthews’ line will be critical.
Vancouver Canucks vs Dallas Stars
Faceoff: 04:00 CET
Canucks - Projected lineup
Forwards
Evander Kane - Elias Pettersson - Jake DeBrusk
Drew O’Connor - Marco Rossi - Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren - Teddy Blueger - Conor Garland
Nils Hoglander - David Kampf - Linus Karlsson
Defense
Elias Nils Pettersson - Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander
Zeev Buium - P.O Joseph
Goalies
Nikita Tolopilo
Kevin Lankinen
IHM Lineup Note: Vancouver must manage puck possession and protect the slot area against Dallas’ structured attack.
Stars - Projected lineup
Forwards
Jason Robertson - Wyatt Johnston - Mavrik Bourque
Sam Steel - Matt Duchene - Jamie Benn
Adam Erne - Justin Hryckowian - Colin Blackwell
Oskar Back - Arttu Hyry - Nathan Bastian
Defense
Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley - Nils Lundkvist
Ilya Lyubushkin - Lian Bichsel
Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith
IHM Lineup Note: Dallas maintains one of the league’s most structured defensive cores. Heiskanen’s puck distribution drives offensive zone entries.
Seattle Kraken vs Carolina Hurricanes
Faceoff: 04:00 CET
Kraken - Projected lineup
Forwards
Jared McCann - Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz - Chandler Stephenson - Eeli Tolvanen
Berkly Catton - Shane Wright - Kaapo Kakko
Ben Meyers - Frederick Gaudreau - Jacob Melanson
Defense
Vince Dunn - Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak - Brandon Montour
Ryker Evans - Cale Fleury
Goalies
Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer
IHM Lineup Note: Seattle’s structure depends on Dunn’s breakout efficiency and middle-lane defensive coverage.
Hurricanes - Projected lineup
Forwards
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Jordan Martinook
William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller - Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin
Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi
IHM Lineup Note: Carolina’s forecheck pressure and puck retrieval speed create sustained offensive-zone time.
Los Angeles Kings vs Colorado Avalanche
Faceoff: 04:30 CET
Kings - Projected lineup
Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Alex Turcotte - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Warren Foegele - Kenny Connors - Corey Perry
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Defense
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Mikey Anderson - Cody Ceci
Jacob Moverare - Brian Dumoulin
Goalies
Anton Forsberg
Erik Portillo
IHM Lineup Note: LA must contain MacKinnon’s speed through the neutral zone and control rebound management in front of Forsberg.
Avalanche - Projected lineup
Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Artturi Lehkonen - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton - Jack Drury - Victor Olofsson
Zakhar Bardakov - Parker Kelly - Gavin Brindley
Defense
Devon Toews - Cale Makar
Josh Manson - Brent Burns
Brett Kulak - Sam Malinski
Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
IHM Lineup Note: Colorado thrives on speed through the middle and high-skill transition entries. Defensive zone control will determine possession share.
Q&A: Game Day Lineups, Tactical Angles & Goalie Impact
Why are projected lineups important before puck drop?
Projected lineups give insight into role distribution, matchup intentions and ice-time expectations. Coaches use line structure to dictate pace, forecheck pressure and defensive zone coverage. Even a small change in the middle six can alter transition rhythm and special teams deployment.
How does a late lineup change affect team structure?
A late scratch can force a reshuffle across multiple lines. This often impacts:
- Neutral-zone structure
- Faceoff assignments
- Power-play units
- Matchup strategy against top opposition lines
When a center is replaced, the entire zone-entry dynamic can shift due to differences in puck transport ability and defensive awareness.
What should fans analyze in defensive pairings?
Focus on:
- Puck-moving defensemen vs stay-at-home balance
- Left-right handed combinations
- Zone exit efficiency
- Matchup usage against top lines
A top pair that controls gap management and retrieval speed often dictates overall game flow.
How important is goalie confirmation timing?
If the starting goalie is not officially confirmed, teams may prepare two different offensive approaches.
- Against aggressive puck-handling goalies: dump-and-pressure strategy
- Against positional goalies: increase lateral puck movement
Late goalie confirmation can affect tactical preparation and line deployment decisions.
What does “same lineup as last game” really mean?
It often signals:
- Coaching trust in current chemistry
- Stability after a win
- Conservative adjustment during a tight standings race
However, even with the same personnel, tactical roles may subtly change.
How do Olympic breaks influence projected lineups?
Post-Olympic games often show:
- Fatigue management for high-minute players
- Increased depth usage
- Slightly reduced pace early in games
Coaches may shelter returning international players with softer zone starts.
Why are third and fourth lines strategically critical?
Bottom-six units often determine:
- Forecheck pressure intensity
- Momentum swings
- Defensive zone reliability
A strong fourth line can stabilize game rhythm when top units are tightly checked.
How do lineup structures reflect playoff positioning strategy?
Teams in playoff contention:
- Shorten bench usage
- Lean on top pair defensemen
- Consolidate scoring into top two lines
Teams outside contention may experiment with development-focused combinations.