NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day March 28, 2026
Date: 28 March 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom
Update: Additional matchups will be added as projected lineups are updated throughout the day.
New York Rangers vs Chicago Blackhawks
Faceoff: 00:00 CET
Rangers - Projected lineup
Forwards
Gabe Perreault - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Adam Sykora
Tye Kartye - J.T. Miller - Conor Sheary
Taylor Raddysh - Jonny Brodzinski - Jaroslav Chmelar
Defense
Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
Will Borgen - Braden Schneider
Drew Fortescue - Matthew Robertson
Goalies
Dylan Garand
Igor Shesterkin
Scratched
Adam Edstrom
Vincent Iorio
Juuso Parssinen
Injured
Matt Rempe (upper body)
Urho Vaakanainen (upper body)
Noah Laba (lower body)
Jonathan Quick (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
The Rangers look thinner than usual but still carry strong puck control through Fox, Zibanejad and Miller. Garand stepping in adds uncertainty, so New York needs cleaner team defense and better puck management than usual.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Rangers should try to keep the puck and avoid letting this become a loose, mistake-heavy game. Their clearest edge is controlling play through structure and making Chicago defend in layers rather than in open ice.
Blackhawks - Projected lineup
Forwards
Ryan Greene - Connor Bedard - Anton Frondell
Tyler Bertuzzi - Frank Nazar - Nick Lardis
Andre Burakovsky - Ryan Donato - Ilya Mikheyev
Teuvo Teravainen - Sacha Boisvert - Landon Slaggert
Defense
Alex Vlasic - Artyom Levshunov
Wyatt Kaiser - Sam Rinzel
Ethan Del Mastro - Louis Crevier
Goalies
Arvid Soderblom
Spencer Knight
Scratched
Sam Lafferty
Dominic Toninato
Injured
Oliver Moore (lower body)
Andrew Mangiapane (undisclosed)
Matt Grzelcyk (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Chicago still leans on Bedard and Nazar to generate high-skill moments, but the support structure remains inconsistent. This lineup is most dangerous when it can play with speed and not get pinned into long defensive-zone shifts.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Blackhawks should want pace, rush chances and a game with more broken structure. If they get stuck in a controlled territorial battle, New York’s overall shape should give the Rangers the cleaner edge.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
The Rangers carry pressure because they are using a season-debut goalie and a debut defenseman, so their team structure has to stay sharp. Chicago carries the usual pressure of protecting young skill with enough detail and support to stay competitive for a full sixty minutes.
Buffalo Sabres vs Detroit Red Wings
Faceoff: 00:00 CET
Sabres - Projected lineup
Forwards
Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Noah Ostlund - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
Zach Benson - Sam Carrick - Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram - Owen Power
Logan Stanley - Conor Timmins
Goalies
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis
Scratched
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Michael Kesselring
Luke Schenn
Josh Dunne
Tyson Kozak
Injured
Tanner Pearson (lower body)
Jordan Greenway (middle body)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
Justin Danforth (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Buffalo still has one of the better top-end offensive structures through Thompson, Tuch and Dahlin. The Sabres are dangerous when they get their defense involved and attack with speed through the middle.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Buffalo should try to push pace and use Dahlin, Byram and Power to create layered offense off the rush and second touches. Their strongest route is making Detroit defend in motion rather than in set shape.
Red Wings - Projected lineup
Forwards
Alex DeBrincat - J.T. Compher - Patrick Kane
David Perron - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond
Andrew Copp - Emmitt Finnie - Mason Appleton
James van Riemsdyk - Marco Kasper - Dominik Shine
Defense
Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot - Justin Faulk
Albert Johansson - Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalies
John Gibson
Cam Talbot
Scratched
Travis Hamonic
Michal Postava
Injured
Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Detroit gets a major lift with Larkin back in the projected lineup, which changes the center structure and the pace potential of the top six. Kane, Raymond and DeBrincat now have a more natural framework to attack from.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Red Wings should try to balance speed and control, because Buffalo can punish sloppy exchanges. Their best chance is to make this a more selective transition game and trust the Seider-Edvinsson pair to handle the toughest minutes.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Detroit carries pressure because Larkin’s return raises expectations and changes the offensive ceiling immediately. Buffalo still has the more dynamic blue-line-driven attack, but the Sabres must finish chances because Detroit’s top-end talent can answer quickly now.
New York Islanders vs Florida Panthers
Faceoff: 18:00 CET
Islanders - Projected lineup
Forwards
Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Emil Heineman
Calum Ritchie - Brayden Schenn - Mathew Barzal
Ondrej Palat - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean - Casey Cizikas - Marc Gatcomb
Defense
Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech - Carson Soucy
Scott Mayfield - Adam Boqvist
Goalies
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich
Scratched
Anthony Duclair
Maxim Shabanov
Isaiah George
Injured
Tony DeAngelo (lower body)
Kyle Palmieri (ACL)
Alexander Romanov (upper body)
Semyon Varlamov (knee)
IHM Lineup Note:
The Islanders remain a structure-first team built around Sorokin’s stability, Horvat’s support game and Barzal’s controlled offense. This lineup is most effective when the game stays patient and physical rather than wide open.
IHM Tactical Signals:
New York should try to close the middle, keep Florida to one-and-done looks and force the Panthers to earn everything through traffic. Their clearest route is low-event discipline with quick counters off turnovers.
Panthers - Projected lineup
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
Mackie Samoskevich - Eetu Luostarinen - Jesper Boqvist
Nolan Foote - Luke Kunin - Noah Gregor
Cole Reinhardt - Tomas Nosek - Vinnie Hinostroza
Defense
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Dmitry Kulikov - Seth Jones
Donovan Sebrango - Mike Benning
Goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky
Daniil Tarasov
Scratched
None
Injured
Evan Rodrigues (finger)
Sam Reinhart (foot)
Niko Mikkola (knee)
Anton Lundell (ribs)
Uvis Balinskis (fractured foot)
Brad Marchand (lower body)
Cole Schwindt (lower body)
Aleksander Barkov (knee)
Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)
Suspended
A.J. Greer
IHM Lineup Note:
Florida is still heavily depleted, but Bennett, Tkachuk, Forsling and Jones give the Panthers enough structure and edge to remain dangerous. This is no longer a pure skill-and-depth lineup, so the Panthers need to win through battle level and territorial push.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Panthers should try to make this game harder, heavier and more chaotic in the corners, where their forecheck and physical identity can wear the Islanders down. Their main challenge is replacing too much missing finishing talent with pressure and volume.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Florida carries the bigger pressure burden because the Panthers are still missing too much offensive depth and cannot rely on talent alone. The Islanders have the cleaner low-event blueprint, but New York still needs enough offense behind Sorokin to punish Florida’s thinner lineup.
Edmonton Oilers vs Anaheim Ducks
Faceoff: 20:30 CET
Oilers - Projected lineup
Forwards
Vasily Podkolzin - Connor McDavid - Matthew Savoie
Jack Roslovic - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Zach Hyman
Josh Samanski - Jason Dickinson - Kasperi Kapanen
Max Jones - Adam Henrique - Roby Jarventie
Defense
Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse - Connor Murphy
Jake Walman - Ty Emberson
Goalies
Connor Ingram
Tristan Jarry
Scratched
Spencer Stastney
Injured
Colton Dach (undisclosed)
Leon Draisaitl (lower body)
Trent Frederic (undisclosed)
Mattias Janmark (shoulder)
Curtis Lazar (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Edmonton is still very dangerous because McDavid and Bouchard remain elite game drivers, but without Draisaitl the center spine and overall finishing depth are clearly thinner. The Oilers need strong support play behind the first line to keep pressure balanced.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Oilers should still attack through pace, quick puck movement and controlled entries led by McDavid. Their biggest risk is letting Anaheim create enough speed and chaos to expose the thinner supporting structure below the top unit.
Ducks - Projected lineup
Forwards
Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Frank Vatrano
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Jeffrey Viel - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier
Mason McTavish - Tim Washe - Ian Moore
Defense
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson
Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas
Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso
Scratched
Nathan Gaucher
Drew Helleson
Injured
Jansen Harkins (upper body)
Ross Johnston (lower body)
Petr Mrazek (hip)
Troy Terry (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Anaheim carries a more balanced look than earlier in the season with Carlsson, Vatrano, McTavish, Gauthier and Carlson giving the Ducks multiple ways to create. Their issue is still consistency in defensive structure against elite pace teams.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Ducks should try to make this game quick enough that Edmonton’s missing depth becomes visible, but they cannot trade chance-for-chance too recklessly against McDavid. Their best path is selective speed with stronger puck support than usual.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Edmonton carries pressure because the Oilers still need to control a matchup like this even without Draisaitl. Anaheim carries pressure to prove its added skill and depth can hold up against a true pace-driver rather than just create occasional flashes.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Dallas Stars
Faceoff: 22:00 CET
Penguins - Projected lineup
Forwards
Egor Chinahkov - Rickard Rakell - Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha - Tommy Novak - Avery Hayes
Ville Koivunen - Ben Kindel - Justin Brazeau
Elmer Soderblom - Connor Dewar - Noel Acciari
Defense
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Samuel Girard - Kris Letang
Ryan Shea - Connor Clifton
Goalies
Arturs Silovs
Stuart Skinner
Scratched
Ilya Solovyov
Ryan Graves
Joona Koppanen
Injured
Sidney Crosby (lower body)
Evgeni Malkin (upper body)
Caleb Jones (lower body)
Kevin Hayes (upper body)
Filip Hallander (blood clot)
Blake Lizotte (upper body)
Jack St. Ivany (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Without Crosby and likely Malkin, Pittsburgh loses too much center control and top-end puck possession. Karlsson and Letang can still keep the game alive from the blue line, but the overall structure is stretched thin against a team like Dallas.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Penguins should try to keep this game controlled, protect the middle and avoid trading rushes against a more balanced Stars side. Their only realistic route is disciplined defending and opportunistic finishing rather than sustained territorial control.
Stars - Projected lineup
Forwards
Jason Robertson - Wyatt Johnston - Mavrik Bourque
Michael Bunting - Matt Duchene - Jamie Benn
Oskar Back - Justin Hryckowian - Colin Blackwell
Adam Erne - Arttu Hyry - Nathan Bastian
Defense
Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley - Nils Lundkvist
Lian Bichsel - Tyler Myers
Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith
Scratched
Kyle Capobianco
Ilya Lyubushkin
Alexander Petrovic
Injured
Radek Faksa (lower body)
Roope Hintz (lower body)
Mikko Rantanen (lower body)
Tyler Seguin (ACL)
Sam Steel (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Dallas still has enough structure, goaltending and blue-line control to dominate matchups like this. Even with injuries, the Stars remain one of the cleanest territorial teams in the league, especially through Heiskanen and Oettinger.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Stars should want a patient, layered game where their puck support and defensive posture gradually squeeze Pittsburgh out. Their strongest advantage is in making the Penguins defend repeatedly without enough center relief.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Pittsburgh carries enormous pressure because the Penguins are missing too much core talent to comfortably match Dallas over sixty minutes. The Stars have the clearer route to control, but they still need to convert that structure into enough offense against a team that can occasionally create chaos through veteran defensemen.
Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils
Faceoff: 22:00 CET
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
Brandon Bussi
Frederik Andersen
Scratched
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Nicolas Deslauriers
Mike Reilly
Injured
Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Carolina gets an important lift with Gostisbehere back, restoring more blue-line puck movement and offensive support. The Hurricanes remain one of the strongest pressure teams in hockey when they can play off retrievals and repeat attacks.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Carolina should want territorial pressure, fast reloads and a game built on deep support and forecheck volume. Their clearest route is to deny New Jersey clean exits and keep the Devils from turning this into a rush contest.
Devils - Projected lineup
Forwards
Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer
Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Connor Brown
Evgenii Dadonov - Cody Glass - Lenni Hameenaho
Paul Cotter - Nick Bjugstad - Maxim Tsyplakov
Defense
Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton
Luke Hughes - Johnathan Kovacevic
Brenden Dillon - Simon Nemec
Goalies
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen
Scratched
Dennis Cholowski
Injured
Stefan Noesen (knee)
Zack MacEwen (ACL)
Brett Pesce (lower body)
Arseny Gritsyuk (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
New Jersey still has one of the more dangerous transition identities in the conference, especially through Hughes, Bratt and Hamilton. The Devils are at their best when they can move the puck cleanly and turn speed into layered entries.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Devils should want pace, east-west movement and enough clean exits to keep Carolina from trapping them below the goal line. If they can survive the first forecheck layer, their speed can create real problems.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Carolina carries pressure to convert territorial control into actual scoreboard separation against a dangerous speed team. New Jersey carries pressure to prove its transition game can still function under one of the league’s heaviest forecheck systems.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs San Jose Sharks
Faceoff: 22:00 CET
Blue Jackets - Projected lineup
Forwards
Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
Danton Heinen - Sean Monahan - Conor Garland
Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundestrom - Boone Jenner - Miles Wood
Defense
Zach Werenski - Dante Fabbro
Egor Zamula - Ivan Provorov
Denton Mateychuk - Erik Gudbranson
Goalies
Jet Greaves
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched
Kent Johnston
Dimitri Voronkov
Jake Christiansen
Injured
Damon Severson (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Columbus keeps a strong top-six structure and still has enough center quality through Fantilli, Monahan and Coyle to control games like this. Werenski’s puck movement remains the key piece in turning defense into sustained offense.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Blue Jackets should try to make San Jose defend in layers, use their center depth to win support battles and force the Sharks into extended zone coverage. Their best route is patient offensive pressure rather than a loose track meet.
Sharks - Projected lineup
Forwards
Igor Chernyshov - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith
William Eklund - Alexander Wennberg - Collin Graf
Pavol Regenda - Michael Misa - Kiefer Sherwood
Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Adam Gaudette
Defense
Dmitry Orlov - John Klingberg
Shakir Mukhamadullin - Mario Ferraro
Sam Dickinson - Vincent Desharnais
Goalies
Alex Nedeljkovic
Yaroslav Askarov
Scratched
Nick Leddy
Philipp Kurashev
Injured
Tyler Toffoli (lower body)
Ryan Reaves (upper body)
Ty Dellandrea (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
San Jose still has enough young skill to create dangerous stretches, especially if Celebrini, Smith, Eklund and Misa get the game into open ice. The issue remains overall team structure and whether the Sharks can survive the heavier details over sixty minutes.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Sharks should want movement, rush play and enough speed to stop Columbus from building a comfortable territorial advantage. If they get trapped in long defensive shifts, their margin disappears quickly.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
San Jose carries the bigger pressure burden because the Sharks need too many things to go right structurally against a more stable opponent. Columbus has the clearer tactical route, but the Blue Jackets still have to avoid getting careless against young high-end skill that can change the game fast.
Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies
Q1: What is the difference between a projected lineup and the final lineup card?
A projected lineup is the best available estimate based on practices, media reports, travel notes and coach comments. The final lineup card can still change because of warmup decisions, illness, visa delays, maintenance issues or late scratches.
Q2: Why is lineup order important when reading hockey analysis?
Line order shows much more than talent hierarchy. It reveals matchup usage, offensive-zone trust, defensive roles and which players are expected to drive special situations.
Q3: What should readers check first in a lineup post?
Start with the top two centers, the first two defense pairs and the expected starting goalie. Those three areas usually reveal the tactical identity of the matchup fastest.
Q4: Why can one missing defenseman change the entire game?
A single blue-line absence can affect retrievals, breakout timing, gap control, penalty killing and overall defensive stability. The impact often reaches far beyond one position slot.
Q5: How should readers interpret a maintenance day?
Maintenance usually signals workload control rather than a guaranteed absence, but it still matters because it can hint at reduced usage, uncertainty or a late decision near puck drop.
Q6: What do IHM Tactical Signals add to raw line combinations?
IHM Tactical Signals translate personnel into game logic by identifying likely pace control, forecheck strength, blue-line leverage, goalie stability and hidden swing factors in the matchup.
Q7: What does IHM Match Pressure Index do?
It condenses the matchup into a quick tactical read of burden, execution stress and likely game-flow leverage, helping readers understand which side carries more structural pressure.
Q8: Why does center depth matter so much?
Centers drive faceoffs, low-zone support, matchup defense and transition structure. Losing top centers often destabilizes all three zones at once.
Q9: Why do some teams dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen?
That setup can protect an injured roster, create more blue-line flexibility or shelter specific matchups, but it also increases the importance of bench management and shift distribution.
Q10: What lineup clues point to a lower-event game?
Heavier bottom-six usage, conservative third-pair deployment and strong shutdown-center profiles often indicate a slower, tighter and more territorial game environment.
Q11: Why is home ice so important in lineup analysis?
The home coach gets last change, which helps control matchups, hide weaker combinations and deploy key players against more favorable opposition.
Q12: Can projected lineups still change after publication?
Yes. Treat projected lineups as the latest reliable snapshot, not the final card. Always recheck closer to puck drop for confirmed goalies, illness updates and late scratches.