IceHockeyMan

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day April 8, 2026

Date: April 7, 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

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

Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins

Faceoff: 01:00 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 - Nicolas Deslauriers

Defense
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller - Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin

Goalies
Brandon Bussi
Frederik Andersen

Scratched
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Eric Robinson
Mike Reilly

Injured
Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Carolina still looks like the more complete pressure team here, with Aho, Jarvis, Svechnikov and Gostisbehere driving the puck north and the Slavin pair stabilizing the defensive shape. Deslauriers staying in adds a slightly heavier bottom-six look.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Hurricanes.
Forecheck Signal: Hurricanes through repeat pressure and reload discipline.
Blue Line Signal: Hurricanes slight edge on mobility and support.
Goalie Stability Signal: Bruins slight edge if Swayman stays sharp, but Carolina structure helps Bussi.
X-Factor Signal: Aho line tempo against Boston’s top checking layers is the key opening battle.

Bruins - Projected lineup

Forwards
Marat Khusnutdinov - Fraser Minten - David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
Lukas Reichel - Elias Lindholm - Morgan Geekie
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
Michael Eyssimont
Henri Jokiharju

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
Boston comes in healthier and more settled than it was earlier, and the McAvoy-Pastrnak core still gives the Bruins enough top-end control to keep this close if they survive Carolina’s pace pressure.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Bruins prefer a more controlled game than Carolina.
Forecheck Signal: Bruins can pressure physically but less continuously.
Blue Line Signal: Even, with McAvoy balancing Carolina’s mobile back end.
Goalie Stability Signal: Bruins.
X-Factor Signal: Pastrnak’s ability to finish off limited space is the biggest single offensive threat on either side outside Aho’s line rhythm.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Hurricanes

Transition Edge
Hurricanes

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Bruins

Game Control Projection
Boston has enough structure and goaltending to hang in, but Carolina still owns the cleaner all-zone pressure model and should control more of the territorial flow if their forecheck gets established early.

Detroit Red Wings vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Red Wings - Projected lineup

Forwards
Emmitt Finnie - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane
David Perron - J.T. Compher - Marco Kasper
James van Riemsdyk - Michael Rasmussen - Carter Mazur

Defense
Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot - Axel Sandin-Pellikka
Albert Johansson - Jacob Bernard-Docker

Goalies
John Gibson
Cam Talbot

Scratched
Travis Hamonic
Dominik Shine

Injured
Justin Faulk (lower body)
Mason Appleton (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Detroit still has enough scoring touch through Larkin, Kane, DeBrincat and Raymond to push the pace, but the blue line remains thinner if Faulk cannot go. Seider is the main stabilizer against Columbus’ skill depth.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Red Wings can play with tempo, especially through Larkin and Raymond.
Forecheck Signal: Active but less layered than Columbus when lines are intact.
Blue Line Signal: Blue Jackets slight edge if Faulk is absent.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Rasmussen returning to the lineup improves the lower-half center structure and physical detail.

Blue Jackets - Projected lineup

Forwards
Cole Sillinger - Adam Fantilli - Kent Johnson
Kirill Marchenko - Charlie Coyle - Conor Garland
Mason Marchment - Boone Jenner - Danton Heinen
Luca Del Bel Belluz - Sean Monahan - Isac Lundestrom

Defense
Zach Werenski - Dante Fabbro
Ivan Provorov - Denton Mateychuk
Jake Christiansen - Erik Gudbranson

Goalies
Jet Greaves
Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched
Egor Zamula
Zach Aston-Reese
Miles Wood

Injured
Damon Severson (shoulder surgery)
Dmitri Voronkov (hand)
Mathieu Olivier (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Columbus reshaped the lineup significantly, and the skill ceiling is still real because Fantilli, Werenski, Marchenko, Monahan and Garland give them multiple attack routes. The question is whether the exact combinations hold or shift again at game time.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Blue Jackets.
Forecheck Signal: More dangerous than Detroit’s if the top nine clicks.
Blue Line Signal: Blue Jackets through Werenski and Mateychuk’s mobility.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Fantilli’s speed through the neutral zone is the cleanest transition weapon in the matchup.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Blue Jackets slight edge

Transition Edge
Blue Jackets

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Detroit has enough veteran offense to make this close, but Columbus carries the more dynamic transition profile if the reworked lines settle quickly and Werenski controls the puck from the back end.

Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers

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
Jayden Struble - Lane Hutson
Kaiden Guhle - Arber Xhekaj

Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler

Scratched
Brendan Gallagher
Samuel Montembeault
Adam Engstrom

Injured
Joe Veleno (undisclosed)
Alexander Carrier (upper body)
Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Montreal gets a big boost if Dach and Texier both return, because that gives the Canadiens much better center-wing support deeper in the lineup. The top six already had enough skill; now the lower half looks more functional too.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Canadiens can play fast enough to stress Florida’s thinner structure.
Forecheck Signal: Active, skill-driven and more effective with a deeper lineup.
Blue Line Signal: Canadiens slight edge on puck-moving depth tonight.
Goalie Stability Signal: Panthers slight edge if Bobrovsky starts, otherwise even.
X-Factor Signal: Demidov and Dach add a different level of playmaking and size variation to Montreal’s attack map.

Panthers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Mackie Samoskevich
Jesper Boqvist - Eetu Luostarinen - A.J. Greer
Cole Schwindt - Tomas Nosek - Noah Gregor
Cole Reinhardt - Luke Kunin - Vinnie Hinostroza

Defense
Gustav Forsling - Seth Jones
Donovan Sebrango - Mike Benning
Tobias Bjornfot - Mikulas Hovorka

Goalies
Daniil Tarasov
Sergei Bobrovsky

Scratched
Nolan Foote
Matthew Tkachuk

Injured
Aaron Ekblad (hand)
Dmitry Kulikov (broken nose)
Evan Rodrigues (finger)
Sam Reinhart (foot)
Niko Mikkola (knee)
Anton Lundell (ribs)
Uvis Balinskis (fractured foot)
Brad Marchand (lower body)
Aleksander Barkov (knee)
Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Florida is now surviving on structure, goaltending and a limited offensive core rather than full lineup depth. With Tkachuk away and the injury list still massive, the Panthers need Bennett, Verhaeghe, Forsling and Jones to carry a heavy burden.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Panthers want a controlled, lower-event game.
Forecheck Signal: Florida still has enough hard-area pressure to make the game uncomfortable.
Blue Line Signal: Canadiens edge on overall depth tonight.
Goalie Stability Signal: Panthers slight edge if Bobrovsky plays.
X-Factor Signal: Bennett remains the one forward who can still tilt the game physically and offensively for Florida.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Canadiens

Transition Edge
Canadiens

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Panthers slight edge

Game Control Projection
Florida can still drag this into a heavier structure game, but Montreal now looks deeper, faster and more flexible offensively, which gives the Canadiens the better route to controlling the matchup.

New Jersey Devils vs Philadelphia Flyers

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Devils - Projected lineup

Forwards
Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer
Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Connor Brown
Lenni Hameenaho - Cody Glass - Nick Bjugstad
Paul Cotter - Marc McLaughlin - Brian Halonen

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

Goalies
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen

Scratched
Dennis Cholowski
Evgenii Dadonov
Maksim Tsyplakov

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

IHM Lineup Note:
New Jersey stays with the same winning lineup and still carries the better pure top-six firepower. Hughes, Bratt, Meier and Hamilton remain the key to stretching the Flyers and forcing the pace into a Devils-style game.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Devils.
Forecheck Signal: Devils through quick pressure and speed support.
Blue Line Signal: Devils slight edge in offensive influence.
Goalie Stability Signal: Slight edge Devils with Markstrom likely in a stronger position than Philadelphia’s tandem.
X-Factor Signal: Jack Hughes is still the cleanest pace-breaker on the ice.

Flyers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Tyson Foerster - Trevor Zegras - Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny - Christian Dvorak - Porter Martone
Alex Bump - Noah Cates - Matvei Michkov
Denver Barkey - Luke Glendening - Sean Couturier

Defense
Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - Noah Juulsen

Goalies
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson

Scratched
Garrett Wilson
Carl Grundstrom
Emil Andrae
Garnet Hathaway

Injured
Rodrigo Abols (lower body)
Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Philadelphia still has enough pace and creativity through Zegras, Konecny, Tippett, Michkov and Martone to threaten New Jersey’s depth defense, but the Flyers need to keep the game fast and not get trapped in a structured half-ice battle.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Flyers want pace too, but they are less stable inside it than New Jersey.
Forecheck Signal: Active and disruptive, especially from the top nine.
Blue Line Signal: Even to slight Devils edge.
Goalie Stability Signal: Devils.
X-Factor Signal: Michkov and Martone together give Philadelphia live game-breaking skill if the game gets loose.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Devils slight edge

Transition Edge
Even

Defensive Stability
Devils

Goaltending Edge
Devils

Game Control Projection
Philadelphia can make this volatile through speed and skill, but New Jersey still owns the more complete top-end attack and the steadier path if the game settles into structure after the opening rush phase.

Ottawa Senators vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Faceoff: 01:00 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
Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub
Nikolas Matinpalo - Jordan Spence
Lassi Thomson - Cameron Crotty

Goalies
Linus Ullmark
James Reimer

Scratched
Stephen Halliday
Kurtis MacDermid

Injured
Nick Jensen (lower body)
Dennis Gilbert (upper body)
Thomas Chabot (upper body)
Carter Yakemchuk (upper body)
Tyler Kleven (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Ottawa gets an important structural lift with Sanderson back on the first pair. Ullmark, Sanderson, Stutzle and Tkachuk give the Senators a much more believable all-zone profile than they had a few days ago.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Senators can match Tampa’s pace better with this setup.
Forecheck Signal: Senators through Tkachuk, Greig and the middle-six grind.
Blue Line Signal: Slightly reduced by the remaining injuries, but Sanderson changes the equation.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Sanderson’s return is the single biggest tactical shift in the matchup.

Lightning - Projected lineup

Forwards
Gage Goncalves - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Jake Guentzel - Nick Paul - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Zemgus Girgensons - Yanni Gourde - Conor Geekie
Jakob Pelletier - Scott Sabourin - Corey Perry

Defense
J.J. Moser - Darren Raddysh
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg - Charle-Edouard D’Astous

Goalies
Jonas Johansson
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Scratched
Steve Santini
Victor Hedman
Dylan Duke

Injured
Declan Carlile (lower body)
Max Crozier (core muscle)
Dominic James (lower body)
Brandon Hagel (lower body)
Pontus Holmberg (upper body)
Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Tampa is significantly more wounded than usual and Johansson starting instead of Vasilevskiy lowers the safety margin. Even so, Point, Kucherov, Guentzel, McDonagh and Cernak still give the Lightning enough structure and elite finishing potential.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Lightning still prefer speed and offensive skill flow.
Forecheck Signal: More dangerous from the top six than the bottom half tonight.
Blue Line Signal: Senators slight edge if Sanderson is fully effective and Hedman remains out.
Goalie Stability Signal: Senators slight edge with Ullmark over Johansson.
X-Factor Signal: Kucherov remains the one player most capable of overriding matchup logic by himself.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Lightning slight edge

Transition Edge
Lightning

Defensive Stability
Senators slight edge

Goaltending Edge
Senators

Game Control Projection
Tampa still has the higher-end offensive talent, but Ottawa now looks better positioned to turn this into a more balanced matchup thanks to Sanderson’s return and Ullmark’s stability behind the defense.

St. Louis Blues vs Colorado Avalanche

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Blues - Projected lineup

Forwards
Dylan Holloway - Robert Thomas - Jimmy Snuggerud
Jonathan Drouin - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jordan Kyrou
Jake Neighbours - Pius Suter - Jonatan Berggren
Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Pavel Buchnevich

Defense
Philip Broberg - Logan Mailloux
Theo Lindstein - Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler - Tyler Tucker

Goalies
Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

Scratched
Justin Holl
Nathan Walker
Matthew Kessel
Oskar Sundqvist
Otto Stenberg

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis brings back the same lineup after beating Colorado and now gets a second look at the same opponent. Thomas, Kyrou and Buchnevich remain the key drivers if the Blues want to repeat that result.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Blues still want this more controlled than Colorado does.
Forecheck Signal: Blues through layered wall pressure and support routes.
Blue Line Signal: Even.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Thomas controlling the middle is still the best way for St. Louis to shorten Colorado’s speed advantage.

Avalanche - Projected lineup

Forwards
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Nicolas Roy - Nazem Kadri - Logan O’Connor
Ross Colton - Jack Drury - Parker Kelly

Defense
Devon Toews - Sam Malinski
Brett Kulak - Josh Manson
Nick Blankenburg - Brent Burns

Goalies
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood

Scratched
Joel Kiviranta
Zakhar Bardakov

Injured
Cale Makar (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Colorado gets Roy and Nichushkin back, which restores more forward depth and improves their matchup flexibility. Even without Makar, the Avalanche still have the highest raw pace ceiling in this game through MacKinnon, Necas and their forward speed.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Avalanche.
Forecheck Signal: Avalanche through speed and re-attack pressure.
Blue Line Signal: Blues slight structural edge without Makar, but Colorado still has enough mobility.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Nichushkin returning gives Colorado more second-line finishing and net-front detail.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Avalanche

Transition Edge
Avalanche

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
St. Louis has already shown they can handle this matchup, but Colorado now looks deeper up front and still owns the best route to controlling the pace if MacKinnon and the restored forward group get the game moving.

Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Stars - Projected lineup

Forwards
Jason Robertson - Wyatt Johnston - Mikko Rantanen
Jamie Benn - Matt Duchene - Colin Blackwell
Oskar Back - Justin Hryckowian - Mavrik Bourque
Arttu Hyry - Adam Erne

Defense
Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley - Nils Lundkvist
Lian Bichsel - Ilya Lyubushkin
Tyler Myers

Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith

Scratched
Cameron Hughes
Alexander Petrovic
Kyle Capobianco

Injured
Nathan Bastian (hand)
Michael Bunting (lower body)
Radek Faksa (lower body)
Roope Hintz (lower body)
Tyler Seguin (ACL)
Sam Steel (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Dallas still looks deeper, more balanced and more dangerous than Calgary overall, especially with Robertson, Johnston, Rantanen and Heiskanen driving the top half of the lineup. Myers returning as the extra defenseman gives them added flexibility again.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Stars can play with pace or structure depending on the matchup flow.
Forecheck Signal: Strong layered pressure from the top nine.
Blue Line Signal: Stars.
Goalie Stability Signal: Stars.
X-Factor Signal: Johnston and Rantanen together keep stretching defensive assignments in ways Calgary will struggle to absorb.

Flames - Projected lineup

Forwards
Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato
Joel Farabee - Morgan Frost - Matvei Gridin
Aydar Suniev - Ryan Strome - Martin Pospisil
Yegor Sharangovich - Connor Zary - Adam Klapka

Defense
Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud
Yan Kuznetsov - Zayne Parekh
Olli Maatta - Hunter Brzustewicz

Goalies
Devin Cooley
Dustin Wolf

Scratched
Ryan Lomberg
John Beecher
Tyson Gross
Brayden Pachal
Victor Olofsson

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

IHM Lineup Note:
Calgary gets a new look with Suniev debuting, which adds intrigue but not necessarily stability. The Flames still need Backlund, Coleman, Coronato and Wolf or Cooley to keep the matchup in a manageable range.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Flames would rather keep this more controlled than Dallas allows.
Forecheck Signal: Competitive but lighter than Dallas overall.
Blue Line Signal: Stars clear edge.
Goalie Stability Signal: Stars slight edge.
X-Factor Signal: Suniev’s debut is a wild card, but Dallas still has the stronger known offensive structure by a wide margin.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Stars

Transition Edge
Stars

Defensive Stability
Stars

Goaltending Edge
Stars slight edge

Game Control Projection
Calgary can compete through work rate and goaltending, but Dallas owns the stronger attack map, deeper blue line and much cleaner overall route to controlling the game.

Minnesota Wild vs Seattle Kraken

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Wild - Projected lineup

Forwards
Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Matt Boldy
Vladimir Tarasenko - Danila Yurov - Bobby Brink
Yakov Trenin - Michael McCarron - Marcus Foligno

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

Goalies
Jesper Wallstedt
Filip Gustavsson

Scratched
Nick Foligno
Daemon Hunt
Robby Fabbri
Nico Sturm
Jeff Petry

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
Minnesota still brings one of the cleaner top-six and top-four combinations in the conference. Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, Boldy, Hughes and Faber give the Wild a strong mix of skill, support and control.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Wild can play fast, but with much cleaner structure than Seattle.
Forecheck Signal: Wild through layered pressure and retrieval support.
Blue Line Signal: Wild.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Brink returning helps the lower-half scoring support and gives Minnesota a deeper offensive look.

Kraken - Projected lineup

Forwards
Bobby McMann - Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz - Chandler Stephenson - Eeli Tolvanen
Jared McCann - Berkly Catton - Kaapo Kakko
Ryan Winterton - Oscar Fisker Molgaard - Frederick Gaudreau

Defense
Vince Dunn - Cale Fleury
Ryker Evans - Adam Larsson
Ryan Lindgren - Brandon Montour

Goalies
Joey Daccord
Matt Murray

Scratched
Josh Mahura
Jamie Oleksiak
Ben Meyers

Injured
Shane Wright (upper body)
Philipp Grubauer (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Seattle’s forward group still has enough speed and skill to create problems, but the loss of Grubauer and the blue-line shuffle put more pressure on Daccord and the top four to absorb sustained Wild pressure.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Kraken can play with tempo, but not as cleanly as Minnesota.
Forecheck Signal: Active but less repeatable than the Wild’s.
Blue Line Signal: Wild clear edge.
Goalie Stability Signal: Wild slight edge.
X-Factor Signal: McCann and Beniers need to tilt the game early before Minnesota’s structure settles in.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Wild

Transition Edge
Wild

Defensive Stability
Wild

Goaltending Edge
Wild slight edge

Game Control Projection
Seattle has enough pace to threaten in waves, but Minnesota still carries the stronger top-end structure and should control more of the game if their top six establishes possession early.

Utah Mammoth vs Edmonton Oilers

Faceoff: 03:30 CET

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
Nick DeSimone
Kevin Rooney
Dmitri Simashev

Injured
Barrett Hayton (upper body)
Jack McBain (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Utah still looks structurally balanced despite a few missing forwards, with Keller, Cooley, Peterka, Sergachev and Weegar driving the most important minutes. This is a team that can punish Edmonton if the game turns into a loose transition exchange.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Mammoth can match Edmonton’s pace better than most teams.
Forecheck Signal: Strong enough to disrupt Edmonton’s depth lines.
Blue Line Signal: Mammoth slight edge in overall balance tonight.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Cooley’s speed and Keller’s puck skill can stress Edmonton’s defensive layers if McDavid does not control play.

Oilers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Vasily Podkolzin - Connor McDavid - Matt Savoie
Jack Roslovic - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Kasperi Kapanen
Colton Dach - Jason Dickinson - Trent Frederic
Max Jones - Adam Henrique - Curtis Lazar

Defense
Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse - Connor Murphy
Jake Walman - Ty Emberson

Goalies
Tristan Jarry
Connor Ingram

Scratched
Spencer Stastney
Josh Samanski

Injured
Leon Draisaitl (lower body)
Zach Hyman (undisclosed)
Mattias Janmark (shoulder)

IHM Lineup Note:
Edmonton gets Dach back, which helps the center depth and lower-six shape, but the Oilers still look thinner than normal without Draisaitl and Hyman. McDavid remains the one player most capable of tilting the whole game by himself.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Oilers want a fast game through McDavid entries.
Forecheck Signal: More dangerous off speed than sustained pressure.
Blue Line Signal: Even.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: McDavid versus Utah’s balanced top four is the defining tactical battle.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Even

Transition Edge
Oilers slight edge with McDavid factor

Defensive Stability
Mammoth

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Edmonton still has the most explosive player in the matchup, but Utah looks more balanced and structurally cleaner overall, which makes this a dangerous spot for the Oilers if they fail to control the pace.

Anaheim Ducks vs Nashville Predators

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Ducks - Projected lineup

Forwards
Mikael Granlund - Leo Carlsson - Beckett Sennecke
Chris Kreider - Ryan Poehling - Troy Terry
Alex Killorn - Mason McTavish - Jeffrey Viel
Frank Vatrano - Tim Washe - Ian Moore

Defense
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson
Tyson Hinds - Drew Helleson

Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso

Scratched
Olen Zellweger

Injured
Jansen Harkins (hand surgery)
Ross Johnston (lower body)
Radko Gudas (lower body)
Cutter Gauthier (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Anaheim gets Mintyukov and Vatrano back, which improves both the transition profile and the scoring pressure. The Ducks still have enough skill to make this game open if Nashville allows too much neutral-zone speed.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Ducks can play faster than Nashville prefers.
Forecheck Signal: More active with Vatrano back in.
Blue Line Signal: More balanced now that Mintyukov returns.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Carlsson and Terry need to turn Anaheim’s speed into clean offensive-zone possession.

Predators - Projected lineup

Forwards
Zachary L’Heureux - Ryan O’Reilly - Steven Stamkos
Filip Forsberg - Matthew Wood - Jonathan Marchessault
Tyson Jost - Erik Haula - Luke Evangelista
Reid Schaefer - Fedor Svechkov - Joakim Kemell

Defense
Brady Skjei - Roman Josi
Adam Wilsby - Nick Perbix
Ryan Ufko - Justin Barron

Goalies
Justus Annunen
Juuse Saros

Scratched
Jordan Oesterle
Ozzy Wiesblatt

Injured
Nicolas Hague (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Nashville still has more veteran scoring intelligence through O’Reilly, Forsberg, Stamkos, Marchessault and Josi. The Predators should feel comfortable if the game gets more tactical and less speed-driven.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Predators prefer medium pace.
Forecheck Signal: Controlled and efficient.
Blue Line Signal: Predators slight edge through Josi’s influence.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Josi’s puck control remains the cleanest counter to Anaheim’s young speed game.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Even

Transition Edge
Ducks slight edge

Defensive Stability
Predators

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Anaheim can make this game faster and more uncomfortable, but Nashville still owns the more veteran tactical profile and should be better positioned if the pace becomes more measured.

Vancouver Canucks vs Vegas Golden Knights

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Canucks - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Nikita Tolopilo
Jiri Patera

Scratched
Ty Mueller
P.O. Joseph

Injured
Kevin Lankinen (upper body)
Evander Kane (undisclosed)
Filip Chytil (facial fracture)
Thatcher Demko (hip surgery)
Derek Forbort (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vancouver is still fighting through instability in goal and a moving lineup card, but Pettersson, Rossi, Boeser and Hronek are enough to generate offense if they can keep the game from turning into a long defensive shift pattern.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Canucks need pace to stay dangerous.
Forecheck Signal: More opportunistic than sustained.
Blue Line Signal: Golden Knights edge.
Goalie Stability Signal: Golden Knights clear edge.
X-Factor Signal: Lankinen being out changes the whole comfort level of the matchup for Vancouver.

Golden Knights - Projected lineup

Forwards
Brett Howden - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev
Ivan Barbashev - Mitch Marner - Mark Stone
Brandon Saad - Tomas Hertl - Colton Sissons
Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar

Defense
Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon - Ben Hutton

Goalies
Carter Hart
Adin Hill

Scratched
Akira Schmid
Kaedan Korczak
Reilly Smith

Injured
Alexander Holtz (upper body)
William Karlsson (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas still looks deeper, calmer and more complete than Vancouver, especially with Hart now getting the crease and Marner-Stone-Eichel-Hertl all in the top offensive structure. Saad drawing back in deepens the middle of the lineup.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Golden Knights can play with pace but do not need chaos to win.
Forecheck Signal: Strong layered pressure.
Blue Line Signal: Golden Knights.
Goalie Stability Signal: Golden Knights.
X-Factor Signal: Marner and Stone give Vegas a level of possession detail Vancouver may struggle to match over sixty minutes.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Golden Knights

Transition Edge
Golden Knights slight edge

Defensive Stability
Golden Knights

Goaltending Edge
Golden Knights

Game Control Projection
Vancouver still has enough skill to create stretches of offense, but Vegas owns the much deeper and more stable full-lineup profile, especially with the Canucks dealing with uncertainty in goal.

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 or late scratches.

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

Line order shows more than talent hierarchy. It reveals who is expected to drive offense, which players are trusted in matchup minutes and where coaches are concentrating scoring pressure.

Q3: What should readers check first in a lineup post?

Start with the top center, likely starting goalie and any major changes in the top six or top four. Those areas usually show the tactical identity of the matchup fastest.

Q4: Why can one missing defenseman change an entire game?

A single blue-line absence can affect zone exits, retrieval speed, gap control, penalty killing and offensive support. The effect often spreads through the entire structure.

Q5: How should readers interpret lineup uncertainty in goal?

Goalie uncertainty changes the whole risk profile of a game. Even when the skater groups stay the same, a weaker or less settled goalie situation can alter pace, confidence and deployment.

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

IHM Tactical Signals translate names into game logic by identifying likely pace control, forecheck identity, blue-line leverage, goalie stability and key swing points.

Q7: What does IHM Match Pressure Index do?

It condenses the matchup into a direct read on offensive burden, transition edge, defensive stability, goaltending and likely control direction.

Q8: Why does center depth matter so much?

Centers drive faceoffs, low-zone support, transition routes and matchup defense. When center depth drops, the whole team shape becomes less stable.

Q9: Why are returning players important even if they are not stars?

Because lineup balance matters. A returning depth forward or defenseman can restore normal usage, improve line chemistry and reduce overloading elsewhere in the lineup.

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

Reliable goaltending, veteran centers, steady top-pair defense and conservative team structure usually indicate a tighter, more territorial matchup.

Q11: Why does home ice still matter?

The home coach gets last change, which helps create favorable matchups, protect weaker combinations and control deployment in key situations.

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 changes and late updates.

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day April 6, 2026

Date: April 5, 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

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

New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Rangers - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
Matthew Robertson - Will Borgen
Drew Fortescue - Braden Schneider

Goalies
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick

Scratched
Vincent Iorio
Adam Edstrom
Taylor Raddysh
Dylan Garand

Injured
Matt Rempe (upper body)
Urho Vaakanainen (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
The Rangers still lean on a familiar structural spine through Shesterkin, Fox, Zibanejad, Trocheck and Miller. They are most effective when the game stays organized and their top skill players can attack off cleaner support rather than chase a broken pace.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Rangers prefer a controlled game with selective bursts.
Forecheck Signal: Balanced pressure, more positional than chaotic.
Blue Line Signal: Rangers slight edge through Fox and Gavrikov’s overall control.
Goalie Stability Signal: Rangers.
X-Factor Signal: Shesterkin gives New York the biggest pure stability piece in the matchup.

Capitals - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Martin Fehervary - Rasmus Sandin
Jakub Chychrun - Trevor van Riemsdyk
Cole Hutson - Matt Roy

Goalies
Charlie Lindgren
Logan Thompson

Scratched
Ivan Miroshnichenko
David Kampf
Declan Chisholm
Dylan McIlrath
Timothy Liljegren

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
Washington keeps a strong veteran identity with Ovechkin, Wilson, Dubois, Strome and Chychrun still driving the key minutes. The Capitals remain dangerous when they keep the puck moving north and make the game direct and physical.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Capitals can play medium pace with strong direct pressure.
Forecheck Signal: Capitals through heavier physical pressure and straight-line support.
Blue Line Signal: Capitals are solid, but New York has the cleaner overall top-pair profile.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even, with Lindgren starting and Shesterkin on the other side.
X-Factor Signal: Ovechkin’s finishing gravity still changes how the Rangers must defend the weak side.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Capitals slight edge

Transition Edge
Rangers

Defensive Stability
Rangers

Goaltending Edge
Rangers

Game Control Projection
Washington has enough veteran offense and direct pressure to make this uncomfortable, but New York still owns the cleaner structural path if Shesterkin and Fox settle the game into a more disciplined rhythm.

Montreal Canadiens vs New Jersey Devils

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

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 - Arber Xhekaj

Goalies
Jacob Fowler
Jakub Dobes

Scratched
Samuel Montembeault
Adam Engstrom

Injured
Kirby Dach (upper body)
Alexandre Texier (lower body)
Alexander Carrier (upper body)
Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Montreal still carries a dangerous mix of speed, creativity and puck-moving support through Suzuki, Caufield, Demidov, Hutson and Dobson. Fowler likely starting adds intrigue, but the skater structure in front of him is strong enough to keep the Canadiens competitive.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Canadiens can play with tempo if the top six gets touches early.
Forecheck Signal: Active and skill-driven rather than heavy.
Blue Line Signal: Canadiens have real offensive movement through Hutson, Matheson and Dobson.
Goalie Stability Signal: Slight edge Devils if experience matters, but this is close.
X-Factor Signal: Demidov continues to give Montreal a live offensive swing factor every night.

Devils - Projected lineup

Forwards
Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer
Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Connor Brown
Lenni Hameenaho - Cody Glass - Nick Bjugstad
Paul Cotter - Marc McLaughlin - Brian Halonen

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

Goalies
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen

Scratched
Dennis Cholowski
Evgenii Dadonov
Maksim Tsyplakov

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

IHM Lineup Note:
New Jersey still has the stronger pure top-six offensive engine, with Hughes, Bratt, Meier, Hischier and Hamilton giving the Devils multiple routes to tilt play. The concern remains whether the lower-half structure holds consistently enough on a back-to-back road spot.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Devils.
Forecheck Signal: Devils through quicker pressure and transition entries.
Blue Line Signal: Devils slight edge on overall upside, especially offensively.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Jack Hughes remains the fastest single driver of game flow in this matchup.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Devils slight edge

Transition Edge
Devils

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Montreal has enough skill and puck-moving support to make this dangerous again, but New Jersey still carries the better pure offensive ceiling and the cleaner route to controlling the game if Hughes and Hamilton dictate the tempo.

Colorado Avalanche vs St. Louis Blues

Faceoff: 03:30 CET

Avalanche - Projected lineup

Forwards
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton - Nazem Kadri - Logan O’Connor
Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Joel Kiviranta

Defense
Devon Toews - Sam Malinski
Brett Kulak - Josh Manson
Nick Blankenburg - Brent Burns

Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Scratched
Zakhar Bardakov

Injured
Cale Makar (upper body)
Nicolas Roy (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Colorado still has massive top-end speed and skill through MacKinnon, Necas, Lehkonen, Landeskog and Nichushkin, even without Makar. The overall transition ceiling is slightly lower than full strength, but the Avalanche remain explosive enough to overwhelm teams quickly.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Avalanche.
Forecheck Signal: Colorado through speed, repeat entries and pressure off retrievals.
Blue Line Signal: Even to slight Blues edge structurally without Makar, but Colorado still carries enough mobility.
Goalie Stability Signal: Avalanche slight edge.
X-Factor Signal: MacKinnon remains the dominant pace driver and hardest player in the matchup to contain through the middle.

Blues - Projected lineup

Forwards
Dylan Holloway - Robert Thomas - Jimmy Snuggerud
Jonathan Drouin - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jordan Kyrou
Jake Neighbours - Pius Suter - Jonatan Berggren
Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Pavel Buchnevich

Defense
Philip Broberg - Logan Mailloux
Theo Lindstein - Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler - Tyler Tucker

Goalies
Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

Scratched
Justin Holl
Nathan Walker
Matthew Kessel
Oskar Sundqvist
Otto Stenberg

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis gets useful reinforcements back with Toropchenko and Buchnevich returning, which deepens the lineup and improves puck support. The Blues still need Robert Thomas and Kyrou to keep the game from becoming a pure Colorado speed contest.

IHM Tactical Signals:
Pace Signal: Blues want to keep it more controlled than Colorado does.
Forecheck Signal: Blues can pressure effectively if they force heavier sequences along the walls.
Blue Line Signal: Blues have decent structure but less overall dynamic threat than Colorado’s forward-driven pace.
Goalie Stability Signal: Even.
X-Factor Signal: Thomas is the one Blue who can most directly slow Colorado down by owning the puck through the middle.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Avalanche

Transition Edge
Avalanche

Defensive Stability
Even

Goaltending Edge
Avalanche slight edge

Game Control Projection
St. Louis is deeper than it looked a few days ago, but Colorado still owns the cleaner top-end route to tempo, transition and sustained offensive pressure, especially if MacKinnon gets the game moving 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 or late scratches.

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

Line order shows more than talent hierarchy. It reveals who is expected to drive offense, which players are trusted in matchup minutes and where coaches are concentrating scoring pressure.

Q3: What should readers check first in a lineup post?

Start with the top center, confirmed goalie and the first special-teams look. Those areas usually show the team’s tactical identity fastest.

Q4: Why can one missing defenseman change an entire game?

A single blue-line absence can affect zone exits, retrieval speed, gap control, penalty killing and offensive support. The effect often spreads through the entire structure.

Q5: How should readers interpret a back-to-back situation in lineup analysis?

Back-to-backs can affect goalie usage, bench energy, pace tolerance and deployment choices, especially in the bottom six and on the third pair.

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

IHM Tactical Signals translate names into game logic by identifying likely pace control, forecheck identity, blue-line leverage, goalie stability and key swing points.

Q7: What does IHM Match Pressure Index do?

It condenses the matchup into a direct read on offensive burden, transition edge, defensive stability, goaltending and likely control direction.

Q8: Why does center depth matter so much?

Centers drive faceoffs, low-zone support, transition routes and matchup defense. When center depth drops, the whole team shape becomes less stable.

Q9: Why are special-teams and first units so important in lineup analysis?

Because high-leverage players on the first unit often reveal who the coaching staff trusts most to decide close games. That usually shapes game flow as much as even-strength lines.

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

Reliable goaltending, veteran centers, steady top-pair defense and conservative team structure usually indicate a tighter, more territorial matchup.

Q11: Why does home ice still matter?

The home coach gets last change, which helps create favorable matchups, protect weaker combinations and control deployment in key situations.

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 changes and late updates.