NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day March 29, 2026
Date: 29 March 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom
Update: Additional matchups will be added as projected lineups are updated throughout the day.
St. Louis Blues vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Blues - Projected lineup
Forwards
Dylan Holloway - Robert Thomas - Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake Neighbours - Pavel Buchnevich - Jordan Kyrou
Otto Stenberg - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jonatan Berggren
Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Pius Suter
Defense
Philip Broberg - Logan Mailloux
Theo Lindstein - Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler - Justin Holl
Goalies
Jordan Binnington
Joel Hofer
Scratched
Jonathan Drouin
Oskar Sundqvist
Nathan Walker
Matthew Kessel
Injured
Tyler Tucker (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis gets a major lift with Robert Thomas back in the middle, which restores much more offensive order and transition control. With Kyrou, Buchnevich and Holloway around him, the Blues regain a more natural attacking shape.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Blues should try to play through center support and puck control rather than forcing a pure speed game. Their strongest route is a structured attack built on Thomas reconnecting the top-six flow and Parayko stabilizing defensive posture.
Maple Leafs - Projected lineup
Forwards
Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander
Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson
Dakota Joshua - Steven Lorentz - Matias Maccelli
Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Jarnkrok
Defense
Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher
Goalies
Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz
Scratched
Philippe Myers
Injured
Auston Matthews (MCL)
Chris Tanev (groin)
IHM Lineup Note:
Toronto still has enough wing skill to threaten any defense, but without Matthews the lineup remains more vulnerable down the middle. Nylander and Tavares have to carry more of the offensive burden and Rielly’s first pass becomes even more important.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Maple Leafs should want speed, quick strike offense and clean zone exits before St. Louis settles into a tighter structure. If Toronto gets dragged into a patient half-ice game, the missing center depth becomes more visible.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Toronto carries more pressure because the Leafs still need to manufacture offense without their top center against a Blues team that regains structural balance with Thomas back. St. Louis has the cleaner tactical path, but the Blues still need to respect Toronto’s wing-driven finishing talent.
Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Predators - Projected lineup
Forwards
Steven Stamkos - Ryan O’Reilly - Luke Evangelista
Filip Forsberg - Matthew Wood - Jonathan Marchessault
Zachary L’Heureux - Erik Haula - Tyson Jost
Reid Schaefer - Fedor Svechkov - Ozzy Wiesblatt
Defense
Brady Skjei - Roman Josi
Nicolas Hague - Nick Perbix
Adam Wilsby - Ryan Ufko
Goalies
Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen
Scratched
Joakim Kemell
Justin Barron
Injured
None
IHM Lineup Note:
Nashville still has enough top-end threat through Forsberg, Stamkos, Marchessault and Josi to punish any sloppy defensive team. Their challenge remains consistency behind the skill, especially in defensive support and second-layer structure.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Predators should try to attack through Josi’s puck movement and O’Reilly’s matchup stability while keeping Montreal from turning this into a speed game. Their best chance is to control the middle and play from structure rather than chase rushes.
Canadiens - Projected lineup
Forwards
Cole Caufield - Nick Suzuki - Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook - Oliver Kapanen - Ivan Demidov
Zachary Bolduc - Jake Evans - Josh Anderson
Joe Veleno - Phillip Danault - Brendan Gallagher
Defense
Mike Matheson - Noah Dobson
Jayden Struble - Lane Hutson
Kaiden Guhle - Alexandre Carrier
Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler
Scratched
Arber Xhekaj
Samuel Montembeault
Injured
Kirby Dach (upper body)
Patrik Laine (lower body)
Alexandre Texier (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Montreal continues to lean on a quick, skilled top six with Suzuki, Caufield and Demidov shaping the offensive identity. The Canadiens also have enough mobile defense to move the puck cleanly and keep pace if they avoid defensive breakdowns.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Canadiens should want quick exits, open ice and enough pace to stretch Nashville’s structure laterally. Their clearest edge comes from making the Predators defend in motion rather than in settled zone coverage.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Nashville carries pressure to prove its veteran skill can still control a fast, skilled opponent without drifting into defensive looseness. Montreal carries pressure to stay disciplined in its own zone because Nashville’s top-end finishers can punish small mistakes immediately.
Detroit Red Wings vs Philadelphia Flyers
Faceoff: 02:00 CET
Red Wings - Projected lineup
Forwards
Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane
J.T. Compher - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond
Dominik Shine - David Perron - Mason Appleton
James van Riemsdyk - Marco Kasper - Emmitt Finnie
Defense
Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot - Justin Faulk
Albert Johansson - Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalies
John Gibson
Michal Postava
Scratched
Travis Hamonic
Injured
Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (undisclosed)
Cam Talbot (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Detroit gets another important stability boost from Larkin being back in the top six, which raises both pace and center structure. The Wings still need strong support from Seider and Edvinsson because the goalie situation is thinner than usual.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Red Wings should try to play with controlled tempo and let Kane, Raymond and DeBrincat attack off cleaner support rather than chaos. Their best route is to avoid giving Philadelphia a heavy, forecheck-first game.
Flyers - Projected lineup
Forwards
Alex Bump - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey - Trevor Zegras - Owen Tippett
Carl Grundstrom - Noah Cates - Matvei Michkov
Sean Couturier - Luke Glendening - Garnet Hathaway
Defense
Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae - Nick Seeler
Goalies
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson
Scratched
Garrett Wilson
Injured
Tyson Foerster (arm)
Rodrigo Abols (lower body)
Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)
Noah Juulsen (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Philadelphia still has enough bite and transition offense through Zegras, Tippett, Konecny and Michkov to stay dangerous. The Flyers look best when they combine energy with structure and force opponents into tougher puck decisions.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Flyers should want a more direct, physical game with strong wall pressure and enough pace through the top nine to disrupt Detroit’s breakouts. Their clearest edge is turning this into a harder, less comfortable matchup.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Detroit carries slightly more pressure because the Red Wings are managing goaltending uncertainty and still rebuilding full lineup rhythm around Larkin. Philadelphia has the more natural grinder profile here, but the Flyers still need to finish enough chances against a Wings team with real top-line skill.
Colorado Avalanche vs Winnipeg Jets
Faceoff: 02:00 CET
Avalanche - Projected lineup
Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Artturi Lehkonen - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton - Nazem Kadri - Logan O’Connor
Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Joel Kiviranta
Defense
Brett Kulak - Cale Makar
Devon Toews - Sam Malinski
Josh Manson - Brent Burns
Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Scratched
Nick Blankenburg
Zakhar Bardakov
Injured
Nicolas Roy (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Colorado continues to move closer to a full-strength look, which makes the Avalanche extremely dangerous through all four lines. MacKinnon, Makar and Landeskog give them pace, finish and blue-line drive that few teams can comfortably handle.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Avalanche should want speed, layered rush support and enough puck movement to keep Winnipeg from settling into its defensive shell. Their best route is to stretch the Jets laterally and force Hellebuyck to deal with east-west attacks.
Jets - Projected lineup
Forwards
Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Alex Iafallo
Cole Perfetti - Adam Lowry - Gabriel Vilardi
Isak Rosen - Vladislav Namestnikov - Brad Lambert
Cole Koepke - Jonathan Toews - Gustav Nyquist
Defense
Josh Morrissey - Neal Pionk
Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson
Haydn Fleury - Dylan DeMelo
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
Scratched
Ville Heinola
Jacob Bryson
Parker Ford
Danil Zhilkin
Injured
Morgan Barron (concussion)
Nino Niederreiter (knee)
Colin Miller (knee)
Vladislav Namestnikov (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Winnipeg is still built on Hellebuyck’s elite stability and on a strong overall team structure around Scheifele, Morrissey and Lowry. The Jets are most dangerous when they keep the game layered and force opponents to earn every rush chance.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Jets should try to slow the game down, protect the slot and make Colorado play through traffic and second efforts rather than clean speed. Their clearest route is patience, shape and trusting Hellebuyck to hold the first phase.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Winnipeg carries the bigger pressure load because the Jets must survive one of the league’s most explosive pace teams while not being at full depth. Colorado has the higher ceiling and stronger transition profile, but the Avalanche still need to solve one of hockey’s most disciplined defensive structures.
Los Angeles Kings vs Utah Mammoth
Faceoff: 03:00 CET
Kings - Projected lineup
Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Mathieu Joseph - Scott Laughton - Joel Armia
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Jared Wright
Defense
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
Goalies
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg
Scratched
Alex Turcotte
Jacob Moverare
Taylor Ward
Injured
Andrei Kuzmenko (meniscus)
IHM Lineup Note:
Los Angeles still looks like a veteran structure team with enough top-end offensive talent through Panarin, Kempe and Kopitar to punish mistakes. Doughty’s presence keeps the blue line organized and gives the Kings a stable first pass.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Kings should try to compress the game, close the middle and keep Utah from getting a clean speed game. Their best route is a heavy, controlled road performance built on defensive posture and patient support.
Mammoth - Projected lineup
Forwards
Clayton Keller - Nick Schmaltz - Lawson Crouse
Kailer Yamamoto - Logan Cooley - Dylan Guenther
JJ Peterka - Jack McBain - Michael Carcone
Alexander Kerfoot - Kevin Stenlund - Brandon Tanev
Defense
Mikhail Sergachev - MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt - John Marino
Ian Cole - Sean Durzi
Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek
Scratched
Liam O’Brien
Nick DeSimone
Daniil But
Injured
Barrett Hayton (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Utah remains fast, balanced and difficult to defend when Cooley, Peterka and Guenther can attack with support. Hayton’s absence still matters, but the Mammoth have enough pace and blue-line mobility to challenge veteran teams like Los Angeles.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Mammoth should try to make this game faster and more open than Los Angeles wants, especially through quick exits and speed off the rush. Their clearest path is forcing the Kings to defend in motion rather than inside a set structure.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Utah carries pressure to break through a disciplined defensive team without one of its key centers. Los Angeles has the cleaner structural profile, but the Kings still need to respect Utah’s speed because this matchup gets dangerous if the game opens up too much.
Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks
Faceoff: 04:00 CET
Flames - Projected lineup
Forwards
Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Joel Farabee
Matvei Gridin - Morgan Frost - Matt Coronato
Yegor Sharangovich - Ryan Strome - Victor Olofsson
Brennan Othmann - Tyson Gross - Adam Klapka
Defense
Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud
Olli Maatta - Hunter Brzustewicz
Brayden Pachal - Zayne Parekh
Goalies
Dustin Wolf
Devin Cooley
Scratched
Ryan Lomberg
Martin Pospisil
John Beecher
Yan Kuznetsov
Injured
Jake Bean (undisclosed)
Samuel Honzek (upper body)
Jonathan Huberdeau (hip surgery)
Connor Zary (upper body)
Joel Hanley (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Calgary continues to rely on structure, discipline and Wolf’s stability to stay competitive. The Flames are not built for a pure speed game, so their success depends on making this matchup organized, physical and patient.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Flames should try to control the middle, slow the pace and force Vancouver into harder offensive possessions. Their cleanest route is to turn this into a low-event game with strong support around Backlund’s line.
Canucks - Projected lineup
Forwards
Liam Ohgren - Marco Rossi - Brock Boeser
Drew O’Connor - Elias Pettersson - Evander Kane
Curtis Douglas - Teddy Blueger - Linus Karlsson
Jake DeBrusk - Aatu Raty - Nils Hoglander
Defense
Zeev Buium - Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander
Victor Mancini - P.O Joseph
Goalies
Nikita Tolopilo
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched
Max Sasson
Elias Pettersson
Injured
Filip Chytil (facial fracture)
Thatcher Demko (hip surgery)
Derek Forbort (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Vancouver still has enough skill to threaten Calgary through Pettersson, Boeser and Kane, but the goalie picture and blue-line rotation keep the Canucks volatile. Hronek’s role becomes even more important in this kind of matchup.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Canucks should want to attack with pace and use their higher offensive skill to avoid a slow, grinding game. Their biggest task is protecting their own end well enough that Calgary cannot turn structure into territorial control.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Vancouver carries slightly more pressure because the Canucks need to prove they can convert skill into structure against a disciplined Flames team. Calgary has the more natural low-event blueprint, but the Flames still must avoid allowing Vancouver’s top-end talent too much room in transition.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Washington Capitals
Faceoff: 04:30 CET
Golden Knights - Projected lineup
Forwards
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev - Brett Howden - Mitch Marner
Reilly Smith - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Colton Sissons
Defense
Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Kaedan Korczak
Rasmus Andersson - Jeremy Lauzon
Goalies
Adin Hill
Akira Schmid
Scratched
Braeden Bowman
Ben Hutton
Brandon Saad
Injured
Carter Hart (lower body)
William Karlsson (lower body)
Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas still carries one of the strongest combinations of structure, size and top-end skill in the league. Eichel, Stone, Marner and Hertl give the Golden Knights multiple play-driving layers, while the defense remains stable enough to control rhythm.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Golden Knights should want a territorial game with strong puck support, patient offensive-zone play and enough control to keep Washington from generating easy transition opportunities. Their clearest edge is overall balance across the lineup.
Capitals - Projected lineup
Forwards
Aleksei Protas - Dylan Strome - Alex Ovechkin
Connor McMichael - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Tom Wilson
Anthony Beauvillier - Justin Sourdif - Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime - Hendrix Lapierre - Ivan Miroshnichenko
Defense
Jakob Chychrun - Trevor van Riemsdyk
Martin Fehervary - Rasmus Sandin
Cole Hutson - Matt Roy
Goalies
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
Scratched
David Kampf
Declan Chisholm
Dylan McIlrath
Timothy Liljegren
Injured
Ethen Frank (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Washington still has enough veteran bite and enough finishing gravity through Ovechkin, Wilson and Dubois to remain dangerous. The Capitals are most effective when they keep games controlled and make opponents earn the middle.
IHM Tactical Signals:
The Capitals should try to close time and space quickly, lean on matchup discipline and avoid giving Vegas long, clean possessions off the cycle. Their best route is to make this a more physical, lower-event contest than Vegas prefers.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Washington carries more pressure because the Capitals are walking into a deep, balanced Vegas structure that punishes loose puck management. The Golden Knights have the cleaner tactical route, but they still need to manage Ovechkin’s finishing gravity and avoid giving Washington too much belief early.
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 updates, maintenance issues or late scratches.
Q2: Why is lineup order important when reading hockey analysis?
Line order reveals much more than simple talent hierarchy. It shows matchup usage, offensive-zone trust, defensive responsibilities and which players are expected to carry special-situation pressure.
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 elements usually reveal the tactical identity of the matchup the fastest.
Q4: Why can one missing defenseman change an entire game?
A single blue-line absence can affect retrievals, breakout timing, gap control, penalty killing and overall defensive stability. The impact often spreads far beyond one pair.
Q5: How should readers interpret a maintenance day?
Maintenance usually signals workload management rather than a guaranteed absence, but it still matters because it can hint at reduced usage, uncertainty or a late decision closer to 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 each 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.