NHL Projected Lineups – Game Day April 22, 2026
Date: April 21, 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom
Final update: All projected lineups for today have been added.
Matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Tampa Bay Lightning – Projected lineup
Forwards
Gage Goncalves – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Jake Guentzel
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Nick Paul
Corey Perry – Dominic James – Scott Sabourin
Defense
J.J. Moser – Darren Raddysh
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Declan Carlile – Emil Lilleberg
Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson
Scratched: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Conor Geekie, Max Crozier, Brandon Halverson
Injured: Pontus Holmberg (upper body), Victor Hedman (personal leave), Charle-Edouard D’Astous
IHM Lineup Note:
Tampa Bay is under real pressure after dropping Game 1 at home. The Lightning still have elite offensive brains and playoff-tested core pieces, but the continued absence of Hedman and the forced adjustment on the third pair reduce some of their usual control and calm from the back end.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Tampa should press harder early and try to turn Game 2 into a more physical, emotionally charged response game.
Transition Signal: Kucherov and Point remain the most dangerous pace manipulators in the series.
Blue Line Signal: Without Hedman and with Carlile stepping in, the Lightning blue line loses some top-end puck control.
Goalie Stability Signal: Vasilevskiy remains the most proven big-game goalie in the matchup.
X-Factor Signal: Tampa needs cleaner defensive support beneath the puck and sharper slot protection after the Game 1 overtime loss.
Montreal Canadiens – Projected lineup
Forwards
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alexandre Texier – Alex Newhook – Ivan Demidov
Zachary Bolduc – Oliver Kapanen – Kirby Dach
Jake Evans – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Defense
Mike Matheson – Alexandre Carrier
Kaiden Guhle – Lane Hutson
Jayden Struble – Arber Xhekaj
Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler
Scratched: Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno, Adam Engstrom, David Reinbacher
Injured: Patrik Laine (lower body), Noah Dobson (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Montreal comes in with confidence after stealing Game 1, and the Canadiens have no reason to change a lineup that already showed enough pace and courage to punish Tampa’s mistakes. Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, and Demidov continue to give this group real offensive danger.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Montreal should continue to pressure Tampa’s depth defenders and force less comfortable breakouts.
Transition Signal: Suzuki remains the series’ key Montreal driver in controlled entries and pace decisions.
Blue Line Signal: Carrier with Matheson gives Montreal a more stable top-pair look than earlier setups.
Goalie Stability Signal: Dobes and Fowler are less proven than Vasilevskiy, but the team structure in front of them was strong enough in Game 1.
X-Factor Signal: Montreal’s young skill must stay aggressive and avoid falling into a passive road-game shell.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Offensive Pressure: Lightning edge
Transition Edge: Lightning slight edge
Defensive Stability: Even
Goaltending Edge: Lightning edge
Game Control Projection: Tampa Bay projects to push harder and own more of the puck in Game 2, but Montreal has already shown it can punish structural lapses and make this game uncomfortable again.
Matchup: Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins
Faceoff: 01:30 CET
Buffalo Sabres – Projected lineup
Forwards
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Zach Benson – Josh Norris – Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway – Josh Dunne – Beck Malenstyn
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Logan Stanley – Connor Timmins
Goalies
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
Scratched: Colten Ellis, Michael Kesselring, Tyson Kozak, Tanner Pearson, Luke Schenn
Injured: Sam Carrick (upper body), Noah Ostlund (upper body), Jiri Kulich (blood clot), Justin Danforth (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Buffalo sticks with the same lineup after taking Game 1, which makes perfect sense. Dahlin, Power, Byram, Thompson, Tuch, and Norris still give the Sabres one of the most dynamic modern playoff structures in the East, especially in terms of transition flow from the blue line.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Buffalo can pressure Boston’s retrievals with more speed than weight and still create dangerous offensive-zone recoveries.
Transition Signal: Dahlin and Power remain major pace drivers, and that is a real series advantage.
Blue Line Signal: The Sabres’ top four can both defend and keep offensive possessions alive at a high level.
Goalie Stability Signal: Luukkonen remains good enough to support Buffalo’s faster, more aggressive style.
X-Factor Signal: Buffalo needs to resist the temptation to over-open the game and instead make Boston defend in layers.
Boston Bruins – Projected lineup
Forwards
Morgan Geekie – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson
James Hagens – Fraser Minten – Marat Khusnutdinov
Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
Defense
Jonathan Aspirot – Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm – Mason Lohrei
Nikita Zadorov – Andrew Peeke
Goalies
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched: Alex Steeves, Jordan Harris, Henri Jokiharju, Lukas Reichel, Michael Eyssimont
Injured: None
IHM Lineup Note:
Boston also stays unchanged, which signals confidence in the structure rather than panic after Game 1. McAvoy, Lindholm, Swayman, and Pastrnak still give the Bruins a very serious chance to drag this series into the kind of heavy, controlled matchup they prefer.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Boston wants a more grinding, layered forecheck game to wear Buffalo down over time.
Transition Signal: The Bruins are less explosive overall, but Pastrnak remains the most dangerous one-shot finisher in the series.
Blue Line Signal: McAvoy is the key defensive organizer and the Bruins’ main answer to Buffalo’s pace.
Goalie Stability Signal: Swayman still gives Boston a big-game calm factor and series-level equalizer.
X-Factor Signal: Boston must do a better job of protecting the middle and forcing Buffalo to the walls for longer stretches.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Offensive Pressure: Sabres slight edge
Transition Edge: Sabres edge
Defensive Stability: Bruins slight edge
Goaltending Edge: Bruins slight edge
Game Control Projection: Buffalo still projects to carry more of the play-driving phases, while Boston’s route is to compress the game and let Swayman plus its defensive structure change the series texture.
Matchup: Vegas Golden Knights vs Utah Mammoth
Faceoff: 03:30 CET
Vegas Golden Knights – Projected lineup
Forwards
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Brett Howden – Mitch Marner – Pavel Dorofeyev
Reilly Smith – Tomas Hertl – Keegan Kolesar
Cole Smith – Nic Dowd – Colton Sissons
Defense
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon – Kaedan Korczak
Goalies
Carter Hart
Adin Hill
Scratched: Ben Hutton, Brandon Saad, Akira Schmid
Injured: William Karlsson (lower body), Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas keeps control of the series and still looks like the more mature playoff machine. Eichel, Marner, Stone, Hertl, Theodore, Hanifin, and Andersson give the Golden Knights multiple layers of possession, pressure, and defensive reliability.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Vegas can keep Utah under repeated wall pressure without opening itself up defensively.
Transition Signal: Eichel and Marner drive elite entry quality and can slow the game to create cleaner chances.
Blue Line Signal: The Golden Knights still have the more stable and polished top-six defense structure.
Goalie Stability Signal: Hill and Hart give Vegas two strong crease options, with Hill still the more trusted playoff profile.
X-Factor Signal: Vegas wants another controlled, structured home game where Utah is forced to chase the puck and spend energy defending the cycle.
Utah Mammoth – Projected lineup
Forwards
Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse
Kailer Yamamoto – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther
JJ Peterka – Alexander Kerfoot – Michael Carcone
Liam O’Brien – Kevin Stenlund – Brandon Tanev
Defense
Mikhail Sergachev – MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt – John Marino
Ian Cole – Sean Durzi
Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek
Scratched: Daniil But, Kevin Rooney, Nick DeSimone, Dmitri Simashev, Matt Villalta
Injured: Barrett Hayton (upper body), Jack McBain (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Utah gets an important boost with Durzi back in the projected lineup, and that should help the Mammoth move the puck more cleanly from the third pair. They still need much more offensive efficiency than in Game 1 because Vegas will not hand them many easy looks.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Utah must pressure with more conviction and force quicker Vegas decisions on retrievals.
Transition Signal: Cooley, Keller, and Guenther remain the main engines for opening this game up.
Blue Line Signal: Sergachev, Weegar, Marino, and Durzi give Utah enough quality to challenge if exits stay sharp.
Goalie Stability Signal: Vejmelka remains capable of keeping Utah in the fight if the skaters reduce slot breakdowns.
X-Factor Signal: Utah needs more pace and less half-ice grind if it wants to reset the series.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Offensive Pressure: Golden Knights edge
Transition Edge: Slight Golden Knights edge
Defensive Stability: Golden Knights edge
Goaltending Edge: Even
Game Control Projection: Vegas projects to control more of the repeatable playoff details again, while Utah’s clearest path is to increase pace and turn the game into a more open exchange than Game 1 allowed.
Matchup: Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings
Faceoff: 04:00 CET
Colorado Avalanche – Projected lineup
Forwards
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Parker Kelly – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Gabriel Landeskog – Nazem Kadri – Nicolas Roy
Joel Kiviranta – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor
Defense
Brett Kulak – Cale Makar
Devon Toews – Sam Malinski
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Goalies
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scratched: Ross Colton, Nick Blankenburg, Zakhar Bardakov
Injured: None
IHM Lineup Note:
Colorado comes into Game 2 still looking like the higher-ceiling team in the matchup. MacKinnon, Makar, Toews, Kadri, Nichushkin, Landeskog, and Nelson give the Avalanche an elite blend of pace, structure, and blue-line activation that can overwhelm opponents if the game opens up.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Colorado can create pressure through speed and immediate second-touch recoveries.
Transition Signal: MacKinnon and Makar remain the dominant pace drivers in the series.
Blue Line Signal: The Avalanche still hold the stronger puck-moving and attack-support edge from the back end.
Goalie Stability Signal: Wedgewood is confirmed again and gives Colorado clarity, even if not a massive individual advantage.
X-Factor Signal: Colorado wants to force Los Angeles into more rush-defense situations and fewer controlled half-ice sequences.
Los Angeles Kings – Projected lineup
Forwards
Artemi Panarin – Quinton Byfield – Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore – Anze Kopitar – Joel Armia
Alex Laferriere – Scott Laughton – Drew Doughty
Samuel Helenius – Jeff Malott – Brandt Clarke
Defense
Mikey Anderson – Brian Dumoulin
Cody Ceci – Mathieu Joseph
Jake Moverare – Trevor Moore
Goalies
Anton Forsberg
Scratched: Kevin Fiala on IR
Injuries: Kevin Fiala IR
IHM Lineup Note:
Based on the extra Game 2 special-teams snapshot you sent, the Kings still rely on Panarin, Kopitar, Kempe, Byfield, Doughty, and Clarke for their most important offensive control points, with Forsberg confirmed in goal. Even with some roster presentation oddities in the snippet, the core takeaway is unchanged: Los Angeles must win structure and defensive detail, not a skill race.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: The Kings need controlled pressure and cleaner line support rather than a wide-open chase game.
Transition Signal: Panarin and Kempe remain the main attacking levers, with Byfield essential in carrying pace.
Blue Line Signal: Doughty and Anderson still anchor the main defensive resistance against Colorado’s speed.
Goalie Stability Signal: Forsberg being confirmed gives Los Angeles a defined crease plan for Game 2.
X-Factor Signal: The Kings must slow Colorado’s middle-lane speed and make every zone entry more expensive.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Offensive Pressure: Avalanche edge
Transition Edge: Avalanche clear edge
Defensive Stability: Avalanche slight edge
Goaltending Edge: Even
Game Control Projection: Colorado still projects to control the more dangerous and repeatable offensive phases, while Los Angeles needs a compact, highly disciplined playoff road performance to keep Game 2 within its preferred structure.
Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies
What are NHL projected lineups?
Projected lineups are expected forward lines, defense pairs, and goalies based on team reports, skates, and coaching decisions before official warmup confirmation.
How accurate are projected lineups?
They are usually close to final, but late scratches, maintenance calls, and playoff adjustments can still change the setup.
Why do playoff lineups matter more than regular-season lineups?
Because playoff hockey is more matchup-driven, more physical, and more sensitive to goalie quality, center depth, and top-four defense structure.
Why are Game 2 lineups so important?
Because they often reveal whether a coach trusts the same formula, is reacting to Game 1, or is trying to reset matchup control before the series shifts location.
What does a healthy scratch mean in the playoffs?
It means a player is available but left out for tactical, matchup, or performance reasons.
Why do coaches keep the same lineup after a win?
Because continuity, chemistry, and successful matchup results often matter more than experimenting in a playoff series.
What should readers focus on first in a projected lineup?
Center depth, top-four defense quality, starting goalie strength, and whether the lineup supports the team’s normal playoff identity.
How important are injuries in a playoff series?
Very important, because one missing top center, defenseman, or scorer can change the entire tactical balance of a matchup.
Can line combinations reveal playoff strategy?
Yes. They often show whether a coach wants more speed, more forecheck, tighter defense, or more matchup control.
Why does IHM add tactical notes to projected lineups?
Because names alone do not explain how a lineup may function under playoff pace, pressure, and matchup conditions.
When are final playoff lineups usually confirmed?
Most often during warmups or shortly before puck drop.
What should readers watch for after publication?
Late goalie confirmations, true game-time decisions, and final lineup tweaks that can shift the tactical balance.