NHL Projected Lineups – Game Day April 28, 2026
Date: April 27, 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom
Final update: All projected lineups for today have been added.
Matchup: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Pittsburgh Penguins – Projected lineup
Forwards
Egor Chinakhov – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Tommy Novak – Rickard Rakell – Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
Defense
Parker Wotherspoon – Erik Karlsson
Samuel Girard – Kris Letang
Ryan Shea – Connor Clifton
Goalies
Arturs Silovs – Confirmed
Stuart Skinner
Power Play 1
Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell – Evgeni Malkin
Bryan Rust – Erik Karlsson
Power Play 2
Ben Kindel – Egor Chinakhov – Anthony Mantha
Thomas Novak – Kris Letang
Injured: P. Kettles (OUT), Filip Hallander (IR), Caleb Jones (IR)
IHM Lineup Note:
Pittsburgh keeps Silovs confirmed in goal, which gives the Penguins a clear crease plan before puck drop. The veteran power-play structure remains the key tactical weapon: Crosby, Malkin, Rakell, Rust, Karlsson and Letang still give Pittsburgh elite puck control, deception and playoff experience when the game slows into special-teams situations.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Pittsburgh must create more connected pressure instead of relying only on veteran puck skill.
Transition Signal: Karlsson and Letang remain the main breakout engines and must move the puck before Philadelphia’s speed closes lanes.
Blue Line Signal: The Penguins have offensive quality on the back end, but defensive spacing must stay compact against Flyers rush pressure.
Goalie Stability Signal: Silovs confirmed creates continuity and gives Pittsburgh a defined response structure.
X-Factor Signal: Crosby and Malkin must turn offensive-zone control into real slot pressure, not just perimeter possession.
Philadelphia Flyers – Projected lineup
Forwards
Tyson Foerster – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
Denver Barkey – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
Defense
Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Alex Bump
Goalies
Dan Vladar – Expected
Samuel Ersson
Power Play 1
Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny – Owen Tippett
Alex Bump – Rasmus Ristolainen
Power Play 2
Trevor Zegras – Tyson Foerster – Porter Martone
Noah Cates – Jamie Drysdale
Injured: Emil Andrae (DTD), Nikita Grebenkin (OUT), Ty Murchison (OUT), Rodrigo Abols (IR)
IHM Lineup Note:
Philadelphia continues to carry a strong speed-and-pressure identity, with Vladar expected in goal and a power-play look that spreads shooting and playmaking across two units. The Andrae day-to-day note matters because the Flyers lose some blue-line flexibility if he cannot play, but their forward structure remains dangerous through Konecny, Tippett, Zegras, Foerster, Martone and Michkov.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Philadelphia should keep attacking Pittsburgh’s defense with speed, pressure and quick weak-side support.
Transition Signal: Zegras, Tippett and Michkov remain the main open-ice acceleration threats.
Blue Line Signal: Drysdale and Ristolainen must manage puck movement carefully, especially if Andrae is unavailable.
Goalie Stability Signal: Vladar expected gives the Flyers a stable but still pressure-tested crease plan.
X-Factor Signal: Philadelphia can keep tilting the series if its speed forces Pittsburgh’s veteran core into defensive recovery shifts.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Offensive Pressure: Even
Transition Edge: Flyers slight edge
Defensive Stability: Penguins slight edge
Goaltending Edge: Even
Game Control Projection: Philadelphia projects to create more pace and pressure through speed, while Pittsburgh’s best route is slowing the game into veteran puck control, power-play execution and Silovs-driven stability.
Matchup: Utah Mammoth vs Vegas Golden Knights
Faceoff: 03:30 CET
Utah Mammoth – Projected lineup
Forwards
Clayton Keller – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther
Kailer Yamamoto – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse
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 – Expected
Vitek Vanecek
Power Play 1
Logan Cooley – Clayton Keller – Dylan Guenther
Mikhail Sergachev – Nick Schmaltz
Power Play 2
Alexander Kerfoot – JJ Peterka – Lawson Crouse
Michael Carcone – MacKenzie Weegar
Injured: Barrett Hayton (OUT)
IHM Lineup Note:
Utah still has enough pace and skill to challenge Vegas, especially through Cooley, Keller, Guenther, Sergachev and Weegar. The Mammoth need a cleaner special-teams game and more direct pressure from their top unit because Vegas will not give them many easy second chances in a structured playoff environment.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Utah must pressure earlier and force Vegas defensemen into quicker puck decisions.
Transition Signal: Cooley and Keller remain the main speed triggers and must attack before Vegas sets its layers.
Blue Line Signal: Sergachev and Weegar give Utah enough puck-moving quality to support controlled entries and power-play rotation.
Goalie Stability Signal: Vejmelka expected gives Utah a workable crease base, but the workload must stay manageable.
X-Factor Signal: Utah needs to turn this into a pace-driven game instead of letting Vegas dominate wall battles and half-ice structure.
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 – Confirmed
Adin Hill
Power Play 1
Jack Eichel – Pavel Dorofeyev – Mark Stone
Ivan Barbashev – Shea Theodore
Power Play 2
Tomas Hertl – Brett Howden – Mitch Marner
Rasmus Andersson – Noah Hanifin
Injured: William Karlsson (IR-LT), Alex Pietrangelo (IR-LT)
IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas has Carter Hart confirmed and still owns the more mature playoff control profile. Even without Karlsson and Pietrangelo, the Golden Knights have elite game-management pieces across both power-play units, with Eichel, Stone, Marner, Hertl, Theodore, Hanifin and Andersson giving them multiple ways to sustain pressure.
IHM Tactical Signals:
Forecheck Signal: Vegas can pressure Utah with weight, wall control and disciplined second-man support.
Transition Signal: Eichel and Marner remain elite controlled-entry options who can slow the game and create cleaner looks.
Blue Line Signal: Theodore, Andersson and Hanifin give Vegas strong puck movement despite Pietrangelo being unavailable.
Goalie Stability Signal: Hart confirmed gives Vegas a clear crease edge in preparation and game-state control.
X-Factor Signal: Vegas can win this matchup by forcing Utah into repeated defensive-zone shifts and limiting rush chances.
IHM Match Pressure Index:
Offensive Pressure: Golden Knights edge
Transition Edge: Golden Knights slight edge
Defensive Stability: Golden Knights edge
Goaltending Edge: Golden Knights slight edge
Game Control Projection: Vegas projects to control the more repeatable playoff details through structure, power-play depth and confirmed goaltending, while Utah needs speed, cleaner exits and a strong Vejmelka performance to destabilize the game.
Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies
What are NHL projected lineups?
Projected lineups are expected player combinations, goalie plans and special-teams units based on the latest team information before puck drop.
Are these NHL projected lineups final?
They are highly useful but not guaranteed. Coaches can still make changes after warmups, injury updates or game-time decisions.
Why are projected goalies important?
Goalies directly influence game control, confidence, defensive structure and matchup risk.
What is the difference between expected and confirmed goalies?
Expected means the goalie is likely to start. Confirmed means the team or a reliable lineup source has confirmed the starter.
Why are power play units included?
Power play units reveal offensive hierarchy, puck-touch priority and which players are trusted in high-leverage situations.
Why do injuries matter so much in playoff lineups?
A missing top defenseman, center or goalie can change the entire tactical balance of a playoff game.
How should readers analyze projected lineups?
Focus on center depth, top-four defense quality, goalie status, injuries and whether the team’s normal identity is still intact.
Can special teams decide playoff games?
Yes. In tight playoff games, one power-play goal or one failed penalty kill can decide the outcome.
Why does IHM add tactical signals?
Because player names alone do not explain how the lineup may function under real game pressure.
What is the IHM Match Pressure Index?
It is a quick tactical summary of offensive pressure, transition edge, defensive stability, goaltending edge and projected game control.
When are final NHL lineups usually confirmed?
Most final confirmations come during warmups or shortly before puck drop.
What should readers watch after publication?
Late goalie changes, injury updates, scratches and any power-play adjustments that shift the tactical balance.