IceHockeyMan

NHL Projected Lineups – Game Day March 15, 2026

Date: 14 March 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Update: Additional matchups will be added as projected lineups are updated throughout the day.

Ottawa Senators vs Anaheim Ducks

Faceoff: 19:00 CET

Senators – Projected lineup

Forwards
Drake Batherson – Tim Stutzle – Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk – Dylan Cozens – Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
Warren Foegele – Lars Eller – Fabian Zetterlund

Defense
Thomas Chabot – Artem Zub
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
Dennis Gilbert – Nikolas Matinpalo

Goalies
James Reimer
Linus Ullmark

Scratched
Stephen Halliday
Kurtis MacDermid

Injured
Jake Sanderson (upper body)
Nick Jensen (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Ottawa still runs through Stutzle’s speed and top-six puck control. Without full defensive health, the Senators need Chabot and Zub to keep exits clean and prevent Anaheim from creating second-wave pressure.

Ducks – Projected lineup

Forwards
Chris Kreider – Leo Carlsson – Cutter Gauthier
Mikael Granlund – Mason McTavish – Beckett Sennecke
Alex Killorn – Ryan Poehling – Jeffrey Viel
Jansen Harkins – Tim Washe – Ian Moore

Defense
Jackson LaCombe – Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger – Ian Moore
Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson

Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso

Scratched
Frank Vatrano
Ross Johnston

Injured
Troy Terry (upper body)
John Carlson (lower body)

Suspended
Radko Gudas

IHM Lineup Note:
Anaheim loses a physical layer without Gudas, which changes their defensive posture and net-front bite. Their best offensive route remains Carlsson and McTavish driving transition with support from the wings.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Senators

Forecheck Signal
Senators

Blue Line Signal
Ottawa has the more stable defensive pairing structure.

Goalie Stability Signal
Senators

X-Factor Signal
If Dostal gives Anaheim early saves, the Ducks can keep the game much tighter than the paper matchup suggests.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Senators

Transition Edge
Even

Defensive Stability
Senators

Goaltending Edge
Senators

Game Control Projection
Ottawa should carry more territorial pressure, while Anaheim looks for rush chances and opportunistic finishing.

Washington Capitals vs Boston Bruins

Faceoff: 21:00 CET

Capitals – Projected lineup

Forwards
Alex Ovechkin – Justin Sourdif – Anthony Beauvillier
Hendrix Lapierre – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas – Dylan Strome – Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime – Connor McMichael – Ethen Frank

Defense
Rasmus Sandin – Matt Roy
Jakub Chychrun – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Martin Fehervary – Timothy Liljegren

Goalies
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren

Scratched
David Kampf
Ivan Miroshnichenko
Declan Chisholm
Dylan McIlrath

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
Washington still plays best when Ovechkin’s gravity opens lanes and Wilson creates interior disruption. Their structure is good enough to turn this into a heavier half-ice battle if they manage the middle correctly.

Bruins – Projected lineup

Forwards
David Pastrnak – Fraser Minten – Morgan Geekie
Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson
Tanner Jeannot – Elias Lindholm – Marat Khusnutdinov
Michael Eyssimont – 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
Henri Jokiharju
Jordan Harris

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
Boston remains dangerous through Pastrnak’s release and McAvoy’s blue-line control. They do not need a high-event game here, because their structure can gradually squeeze Washington’s space.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Bruins

Forecheck Signal
Capitals

Blue Line Signal
Bruins through McAvoy’s all-zone impact.

Goalie Stability Signal
Even

X-Factor Signal
If Wilson establishes the inside game early, Washington can tilt the physical tone in its favor.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Bruins

Transition Edge
Bruins

Defensive Stability
Bruins

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Boston has the cleaner route to controlling flow, while Washington needs to win the interior battles and finish its chances efficiently.

Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche

Faceoff: 22:00 CET

Jets – Projected lineup

Forwards
Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Alex Iafallo
Cole Perfetti – Adam Lowry – Gabriel Vilardi
Gustav Nyquist – Jonathan Toews – Isak Rosen
Cole Koepke – Morgan Barron – Brad Lambert

Defense
Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Elias Salomonsson
Haydn Fleury – Jacob Bryson

Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Scratched
Ville Heinola

Injured
Nino Niederreiter (knee)
Neal Pionk (undisclosed)
Colin Miller (knee)
Vladislav Namestnikov (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Winnipeg still leans on Scheifele, Connor and Hellebuyck to stabilize the overall picture. The issue is whether the Jets can survive Colorado’s pace without losing defensive shape in transition.

Avalanche – Projected lineup

Forwards
Nazem Kadri – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Joel Kiviranta – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Nicolas Roy
Gavin Brindley – Zakhar Bardakov

Defense
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski
Nick Blankenburg

Goalies
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood

Scratched
Ross Colton

Injured
Gabriel Landeskog (lower body)
Artturi Lehkonen (upper body)
Logan O’Connor (hip surgery)

IHM Lineup Note:
Colorado’s structure is built to attack through speed and wave pressure. With MacKinnon and Makar as the central engines, the Avalanche can overwhelm coverage if the Jets fail to exit cleanly.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Avalanche

Forecheck Signal
Avalanche

Blue Line Signal
Avalanche through Makar and Toews.

Goalie Stability Signal
Jets

X-Factor Signal
If Hellebuyck erases Colorado’s first push, Winnipeg can drag the game into a more structured battle.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Avalanche

Transition Edge
Avalanche

Defensive Stability
Avalanche

Goaltending Edge
Jets

Game Control Projection
Colorado should own more of the attacking rhythm, while Winnipeg depends on goaltending and selective transition strikes.

Minnesota Wild vs New York Rangers

Faceoff: 00:00 CET

Wild – Projected lineup

Forwards
Kirill Kaprizov – Ryan Hartman – Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson – Joel Eriksson Ek – Matt Boldy
Yakov Trenin – Danila Yurov – Vladimir Tarasenko
Nick Foligno – Michael McCarron – Robby Fabbri

Defense
Quinn Hughes – Brock Faber
Jonas Brodin – Jared Spurgeon
Jake Middleton – Zach Bogosian

Goalies
Filip Gustavsson
Jesper Wallstedt

Scratched
Daemon Hunt
Jeff Petry
Nico Sturm

Injured
Marcus Foligno (lower body)
Bobby Brink (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Minnesota has enough top-end skill and enough center balance to control long stretches if Eriksson Ek’s line handles the hard minutes. Their blue line can move the puck well enough to challenge New York’s pressure.

Rangers – Projected lineup

Forwards
J.T. Miller – Mika Zibanejad – Gabe Perreault
Will Cuylle – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
Tye Kartye – Noah Laba – Conor Sheary
Jonny Brodzinski – Juuso Parssinen – Jaroslav Chmelar

Defense
Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox
Matthew Robertson – Braden Schneider
Urho Vaakanainen – Will Borgen

Goalies
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick

Scratched
Vincent Iorio
Taylor Raddysh
Brett Berard
Adam Edstrom

Injured
Matt Rempe (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
If Miller returns, New York gets back an important layer of puck support and physical presence. The Rangers still need Fox to drive transitions cleanly because Minnesota can punish extended defensive-zone time.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Wild

Forecheck Signal
Wild

Blue Line Signal
Even, with Fox and Hughes both capable of shaping the game from the back end.

Goalie Stability Signal
Rangers

X-Factor Signal
If Shesterkin steals the early phase, New York can keep the game close enough for its star players to swing it later.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Wild

Transition Edge
Even

Defensive Stability
Wild

Goaltending Edge
Rangers

Game Control Projection
Minnesota should push more of the territorial pace, while New York depends on goalie support and timely counterplay.

New Jersey Devils vs Los Angeles Kings

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Devils – Projected lineup

Forwards
Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer
Jesper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown
Arseny Gritsyuk – Cody Glass – Lenni Hameenaho
Paul Cotter – Nick Bjugstad – Maxim Tsyplakov

Defense
Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
Luke Hughes – Johnathan Kovacevic
Brenden Dillon – Simon Nemec

Goalies
Jake Allen
Jacob Markstrom

Scratched
Colton White
Dennis Cholowski
Evgenii Dadonov

Injured
Stefan Noesen (knee)
Zack MacEwen (ACL)
Brett Pesce (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
New Jersey’s game is still centered on speed through Hughes and Hischier. If the Devils win the neutral-zone exchanges, they can force Los Angeles into a less comfortable tracking game.

Kings – Projected lineup

Forwards
Artemi Panarin – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Alex Laferriere
Alex Turcotte – Scott Laughton – Jared Wright
Jeff Malott – Samuel Helenius – Taylor Ward

Defense
Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci

Goalies
Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper

Scratched
Mathieu Joseph
Jacob Moverare

Injured
Joel Armia (back)
Andrei Kuzmenko (meniscus)
Kevin Fiala (fractured leg)

IHM Lineup Note:
Los Angeles is managing injuries but still has enough veteran structure to stay difficult to break down. The Kings need Kopitar and Doughty to slow the game and protect the middle.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Devils

Forecheck Signal
Kings

Blue Line Signal
Kings through Doughty’s experience, though New Jersey has more offensive blue-line pop.

Goalie Stability Signal
Even

X-Factor Signal
Allen’s first start in eight games could shape the opening flow if New Jersey starts slowly.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Devils

Transition Edge
Devils

Defensive Stability
Kings

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
New Jersey should have the speed edge, while Los Angeles aims to compress the game and survive through structure.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Carolina Hurricanes

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Lightning – Projected lineup

Forwards
Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Nikita Kucherov
Jake Guentzel – Brayden Point – Gage Goncalves
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
Corey Perry – Nick Paul – Oliver Bjorkstrand

Defense
J.J. Moser – Darren Raddysh
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Victor Hedman – Charle-Edouard D’Astous

Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson

Scratched
Scott Sabourin
Declan Carlile

Injured
Dominic James (lower body)
Max Crozier (core muscle)
Emil Lilleberg (facial fracture)

IHM Lineup Note:
Tampa regains important structure pieces with Paul and Cernak back. That gives them more balance behind the top skill and helps the Lightning manage Carolina’s pace more effectively.

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
Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin

Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi

Scratched
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Nicolas Deslauriers

Injured
Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body)
Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Carolina remains one of the best teams at building pressure through retrievals, pace and repeat attacks. Their challenge is handling Tampa’s finishing talent if the game opens up too much.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Hurricanes

Forecheck Signal
Hurricanes

Blue Line Signal
Lightning through Hedman’s control, though Carolina has the deeper pace profile.

Goalie Stability Signal
Lightning

X-Factor Signal
If Kucherov gets enough clean touches off the rush, Carolina’s territorial advantage can be neutralized quickly.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Hurricanes

Transition Edge
Hurricanes

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Lightning

Game Control Projection
Carolina should control volume and zone time, while Tampa carries the more dangerous finishing ceiling.

New York Islanders vs Calgary Flames

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Islanders – Projected lineup

Forwards
Emil Heineman – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal
Max Shabanov – Brayden Schenn – Calum Ritchie
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Ondrej Palat – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

Defense
Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Carson Soucy – Scott Mayfield

Goalies
David Rittich
Ilya Sorokin

Scratched
Anthony Duclair
Kyle MacLean
Adam Boqvist

Injured
Kyle Palmieri (ACL)
Alexander Romanov (upper body)
Semyon Varlamov (knee)

IHM Lineup Note:
With Rittich expected in goal, the Islanders need stronger team defense in front of him than they got the night before. Horvat and Barzal remain the main drivers if New York wants to own possession.

Flames – Projected lineup

Forwards
Blake Coleman – Mikael Backlund – Joel Farabee
Yegor Sharangovich – Ryan Strome – Victor Olofsson
Matvei Gridin – Morgan Frost – Matt Coronato
Connor Zary – John Beecher – Adam Klapka

Defense
Kevin Bahl – Olli Maatta
Yan Kuznetsov – Zach Whitecloud
Joel Hanley – Zayne Parekh

Goalies
Devin Cooley
Dustin Wolf

Scratched
Ryan Lomberg
Martin Pospisil
Brayden Pachal
Hunter Brzustewicz

Injured
Jake Bean (undisclosed)
Samuel Honzek (upper body)
Jonathan Huberdeau (hip surgery)

IHM Lineup Note:
Calgary wants structure, layered support and a manageable pace. Whitecloud’s return gives them a sturdier defensive look and should help on retrievals and net-front coverage.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Islanders

Forecheck Signal
Flames

Blue Line Signal
Islanders have the more established top-pair stability.

Goalie Stability Signal
Even

X-Factor Signal
Back-to-back fatigue on the Islanders side could affect support details and puck decisions.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Islanders

Transition Edge
Islanders

Defensive Stability
Flames

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
New York should have more direct offensive push, while Calgary tries to slow the game and win it through shape and discipline.

Montreal Canadiens vs San Jose Sharks

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Canadiens – Projected lineup

Forwards
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Zachary Bolduc – Jake Evans – Kirby Dach
Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson

Defense
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Kaiden Guhle – Lane Hutson
Jayden Struble – Alexandre Carrier

Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Samuel Montembeault

Scratched
Arber Xhekaj
Joe Veleno
Brendan Gallagher

Injured
Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Montreal has enough skill and movement to punish San Jose if the Canadiens establish pace early. Caufield’s return adds immediate finishing gravity back into the lineup.

Sharks – Projected lineup

Forwards
Igor Chernyshov – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith
Collin Graf – Alexander Wennberg – Kiefer Sherwood
William Eklund – Michael Misa – Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow – Zack Ostapchuk – Adam Gaudette

Defense
Dmitry Orlov – John Klingberg
Mario Ferraro – Shakir Mukhamadullin
Sam Dickinson – Vincent Desharnais

Goalies
Alex Nedeljkovic
Laurent Brossoit

Scratched
Pavol Regenda
Nick Leddy
Philipp Kurashev
Ryan Reaves

Injured
Ty Dellandrea (lower body)
Yaroslav Askarov (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
San Jose still has enough young offensive talent to create dangerous rush sequences, but the Sharks need much cleaner defensive support than they often get over sixty minutes.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Canadiens

Forecheck Signal
Canadiens

Blue Line Signal
Canadiens through the combined puck-moving influence of Matheson, Dobson and Hutson.

Goalie Stability Signal
Canadiens

X-Factor Signal
Celebrini and Smith can still change the game quickly if Montreal gets careless with puck management.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Canadiens

Transition Edge
Canadiens

Defensive Stability
Canadiens

Goaltending Edge
Canadiens

Game Control Projection
Montreal has the clearer path to controlling all three zones, while San Jose depends on spurts of skill and opportunistic finishing.

Buffalo Sabres vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Faceoff: 01:00 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
Rasmus Dahlin – Zach Metsa
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Logan Stanley – Luke Schenn

Goalies
Alex Lyon
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Scratched
Michael Kesselring
Josh Dunne

Injured
Mattias Samuelsson (undisclosed)
Tanner Pearson (lower body)
Colten Ellis (undisclosed)
Tyson Kozak (undisclosed)
Jordan Greenway (middle body)
Conor Timmins (broken leg)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
Justin Danforth (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Buffalo still carries a dangerous top-end attack through Thompson, Dahlin and Tuch. The question is whether the Sabres can keep enough defensive order around their injury list to avoid gifting Toronto free rushes.

Maple Leafs – Projected lineup

Forwards
Matias Maccelli – John Tavares – William Nylander
Matthew Knies – Max Domi – Easton Cowan
Dakota Joshua – Bo Groulx – Nicholas Robertson
Michael Pezzetta – Jacob Quillan – Calle Jarnkrok

Defense
Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit – Philippe Myers

Goalies
Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz

Scratched
Steven Lorentz
Troy Stecher

Injured
Chris Tanev (groin)
Auston Matthews (MCL tear)

IHM Lineup Note:
Toronto loses a massive center anchor without Matthews, which changes the entire offensive hierarchy. Nylander and Tavares must carry more of the creation load, while the Leafs try to stay structurally clean enough to survive Buffalo’s speed.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Sabres

Forecheck Signal
Sabres

Blue Line Signal
Sabres through Dahlin’s ability to tilt the ice.

Goalie Stability Signal
Even

X-Factor Signal
Matthews being out changes Toronto’s matchups and removes their best finishing center from the equation.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Sabres

Transition Edge
Sabres

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Buffalo should push the offensive tempo more naturally, while Toronto needs a cleaner team game to avoid getting stretched.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Faceoff: 01:30 CET

Flyers – Projected lineup

Forwards
Alex Bump – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Nikita Grebenkin – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Carl Grundstrom – Luke Glendening – Garnet Hathaway

Defense
Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York – Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae – Nick Seeler

Goalies
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson

Scratched
Noah Juulsen
Garrett Wilson

Injured
Tyson Foerster (arm)
Rodrigo Abols (lower body)
Christian Dvorak (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Philadelphia still has enough speed and edge to make games uncomfortable, but the Flyers need their layers tight in-zone. Michkov and Tippett can create dangerous moments if they get rush space.

Blue Jackets – Projected lineup

Forwards
Cole Sillinger – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Sean Monahan – Conor Garland
Mason Marchment – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundestrom – Boone Jenner – Danton Heinen

Defense
Zach Werenski – Dante Fabbro
Ivan Provorov – Denton Mateychuk
Damon Severson – Jake Christiansen

Goalies
Jet Greaves
Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched
Miles Wood
Dimitri Voronkov
Egor Zamula

Injured
Erik Gudbranson (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Columbus has enough skill and enough balance to challenge Philadelphia through transition. Werenski remains the main driver from the blue line, and Fantilli’s pace gives the Blue Jackets a real advantage if the game opens up.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Blue Jackets

Forecheck Signal
Flyers

Blue Line Signal
Blue Jackets through Werenski’s puck-driving value.

Goalie Stability Signal
Even

X-Factor Signal
If Couturier’s line can slow Fantilli’s unit, Philadelphia can keep the game in a more manageable shape.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Blue Jackets

Transition Edge
Blue Jackets

Defensive Stability
Flyers

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Columbus has the cleaner offensive profile, while Philadelphia wants a heavier, more disruptive contest.

Dallas Stars vs Detroit Red Wings

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Stars – Projected lineup

Forwards
Jason Robertson – Wyatt Johnston – Mavrik Bourque
Sam Steel – Matt Duchene – Jamie Benn
Michael Bunting – Justin Hryckowian – Nathan Bastian
Oskar Back – Arttu Hyry – Colin Blackwell

Defense
Esa Lindell – Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley – Nils Lundkvist
Tyler Myers – Lian Bichsel

Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith

Scratched
Kyle Capobianco
Adam Erne
Ilya Lyubushkin
Alexander Petrovic

Injured
Radek Faksa (lower body)
Roope Hintz (lower body)
Mikko Rantanen (lower body)
Tyler Seguin (ACL)

IHM Lineup Note:
Dallas remains one of the harder teams to break structurally because Heiskanen settles the entire game. Even with injuries, the Stars still have enough depth and enough system control to dictate pace.

Red Wings – Projected lineup

Forwards
Alex DeBrincat – J.T. Compher – Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie – Marco Kasper – Lucas Raymond
James van Riemsdyk – Sheldon Dries – Dominik Shine
John Leonard – Mason Appleton

Defense
Simon Edvinsson – Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot – Justin Faulk
Albert Johansson – Jacob Bernard-Docker
Travis Hamonic

Goalies
John Gibson
Cam Talbot

Scratched
Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Injured
David Perron (lower body)
Dylan Larkin (lower body)
Andrew Copp (lower body)
Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Detroit is clearly missing center depth and forward stability, which makes this a tough structural matchup. Kane and Raymond can still create offense, but the Red Wings need efficiency rather than volume.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Stars

Forecheck Signal
Stars

Blue Line Signal
Stars through Heiskanen’s all-around control.

Goalie Stability Signal
Stars

X-Factor Signal
If Gibson survives Dallas’ first wave, Detroit can keep itself hanging around longer than expected.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Stars

Transition Edge
Stars

Defensive Stability
Stars

Goaltending Edge
Stars

Game Control Projection
Dallas has the strongest structural path to controlling this matchup from start to finish.

Utah Mammoth vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Mammoth – Projected lineup

Forwards
Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse
JJ Peterka – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther
Jack McBain – Barrett Hayton – Michael Cardone
Alexander Kerfoot – Kevin Stenlund – Kailer Yamamoto

Defense
Mikhail Sergachev – MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt – John Marino
Ian Cole – Sean Durzi

Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek

Scratched
Liam O’Brien
Brandon Tanev
Nick DeSimone

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
Utah carries a fast, balanced attack and enough blue-line quality to keep the game under control. The Mammoth should feel comfortable pushing pace against a depleted Pittsburgh group.

Penguins – Projected lineup

Forwards
Egor Chinakhov – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha – Tommy Novak – Ville Koivunen
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

Defense
Parker Wotherspoon – Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea – Kris Letang
Ilya Solovyov – Connor Clifton

Goalies
Stuart Skinner
Arturs Silovs

Scratched
Alexander Alexeyev

Injured
Sidney Crosby (lower body)
Jack St. Ivany (hand surgery)
Caleb Jones (lower body)
Samuel Girard (upper body)
Justin Brazeau (upper body)
Kevin Hayes (upper body)
Filip Hallander (blood clot)

Suspended
Evgeni Malkin

IHM Lineup Note:
Pittsburgh is missing too much spine talent, which puts huge pressure on Karlsson and Letang to create and defend at the same time. That is a dangerous recipe against Utah’s speed and depth.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Mammoth

Forecheck Signal
Mammoth

Blue Line Signal
Mammoth for overall stability, though Karlsson remains the most explosive single puck mover.

Goalie Stability Signal
Mammoth

X-Factor Signal
Without Crosby and Malkin, Pittsburgh loses too much center control and late-game offensive composure.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Mammoth

Transition Edge
Mammoth

Defensive Stability
Mammoth

Goaltending Edge
Mammoth

Game Control Projection
Utah has the cleaner route to controlling pace, structure and attacking volume throughout the night.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Chicago Blackhawks

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Golden Knights – Projected lineup

Forwards
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev – Tomas Hertl – Mitch Marner
Brett Howden – Colton Sissons – Braeden Bowman
Cole Smith – Nic Dowd – Keegan Kolesar

Defense
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon – Kaedan Korczak

Goalies
Adin Hill
Akira Schmid

Scratched
Ben Hutton
Brandon Saad
Reilly Smith

Injured
Carter Hart (lower body)
William Karlsson (lower body)
Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas is extremely hard to contain when Eichel, Stone, Hertl and Marner are all moving the puck with support. Their lineup has more balance, more detail and more finishing depth than Chicago’s.

Blackhawks – Projected lineup

Forwards
Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky
Tyler Bertuzzi – Frank Nazar – Teuvo Teravainen
Andrew Mangiapane – Ryan Donato – Ilya Mikheyev
Nick Lardis – Sam Lafferty – Landon Slaggert

Defense
Alex Vlasic – Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser – Sam Rinzel
Matt Grzelcyk – Artyom Levshunov

Goalies
Spencer Knight
Arvid Soderblom

Scratched
Ethan Del Mastro

Injured
Oliver Moore (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Chicago still has enough skill to create moments through Bedard and Nazar, but the Blackhawks need cleaner support and far stronger puck management than they usually get against elite opponents.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Golden Knights

Forecheck Signal
Golden Knights

Blue Line Signal
Golden Knights through the combined mobility of Theodore, Hanifin and Andersson.

Goalie Stability Signal
Golden Knights

X-Factor Signal
If Bedard turns this into a rush-driven skill game, Chicago can at least create enough offense to stay annoying.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Golden Knights

Transition Edge
Golden Knights

Defensive Stability
Golden Knights

Goaltending Edge
Golden Knights

Game Control Projection
Vegas should own most of the important game flow unless Chicago gets elite goaltending and unusually efficient finishing.

Vancouver Canucks vs Seattle Kraken

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Canucks – Projected lineup

Forwards
Evander Kane – Elias Pettersson – Drew O’Connor
Liam Ohgren – Marco Rossi – Brock Boeser
Max Sasson – Teddy Blueger – Linus Karlsson
Curtis Douglas – Aatu Raty – Jake DeBrusk

Defense
Elias Pettersson – Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson – Tom Willander
Zeev Buium – Victor Mancini

Goalies
Nikita Tolopilo
Kevin Lankinen

Scratched
Nils Hoglander

Injured
P.O Joseph (upper body)
Filip Chytil (facial fracture)
Thatcher Demko (hip surgery)
Derek Forbort (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vancouver has enough offensive skill to hurt Seattle if Pettersson and Boeser get room through transition. The question is whether the Canucks can protect Tolopilo well enough against repeat pressure.

Kraken – Projected lineup

Forwards
Bobby McMann – Matty Beniers – Jordan Eberle
Jared McCann – Chandler Stephenson – Eeli Tolvanen
Berkly Catton – Shane Wright – Kappo Kaako
Ben Meyers – Frederick Gaudreau – Jacob Melanson

Defense
Vince Dunn – Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak – Brandon Montour
Ryker Evans – Ryan Lindgren

Goalies
Philipp Grubauer
Joey Daccord

Scratched
Josh Mahura
Cale Fleury
Matt Murray
Ryan Winterton

Injured
Jaden Schwartz (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
McMann immediately adds size and straight-line pressure to Seattle’s top line. The Kraken should like this matchup if Dunn and Montour are moving the puck quickly and Vancouver’s support gets stretched.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Kraken

Forecheck Signal
Kraken

Blue Line Signal
Kraken through Dunn and Montour’s transition value.

Goalie Stability Signal
Kraken

X-Factor Signal
Tolopilo making a second straight start adds pressure to Vancouver’s defensive detail from the first shift.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Kraken

Transition Edge
Kraken

Defensive Stability
Kraken

Goaltending Edge
Kraken

Game Control Projection
Seattle has the more stable overall path to dictating play, while Vancouver needs its skill players to finish efficiently off fewer looks.

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 last-minute scratches.

Q2: Why is lineup order important when reading hockey analysis?

Line order tells you more than just talent hierarchy. It shows who is expected to handle top matchups, who may get offensive-zone starts, and which players are trusted in defensive situations or special teams rotation.

Q3: What is the first thing serious readers should look at 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 more clearly than any other section.

Q4: Why can one scratched defenseman change an entire game plan?

Because a single blue-line change affects puck retrievals, breakout speed, gap control, penalty killing and offensive blue-line stability. The effect often spreads far beyond the player being replaced.

Q5: How should readers interpret a maintenance day in a status report?

A maintenance day usually suggests workload management rather than a full injury absence, but it still matters. It can signal reduced minutes, uncertain usage or a real chance of a late caution call before faceoff.

Q6: What does IHM Tactical Signals add that raw line combinations do not?

IHM Tactical Signals translates personnel into game logic. It tells you who may control pace, who brings the stronger forecheck, where the blue-line edge sits, which goalie gives the best stability and what hidden factor could swing the matchup.

Q7: What does IHM Match Pressure Index do?

It condenses the matchup into five direct reads: offensive pressure, transition edge, defensive stability, goaltending edge and game control projection. It gives a fast tactical summary for readers who want the most important game-flow clues immediately.

Q8: Why does center depth matter so much in projected lineups?

Centers drive faceoffs, low-zone support, matchup defense and transition structure. When a team loses top centers, its entire shape often becomes less stable in all three zones.

Q9: Why do some teams dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen?

That setup is usually used to protect an injured roster, give a coach more blue-line options or shelter certain matchups. It can help tactically, but it also puts more pressure on bench management and shift timing.

Q10: What lineup clue usually points to a lower-event game?

Heavier bottom-six usage, more conservative third-pair deployment and a strong shutdown center profile usually indicate a game expected to be tighter, slower and more territorial rather than rush-heavy.

Q11: Why is home ice important in lineup analysis?

Because the home coach gets last change and can better target matchups. That allows stronger control over which line sees the opponent’s best players and which defense pair gets exposed or protected.

Q12: Can projected lineups still change after this post is published?

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.