IceHockeyMan

Date: 04 March 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Projected lines, defense pairs, scratches and injury notes for today’s slate, formatted for fast scanning. All faceoff times are listed in CET.

Boston Bruins vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Boston Bruins – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Marat Khusnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
• Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson
• Michael Eyssimont – Fraser Minten – Morgan Geekie
• Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic

Defense

• Jonathan Aspirot – Charlie McAvoy
• Nikita Zadorov – Andrew Peeke
• Hampus Lindholm – Mason Lohrei

Goalies

• Jeremy Swayman
• Joonas Korpisalo

Scratched

• Alex Steeves
• Jordan Harris
• Henri Jokiharju

Injured

• None

IHM Lineup Note: Boston’s middle-six construction leans toward puck support and layered entries, which can help them survive Pittsburgh’s transition pushes. Watch how McAvoy manages gap control at the offensive blue line, because failed holds can turn into quick-strike rushes against.

Pittsburgh Penguins – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Rickard Rakell – Ben Kindel – Bryan Rust
• Evgeni Malkin – Tommy Novak – Egor Chinakhov
• Anthony Mantha – Kevin Hayes – Justin Brazeau
• Connor Dewar – Avery Hayes – Noel Acciari

Defense

• Parker Wotherspoon – Erik Karlsson
• Samuel Girard – Kris Letang
• Ryan Shea – Connor Clifton

Goalies

• Stuart Skinner
• Arturs Silovs

Scratched

• Ilya Solovyov
• Ryan Graves

Injured

• Sidney Crosby (lower body)
• Jack St. Ivany (hand surgery)
• Caleb Jones (lower body)
• Blake Lizotte (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Without Crosby, Pittsburgh’s center depth shifts the puck-carry burden toward Karlsson’s activation and the Malkin unit’s controlled-entry work. If Boston forces dump-ins with a tight neutral-zone look, Pittsburgh must win retrievals cleanly or their O-zone time collapses fast.

Game Day Update: Pittsburgh expects Hayes back in, and Boston rotates Peeke into the defense group.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs Nashville Predators

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Columbus Blue Jackets – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
• Boone Jenner – Sean Monahan – Danton Heinen
• Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
• Dmitri Voronkov – Isac Lundestrom – Miles Wood

Defense

• Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
• Ivan Provorov – Denton Mateychuk
• Dante Fabbro – Erik Gudbranson

Goalies

• Jet Greaves
• Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched

• Jake Christiansen
• Egor Zamula
• Kent Johnson

Injured

• Brendan Smith (knee surgery)

IHM Lineup Note: Columbus is built to attack downhill through the middle lane, but their efficiency depends on clean D-zone exits and quick support underneath the puck. If Werenski is limited or out, their first-pass quality drops and they can get stuck in extended shifts.

Nashville Predators – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Steven Stamkos – Ryan O’Reilly – Jonathan Marchessault
• Filip Forsberg – Erik Haula – Luke Evangelista
• Michael Bunting – Michael McCarron – Cole Smith
• Zachary L’Heureux – Tyson Jost – Matthew Wood

Defense

• Brady Skjei – Roman Josi
• Nicolas Hague – Nick Perbix
• Justin Barron – Nick Blankenburg

Goalies

• Justus Annunen
• Juuse Saros

Scratched

• Ozzy Wiesblatt

Injured

• Adam Wilsby (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Nashville’s top-six can create inside-lane looks when Forsberg and Stamkos pull coverage wide, opening the slot for late-layered support. If Columbus plays a passive box, the Predators will try to win through point-shot traffic and rebounds rather than pure seam passes.

Game Day Update: Columbus has at least one game-time health decision in the group. Nashville leans toward Annunen for the start.

Washington Capitals vs Utah Mammoth

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Washington Capitals – Projected lineup

Forwards

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

Defense

• Martin Fehervary – Rasmus Sandin
• Jakob Chychrun – Matt Roy
• Dylan McIlrath – Trevor van Riemsdyk

Goalies

• Logan Thompson
• Charlie Lindgren

Scratched

• Hendrix Lapierre
• Declan Chisholm

Injured

• John Carlson (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Washington’s scoring threat still flows through Ovechkin’s weak-side pocket and the power-forward pressure from Wilson. Without Carlson, their blue-line distribution can get simpler, so expect more direct entries and a heavier reliance on forecheck recoveries.

Utah Mammoth – Projected lineup

Forwards

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

Defense

• Mikhail Sergachev – Sean Durzi
• Nate Schmidt – John Marino
• Ian Cole – Olli Maatta

Goalies

• Karel Vejmelka
• Vitek Vanecek

Scratched

• Liam O’Brien
• Brandon Tanev
• Nick DeSimone

Injured

• None

IHM Lineup Note: Utah can push pace through Cooley’s line and Durzi’s puck-moving, but they must protect the middle on counterattacks when their defense activates. If they keep turnovers outside the dots, their speed game becomes a real problem in transition.

Game Day Update: Ovechkin is expected in after morning skate involvement. Carlson remains out, skating noncontact.

Buffalo Sabres vs Vegas Golden Knights

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Buffalo Sabres – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
• Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
• Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Josh Doan
• Zach Benson – Tyson Kozak – Beck Malenstyn

Defense

• Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
• Bowen Byram – Owen Power
• Zach Metsa – Michael Kesselring

Goalies

• Alex Lyon
• Colten Ellis

Scratched

• Josh Dunne
• Jacob Bryson
• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Injured

• Jordan Greenway (middle body)
• Conor Timmins (broken leg)
• Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
• Justin Danforth (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Buffalo’s offense is most dangerous when Dahlin and Power keep the puck moving east-west at the top, forcing rotations and opening the slot. If Vegas pressures the points hard, Buffalo must win the low-to-high battle or their shot volume dries up.

Vegas Golden Knights – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Raphael Lavoie
• Pavel Dorofeyev – Mitch Marner – Reilly Smith
• Braeden Bowman – Tomas Hertl – Keegan Kolesar
• Brandon Saad – Colton Sissons – Cole Reinhardt

Defense

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

Goalies

• Akira Schmid
• Adin Hill

Scratched

• Alexander Holtz
• Ben Hutton

Injured

• Mark Stone (upper body)
• Carter Hart (lower body)
• Brett Howden (lower body)
• William Karlsson (lower body)
• Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: With Stone out, Vegas loses a key net-front and wall-escape option, so their attack leans more on Eichel’s transport and Marner’s playmaking. If Buffalo can deny middle-lane entries, Vegas will try to win through cycle reps and second-chance touches around the crease.

Game Day Update: Stone remains unavailable after leaving early in the previous game. Buffalo continues to manage Kulich’s longer-term situation.

New Jersey Devils vs Florida Panthers

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

New Jersey Devils – Projected lineup

Forwards

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

Defense

• Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce
• Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
• Brenden Dillon – Simon Nemec

Goalies

• Jacob Markstrom
• Jake Allen

Scratched

• Evgenii Dadonov
• Luke Glendening
• Colton White
• Johnathan Kovacevic

Injured

• Stefan Noesen (knee)
• Zack MacEwen (ACL)

IHM Lineup Note: With Hughes in, New Jersey’s transition threat spikes because their puck retrievals can turn into quick counterattacks. The key is defensive spacing after pinches, because Florida will punish soft gaps with direct plays into the inside lane.

Florida Panthers – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart
• Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Brad Marchand
• Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
• Sandis Vilmanis – Tomas Nosek – A.J. Greer

Defense

• Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
• Niko Mikkola – Uvis Balinskis
• Tobias Bjornfot – Dmitry Kulikov

Goalies

• Sergei Bobrovsky
• Daniil Tarasov

Scratched

• Jeff Petry
• Donovan Sebrango
• Jesper Boqvist

Injured

• Seth Jones (collarbone)
• Aleksander Barkov (knee)
• Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)
• Cole Schwindt (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Florida’s strength is their layered forecheck and ability to turn board battles into slot chaos. Nosek’s return gives them another defensive-detail center option, which matters if New Jersey tries to win with speed and stretch.

Game Day Update: Nosek is set for his season debut. New Jersey expects Jack Hughes to play after missing a practice day.

Winnipeg Jets vs Chicago Blackhawks

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Winnipeg Jets – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Gabriel Vilardi
• Cole Perfetti – Adam Lowry – Alex Iafallo
• Gustav Nyquist – Jonathan Toews – Walker Duehr
• Cole Koepke – Morgan Barron – Tanner Pearson

Defense

• Logan Stanley – Dylan DeMelo
• Dylan Samberg – Elias Salomonsson
• Haydn Fleury – Luke Schenn

Goalies

• Connor Hellebuyck
• Eric Comrie

Scratched

• Ville Heinola
• Kale Clague
• Domenic DiVincentiis

Injured

• Josh Morrissey (upper body)
• Nino Niederreiter (knee)
• Neal Pionk (undisclosed)
• Colin Miller (knee)
• Vladislav Namestnikov (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Winnipeg’s structure works best when their top line forces the opposing defense to turn and chase, then Lowry’s group wins the grind shift to keep the puck in the right end. With Morrissey out, their blue line must keep exits simple and avoid soft middle turnovers.

Chicago Blackhawks – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky
• Ryan Donato – Frank Nazar – Teuvo Teravainen
• Tyler Bertuzzi – Jason Dickinson – Ilya Mikheyev
• Nick Foligno – Oliver Moore – Landon Slaggert

Defense

• Alex Vlasic – Louis Crevier
• Matt Grzelcyk – Artyom Levshunov
• Kevin Korchinski – Sam Rinzel

Goalies

• Spencer Knight
• Arvid Soderblom

Scratched

• Sam Lafferty
• Colton Dach
• Ethan Del Mastro

Injured

• Wyatt Kaiser (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Bedard’s line can create instant offense off small gaps and quick slips into the middle, but Chicago has to survive without long D-zone shifts. If their young defense struggles on retrievals, Winnipeg’s forecheck will stack pressure and win the territory battle.

Game Day Update: Chicago continues reshaping the blue line group, while Winnipeg expects to run the same lineup as its previous outing.

Edmonton Oilers vs Ottawa Senators

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Edmonton Oilers – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman
• Vasily Podkolzin – Leon Draisaitl – Kasperi Kapanen
• Trent Frederic – Jack Roslovic – Matthew Savoie
• Curtis Lazar – Adam Henrique – Josh Samanski

Defense

• Jake Walman – Evan Bouchard
• Mattias Ekholm – Spencer Stastney
• Darnell Nurse – Ty Emberson

Goalies

• Connor Ingram
• Tristan Jarry

Scratched

• Isaac Howard
• Connor Murphy

Injured

• Mattias Janmark (shoulder)

IHM Lineup Note: Edmonton’s threat is still built on pace through the neutral zone and McDavid’s ability to force early D-zone collapse. If Ottawa protects the middle and forces wide entries, Edmonton will need more second-wave shots from Bouchard and support layers off the cycle.

Ottawa Senators – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Drake Batherson – Tim Stutzle – Claude Giroux
• Brady Tkachuk – Dylan Cozens – Ridly Greig
• Nick Cousins – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
• Stephen Halliday – Lars Eller – Fabian Zetterlund

Defense

• Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
• Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
• Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence

Goalies

• Linus Ullmark
• James Reimer

Scratched

• Kurtis MacDermid

Injured

• Nikolas Matinpalo (undisclosed)
• David Perron (sports hernia)

IHM Lineup Note: Ottawa’s best chance is to turn this into a forecheck and net-front chaos game, especially through Tkachuk’s unit. If they lose pucks at the offensive blue line, Edmonton will counter fast, so puck management on entries and line changes is critical.

Game Day Update: Edmonton’s new additions are in the group, but Murphy is not expected to play yet. Ottawa’s staff is keeping lineup flexibility open pregame.

Calgary Flames vs Dallas Stars

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Calgary Flames – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Yegor Sharangovich – Mikael Backlund – Matt Coronato
• Connor Zary – Nazem Kadri – Joel Farabee
• Blake Coleman – Morgan Frost – Matvei Gridin
• Ryan Lomberg – John Beecher – Adam Klapka

Defense

• Kevin Bahl – Mackenzie Weegar
• Yan Kuznetsov – Zach Whitecloud
• Joel Hanley – Zayne Parekh

Goalies

• Dustin Wolf
• Devin Cooley

Scratched

• Brayden Pachal
• Martin Pospisil

Injured

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

IHM Lineup Note: Calgary’s success here depends on whether Kadri’s line can win the inside lane and keep Dallas from cleanly exiting. If Calgary’s young blue line gets stretched, Dallas will attack with layered speed through the middle and force long defending sequences.

Dallas Stars – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Jason Robertson – Wyatt Johnston – Mavrik Bourque
• Sam Steel – Matt Duchene – Jamie Benn
• Adam Erne – Justin Hryckowian – Colin Blackwell
• Oskar Back – Arttu Hyry – Nathan Bastian

Defense

• Esa Lindell – Miro Heiskanen
• Thomas Harley – Nils Lundkvist
• Ilya Lyubushkin – Lian Bichsel

Goalies

• Casey DeSmith
• Jake Oettinger

Scratched

• Kyle Capobianco
• Alexander Petrovic

Injured

• Roope Hintz (illness)
• Radek Faksa (upper body)
• Mikko Rantanen (lower body)
• Tyler Seguin (ACL)

IHM Lineup Note: Dallas is extremely difficult to play against when Heiskanen and Harley connect exits into controlled entries, because their second wave arrives on time. If Hintz returns soon, their top-six becomes even more explosive, but even without him they can tilt games through depth and pace.

Game Day Update: Dallas is tracking a possible Hintz return. Calgary puts Parekh back into the mix after sitting previously.

Minnesota Wild vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Faceoff: 03:30 CET

Minnesota Wild – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Kirill Kaprizov – Ryan Hartman – Mats Zuccarello
• Marcus Johansson – Joel Eriksson Ek – Matt Boldy
• Yakov Trenin – Danila Yurov – Vladimir Tarasenko
• Vinnie Hinostroza – Nico Sturm – Robby Fabbri

Defense

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

Goalies

• Filip Gustavsson
• Jesper Wallstedt

Scratched

• Ben Jones
• Matt Kiersted
• Daemon Hunt

Injured

• Marcus Foligno (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Minnesota’s attack is strongest when Eriksson Ek’s line creates sustained O-zone time, then Kaprizov’s unit punishes tired defenders with quick lateral movement. Brodin’s return stabilizes their back end, improving retrieval quality and reducing scramble sequences.

Tampa Bay Lightning – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Jake Guentzel – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
• Conor Geekie – Anthony Cirelli – Brandon Hagel
• Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
• Oliver Bjorkstrand – Curtis Douglas

Defense

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

Goalies

• Andrei Vasilevskiy
• Jonas Johansson

Scratched

• Scott Sabourin
• Emil Lilleberg

Injured

• Gage Goncalves (undisclosed)
• Dominic James (lower body)
• Nick Paul (lower body)
• Max Crozier (core muscle)

IHM Lineup Note: Tampa’s top unit can still bend coverage with Kucherov’s half-space creation, but if they dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen, bench management becomes a real factor late. If Minnesota forces long shifts, Tampa’s depth matchups can get exposed.

Game Day Update: Tampa stays in a 11F-7D setup. Minnesota expects Brodin back and Fabbri into the lineup.

Anaheim Ducks vs Colorado Avalanche

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Anaheim Ducks – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Chris Kreider – Leo Carlsson – Cutter Gauthier
• Jeffrey Viel – Mason McTavish – Beckett Sennecke
• Alex Killorn – Ryan Poehling – Jansen Harkins
• Ross Johnston – Tim Washe – Ian Moore

Defense

• Jackson LaCombe – Jacob Trouba
• Olen Zellweger – Radko Gudas
• Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson

Goalies

• Lukas Dostal
• Ville Husso

Scratched

• None

Injured

• Mikael Granlund (upper body)
• Troy Terry (upper body)
• Ryan Strome (illness)
• Frank Vatrano (shoulder)

IHM Lineup Note: Anaheim’s challenge is surviving Colorado’s pace through the neutral zone. If the Ducks cannot deny middle-lane entries, they will spend long stretches defending off broken structure, where rebound control and low-slot coverage become everything.

Colorado Avalanche – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
• Victor Olofsson – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
• Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Jason Polin
• Zakhar Bardakov – Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley

Defense

• Devon Toews – Cale Makar
• Josh Manson – Brent Burns
• Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski

Goalies

• Scott Wedgewood
• Mackenzie Blackwood

Scratched

• None

Injured

• Artturi Lehkonen (upper body)
• Logan O’Connor (hip surgery)
• Joel Kiviranta (concussion)

IHM Lineup Note: Colorado’s identity is still speed and layered pressure, but losing Lehkonen reduces some of their puck-recovery and forecheck detail. If the Ducks can slow entries and force chips, Colorado will try to win with second-wave activation from Makar and rapid puck rotation.

Game Day Update: Colorado is managing a new forward absence with Lehkonen. Anaheim expects continuity in the lineup despite multiple injuries.

San Jose Sharks vs Montreal Canadiens

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

San Jose Sharks – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Will Smith – Macklin Celebrini – Collin Graf
• William Eklund – Michael Misa – Tyler Toffoli
• Philipp Kurashev – Alexander Wennberg – Kiefer Sherwood
• Barclay Goodrow – Zack Ostapchuk – Adam Gaudette

Defense

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

Goalies

• Yaroslav Askarov
• Alex Nedeljkovic

Scratched

• Pavol Regenda
• Timothy Liljegren
• Ryan Reaves

Injured

• Ty Dellandrea (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: San Jose’s young top group can create quick offense, but their biggest vulnerability is D-zone time when exits fail under pressure. If Montreal stacks the forecheck and forces rim plays, San Jose must win the first puck battle to keep the game from tilting.

Montreal Canadiens – Projected lineup

Forwards

• Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Kirby Dach
• Juraj Slafkovsky – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
• Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Zachary Bolduc
• Josh Anderson – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Defense

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

Goalies

• Jakub Dobes
• Samuel Montembeault

Scratched

• Arber Xhekaj
• Joe Veleno
• Alexandre Texier

Injured

• Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Montreal can win this type of matchup by controlling the puck through the middle and forcing San Jose’s defense to defend laterally. If Hutson and Dobson drive clean transitions, Montreal’s second wave should generate high slot looks and backdoor threats.

Game Day Update: San Jose is evaluating a fourth-line rotation with Gaudette potentially drawing in. Montreal sticks with its standard top-six look and relies on Danault’s line for matchup work.

Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies

Q1: What are projected lineups, and why do they change so often?

Projected lineups are the best current estimate of forward lines, defense pairs and goalie usage based on practices, travel, staff decisions and game-day availability. They change because coaches adjust matchups, manage workloads, react to injuries and respond to performance trends from the previous game.

Q2: When are starting goalies usually confirmed?

Most starters are clarified after the morning skate or pregame media availability. Final confirmation frequently comes closer to puck drop, especially on back-to-backs, during travel segments, or when a goalie is managing minor health issues.

Q3: What is the most common reason a player becomes a late scratch?

The most common reasons are illness, a minor injury that tightens up pregame, and roster management decisions driven by matchup preferences. A player can be listed as available earlier in the day and still be held out if symptoms flare up.

Q4: How do coaches decide which line gets the toughest matchup?

Coaches typically choose a line that can defend the middle, win wall battles, and exit cleanly. That line might not be the most talented offensively, but it must handle defensive-zone starts, maintain structure, and avoid giving up rush chances after turnovers.

Q5: What does it mean when a defense pair is labeled as a shutdown pair?

A shutdown pair is used against top offensive lines, especially in defensive-zone starts. Their priorities are strong gap control, net-front positioning, clean retrievals, and low-risk puck management to avoid feeding the opponent transition opportunities.

Q6: How should I interpret defense pairings in relation to puck movement?

Pairs with a strong puck mover can improve controlled exits and entry support, increasing offensive-zone time. Pairs built more for defending and physical play may lean toward safer chips and clears, which can reduce possession but stabilize the slot.

Q7: What is the difference between “scratched” and “injured”?

A scratched player is healthy enough to play but is not dressed due to coaching choice, matchup planning, or roster constraints. Injured players are unavailable due to a reported injury or official status designation, and may have timeline uncertainty.

Q8: Why do teams sometimes dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen?

This setup is used to manage injuries, protect a weakened forward group, or keep an extra defense option available. It can help control matchups and reduce exposure, but it also requires smarter bench management because forward lines can get uneven minutes late.

Q9: What is the biggest tactical impact of a top-center absence?

Losing a top center usually reduces controlled-entry quality and defensive reliability down the middle. Teams often compensate by shifting toward more cycle-based offense, simpler exits, and heavier forecheck pressure to generate possessions rather than relying on rush creation.

Q10: Which lineup clue best predicts a change in game style?

Look at the defense pairs and the bottom-six composition. A puck-moving defense addition typically increases transition pace, while a heavier bottom-six indicates a forecheck and net-front approach. Those two areas often dictate whether a team plays fast and open or more grind-and-structure.

Q11: How should I use the IHM Lineup Notes?

Use them as a tactical translation layer: how personnel changes affect forecheck pressure, neutral-zone structure, exit quality, and slot protection. The goal is not to repeat names, but to explain how the pieces fit and what matchups might tilt the ice.

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

Yes. Treat this as the latest snapshot. Always check for late updates closer to faceoff, especially for starting goalies, illness-related decisions, and teams on back-to-backs where the final call can come late.

NHL Projected Lineups - March 3, 2026

By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Rangers - Projected lineup

Forwards
J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad - Gabe Perreault
Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Tye Kartye - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary
Brendan Brisson - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh

Defense
Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
Braden Schneider - Will Borgen
Matthew Robertson - Vincent Iorio

Goalies
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick

IHM Lineup Note: Rangers rely on Fox to drive puck movement and controlled zone exits. Top line deployment will dictate tempo against Columbus’ forecheck structure.

Blue Jackets - Projected lineup

Forwards
Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner - Sean Monahan - Danton Heinen
Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
Dmitri Voronkov - Isac Lundestrom - Miles Wood

Defense
Zach Werenski - Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov - Denton Mateychuk
Dante Fabbro - Erik Gudbranson

Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves

IHM Lineup Note: Columbus plays heavy along the walls and net-front. Werenski’s activation and transition play will be central to countering Rangers’ speed.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Philadelphia Flyers

Faceoff: 01:30 CET

Maple Leafs - Projected lineup

Forwards
Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi
Matias Maccelli - Nicolas Roy - Dakota Joshua
Easton Cowan - Scott Laughton - Steven Lorentz

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

Goalies
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll

IHM Lineup Note: Toronto’s attack centers around Matthews and Nylander’s high-slot rotations. Defensive positioning must stay compact to limit Philadelphia’s transition rushes.

Flyers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin - Carl Grundstrom - Garnet Hathaway

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

Goalies
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson

IHM Lineup Note: Philadelphia relies on layered forecheck pressure and strong board battles. Defensive gaps versus Matthews’ line will be critical.

Vancouver Canucks vs Dallas Stars

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Canucks - Projected lineup

Forwards
Evander Kane - Elias Pettersson - Jake DeBrusk
Drew O’Connor - Marco Rossi - Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren - Teddy Blueger - Conor Garland
Nils Hoglander - David Kampf - Linus Karlsson

Defense
Elias Nils Pettersson - Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander
Zeev Buium - P.O Joseph

Goalies
Nikita Tolopilo
Kevin Lankinen

IHM Lineup Note: Vancouver must manage puck possession and protect the slot area against Dallas’ structured attack.

Stars - Projected lineup

Forwards
Jason Robertson - Wyatt Johnston - Mavrik Bourque
Sam Steel - Matt Duchene - Jamie Benn
Adam Erne - Justin Hryckowian - Colin Blackwell
Oskar Back - Arttu Hyry - Nathan Bastian

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

Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith

IHM Lineup Note: Dallas maintains one of the league’s most structured defensive cores. Heiskanen’s puck distribution drives offensive zone entries.

Seattle Kraken vs Carolina Hurricanes

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Kraken - Projected lineup

Forwards
Jared McCann - Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz - Chandler Stephenson - Eeli Tolvanen
Berkly Catton - Shane Wright - Kaapo Kakko
Ben Meyers - Frederick Gaudreau - Jacob Melanson

Defense
Vince Dunn - Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak - Brandon Montour
Ryker Evans - Cale Fleury

Goalies
Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer

IHM Lineup Note: Seattle’s structure depends on Dunn’s breakout efficiency and middle-lane defensive coverage.

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
Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin

Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi

IHM Lineup Note: Carolina’s forecheck pressure and puck retrieval speed create sustained offensive-zone time.

Los Angeles Kings vs Colorado Avalanche

Faceoff: 04:30 CET

Kings - Projected lineup

Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Alex Turcotte - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Warren Foegele - Kenny Connors - Corey Perry
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Defense
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Mikey Anderson - Cody Ceci
Jacob Moverare - Brian Dumoulin

Goalies
Anton Forsberg
Erik Portillo

IHM Lineup Note: LA must contain MacKinnon’s speed through the neutral zone and control rebound management in front of Forsberg.

Avalanche - Projected lineup

Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Artturi Lehkonen - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton - Jack Drury - Victor Olofsson
Zakhar Bardakov - Parker Kelly - Gavin Brindley

Defense
Devon Toews - Cale Makar
Josh Manson - Brent Burns
Brett Kulak - Sam Malinski

Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

IHM Lineup Note: Colorado thrives on speed through the middle and high-skill transition entries. Defensive zone control will determine possession share.

Q&A: Game Day Lineups, Tactical Angles & Goalie Impact

Why are projected lineups important before puck drop?

Projected lineups give insight into role distribution, matchup intentions and ice-time expectations. Coaches use line structure to dictate pace, forecheck pressure and defensive zone coverage. Even a small change in the middle six can alter transition rhythm and special teams deployment.

How does a late lineup change affect team structure?

A late scratch can force a reshuffle across multiple lines. This often impacts:

• Neutral-zone structure
• Faceoff assignments
• Power-play units
• Matchup strategy against top opposition lines

When a center is replaced, the entire zone-entry dynamic can shift due to differences in puck transport ability and defensive awareness.

What should fans analyze in defensive pairings?

Focus on:

• Puck-moving defensemen vs stay-at-home balance
• Left-right handed combinations
• Zone exit efficiency
• Matchup usage against top lines

A top pair that controls gap management and retrieval speed often dictates overall game flow.

How important is goalie confirmation timing?

If the starting goalie is not officially confirmed, teams may prepare two different offensive approaches.

• Against aggressive puck-handling goalies: dump-and-pressure strategy
• Against positional goalies: increase lateral puck movement

Late goalie confirmation can affect tactical preparation and line deployment decisions.

What does “same lineup as last game” really mean?

It often signals:

• Coaching trust in current chemistry
• Stability after a win
• Conservative adjustment during a tight standings race

However, even with the same personnel, tactical roles may subtly change.

How do Olympic breaks influence projected lineups?

Post-Olympic games often show:

• Fatigue management for high-minute players
• Increased depth usage
• Slightly reduced pace early in games

Coaches may shelter returning international players with softer zone starts.

Why are third and fourth lines strategically critical?

Bottom-six units often determine:

• Forecheck pressure intensity
• Momentum swings
• Defensive zone reliability

A strong fourth line can stabilize game rhythm when top units are tightly checked.

How do lineup structures reflect playoff positioning strategy?

Teams in playoff contention:

• Shorten bench usage
• Lean on top pair defensemen
• Consolidate scoring into top two lines

Teams outside contention may experiment with development-focused combinations.

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day

By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Vegas Golden Knights

Faceoff: 19:00 CET

Penguins - Projected lineup

Forwards
Egor Chinakhov - Tommy Novak - Evgeni Malkin
Avery Hayes - Rickard Rakell - Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha - Ben Kindel - Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari

Defense
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Samuel Girard - Kris Letang
Ryan Shea - Connor Clifton

Goalies
Arturs Silovs
Stuart Skinner

IHM Lineup Note: Pittsburgh’s puck movement flows through Karlsson and Letang. Without Crosby, offensive structure shifts toward layered support and slot rotations rather than individual zone entries.

Golden Knights - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Reilly Smith
Braeden Bowman - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Alexander Holtz

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

Goalies
Akira Schmid
Adin Hill

IHM Lineup Note: Vegas remains transition-driven through Eichel. Defensive activation from Theodore and Hanifin supports controlled exits and offensive blue-line pressure.

Utah Mammoth vs Chicago Blackhawks

Faceoff: 22:00 CET

Mammoth - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Mikhail Sergachev - Sean Durzi
Nate Schmidt - John Marino
Ian Cole - Olli Maatta

Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek

IHM Lineup Note: Utah plays structured middle-lane defense with controlled breakouts. Keller line drives offensive tempo through high-slot support positioning.

Blackhawks - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ryan Greene - Connor Bedard - Andre Burakovsky
Oliver Moore - Frank Nazar - Teuvo Teravainen
Tyler Bertuzzi - Jason Dickinson - Ilya Mikheyev
Ryan Donato - Nick Foligno - Colton Dach

Defense
Alex Vlasic - Louis Crevier
Matt Grzelcyk - Artyom Levshunov
Connor Murphy - Kevin Korchinski

Goalies
Arvid Soderblom
Spencer Knight

IHM Lineup Note: Chicago’s scoring chances depend heavily on Bedard’s puck touches and controlled entries. Defensive gaps must remain tight against Utah’s balanced top-six.

San Jose Sharks vs Winnipeg Jets

Faceoff: 22:00 CET

Sharks - Projected lineup

Forwards
Will Smith - Macklin Celebrini - Kiefer Sherwood
Philipp Kurashev - Alexander Wennberg - Collin Graf
William Eklund - Michael Misa - Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Pavol Regenda

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

Goalies
Alex Nedeljkovic
Yaroslav Askarov

IHM Lineup Note: Sharks rely on youth speed and quick-strike transitions. Defensive structure must hold inside positioning against Winnipeg’s heavy cycle.

Jets - Projected lineup

Forwards
Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Gabriel Vilardi
Cole Perfetti - Adam Lowry - Alex Iafallo
Gustav Nyquist - Jonathan Toews - Walker Duehr
Cole Koepke - Morgan Barron - Tanner Pearson

Defense
Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson
Logan Stanley - Dylan DeMelo
Haydn Fleury - Luke Schenn

Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

IHM Lineup Note: Winnipeg’s strength remains layered forecheck and net-front presence. If Hellebuyck controls rebounds, Jets can dictate game flow.

Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues

Faceoff: 23:00 CET

Wild - Projected lineup

Forwards
Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Matt Boldy
Yakov Trenin - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko
Marcus Foligno - Nico Sturm - Vinnie Hinostroza

Defense
Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber
Jake Middleton - Jared Spurgeon
Daemon Hunt - Zach Bogosian

Goalies
Filip Gustavsson
Jesper Wallstedt

IHM Lineup Note: Minnesota controls pace through disciplined neutral-zone structure and strong low support in the defensive zone.

Blues - Projected lineup

Forwards
Brayden Schenn - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake Neighbours - Pavel Buchnevich - Jordan Kyrou
Dylan Holloway - Pius Suter - Jonatan Berggren
Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Nathan Walker

Defense
Philip Broberg - Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler - Logan Mailloux
Tyler Tucker - Matthew Kessel

Goalies
Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

IHM Lineup Note: St. Louis must simplify exits and protect the slot. Defensive breakdowns against Kaprizov’s unit will be costly.

New York Islanders vs Florida Panthers

Faceoff: 00:30 CET

Islanders - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ondrej Palat - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal
Jonathan Drouin - Calum Ritchie - Emil Heineman
Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean - Casey Cizikas - Marc Gatcomb

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

Goalies
David Rittich
Ilya Sorokin

IHM Lineup Note: Islanders play compact five-man structure. Defensive layers and low-slot coverage are key against Florida’s cycle.

Panthers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe - Evan Rodrigues - Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Brad Marchand
A.J. Greer - Jesper Boqvist - Sandis Vilmanis

Defense
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola - Dmitry Kulikov
Donovan Sebrango - Jeff Petry

Goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky
Daniil Tarasov

IHM Lineup Note: Florida thrives on aggressive forecheck pressure and offensive-zone cycling. Reinhart’s positioning in the slot remains central to their scoring efficiency.

Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Ducks - Projected lineup

Forwards
Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Cutter Gauthier
Jeffrey Viel - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
Jansen Harkins - Ryan Poehling - Alex Killorn
Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Frank Vatrano

Defense
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov - Drew Helleson

Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso

IHM Lineup Note: Anaheim plays physical down low with net-front traffic. Defensive gaps must remain tight against Calgary’s balanced top six.

Flames - Projected lineup

Forwards
Yegor Sharangovich - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato
Connor Zary - Nazem Kadri - Joel Farabee
Blake Coleman - Morgan Frost - Matvei Gridin
Martin Pospisil - John Beecher - Adam Klapka

Defense
Kevin Bahl - Mackenzie Weegar
Yan Kuznetsov - Zach Whitecloud
Joel Hanley - Zayne Parekh

Goalies
Devin Cooley
Dustin Wolf

IHM Lineup Note: Calgary’s defensive posture centers around Weegar’s puck management and strong middle-lane coverage.

Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies

Why are projected lineups important?
They reflect expected tactical deployment and matchups before puck drop.

When are goalies confirmed?
Usually after morning skate or pregame media availability.

Can lineups change?
Yes. Always check for late scratches and game-time decisions.

Date: 29 February 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

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

Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders

Faceoff: 00:00 CET

Blue Jackets – Projected lineup

Forwards
Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner – Sean Monahan – Danton Heinen
Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
Dmitri Voronkov – Isac Lundestrom – Miles Wood

Defense
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – Denton Mateychuk
Dante Fabbro – Erik Gudbranson

Goalies
Jet Greaves
Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched
Jake Christiansen
Egor Zamula
Kent Johnson

Injured
Brendan Smith (knee surgery)

IHM Lineup Note: Columbus can play straight-line, north-south hockey with heavy slot drives, but the key will be controlled exits under pressure. Werenski’s activation adds a second-wave threat; the risk is the back side if coverage is late on reloads and the gap opens in transition.

Islanders – Projected lineup

Forwards
Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal
Jonathan Drouin – Calum Ritchie – Emil Heineman
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

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

Goalies
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich

Scratched
Maxim Shabanov
Anthony Duclair
Adam Boqvist

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

IHM Lineup Note: New York will try to keep the game layered through the neutral zone with tighter tracking and fewer free entries allowed. Barzal’s line drives pace off controlled entries, while Sorokin stabilizes aggressive defensive reads when the Islanders push their gaps at the blue line.

Colorado Avalanche vs Chicago Blackhawks

Faceoff: 00:00 CET

Avalanche – Projected lineup

Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Artturi Lehkonen – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Victor Olofsson
Parker Kelly – Zakhar Bardakov – Gavin Brindley

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

Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Scratched
None

Injured
Logan O’Connor (hip surgery)
Joel Kiviranta (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note: Colorado remains an elite transition team when MacKinnon has speed through the middle lane. Toews and Makar can tilt the ice with fast breakouts and quick re-entries, but the priority is clean puck support on retrievals to avoid getting caught on long-change turnovers.

Blackhawks – Projected lineup

Forwards
Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky
Oliver Moore – Frank Nazar – Teuvo Teravainen
Tyler Bertuzzi – Jason Dickinson – Ilya Mikheyev
Ryan Donato – Nick Foligno – Landon Slaggert

Defense
Alex Vlasic – Louis Crevier
Matt Grzelcyk – Artyom Levshunov
Connor Murphy – Sam Rinzel

Goalies
Spencer Knight
Arvid Soderblom

Scratched
Sam Lafferty
Colton Dach
Kevin Korchinski

Injured
Wyatt Kaiser (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Chicago’s path is simplified: survive shifts, manage the puck, then attack off quick strike counters. Bedard’s line must create separation on entries, while the defense needs strong box-outs and inside positioning to limit slot looks against Colorado’s layered attack.

Los Angeles Kings vs Calgary Flames

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Kings – Projected lineup

Forwards
Warren Foegele – Anze Kopitar – Corey Perry
Artemi Panarin – Alex Laferriere – Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Taylor Ward
Jeff Malott – Alex Turcotte – Samuel Helenius

Defense
Mikey Anderson – Brian Dumoulin
Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke
Jacob Moverare – Cody Ceci

Goalies
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg

Scratched
Angus Booth

Injured
Drew Doughty (lower body)
Joel Armia (upper body)
Andrei Kuzmenko (lower body)
Kevin Fiala (fractured leg)

IHM Lineup Note: LA can lean into cycle pressure and low-to-high possessions, but without key pieces they must protect the middle and avoid trading chances. Kopitar’s unit should be deployed to control matchups and slow Calgary’s forecheck momentum.

Flames – Projected lineup

Forwards
Yegor Sharangovich – Mikael Backlund – Matt Coronato
Connor Zary – Nazem Kadri – Joel Farabee
Blake Coleman – Morgan Frost – Matvei Gridin
Martin Pospisil – John Beecher – Adam Klapka

Defense
Kevin Bahl – Mackenzie Weegar
Yan Kuznetsov – Zach Whitecloud
Joel Hanley – Zayne Parekh

Goalies
Dustin Wolf
Devin Cooley

Scratched
Ryan Lomberg
Brayden Pachal

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

IHM Lineup Note: Calgary’s best chance is structured pressure: hard rims, strong F1 routes, and quick slot layers once pucks are recovered. Defensive pairs must keep tight gaps to prevent LA from exiting cleanly and setting up controlled entries.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Maple Leafs – Projected lineup

Forwards
Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Max Domi
Matias Maccelli – John Tavares – William Nylander
Easton Cowan – Nicolas Roy – Bobby McMann
Dakota Joshua – Scott Laughton – Nicholas Robertson

Defense
Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe – Troy Stecher
Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Goalies
Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz

Scratched
Steven Lorentz
Calle Jarnkrok
Philippe Myers

Injured
Chris Tanev (groin)
Dakota Mermis (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Toronto is built for controlled entries and east-west creation, especially when Nylander is the primary carrier. Matthews can manage the middle with low support, but the Leafs must stay disciplined on turnovers or Ottawa will punish via quick counter attacks.

Senators – Projected lineup

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

Defense
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence

Goalies
Linus Ullmark
James Reimer

Scratched
Kurtis MacDermid

Injured
David Perron (sports hernia)
Nikolas Matinpalo (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note: Ottawa can generate chaos with a heavy forecheck and net-front traffic, but puck management on exits is non-negotiable versus Toronto’s speed through the neutral zone. If the Senators get stretched, Leafs transition will create high-danger looks.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Detroit Red Wings

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 – Eric Robinson

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

Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi

Scratched
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Mike Reilly

Injured
Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Carolina’s identity is relentless forecheck pressure and rapid retrievals that turn into layered offense. If the Canes win races and keep clean reload positioning, they can tilt shot volume and control matchup flow.

Red Wings – Projected lineup

Forwards
Marco Kasper – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat – Andrew Copp – Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie – J.T. Compher – Mason Appleton
Elmer Soderblom – Michael Rasmussen – James van Riemsdyk

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

Goalies
Cam Talbot
John Gibson

Scratched
Erik Gustafsson
Travis Hamonic
Dominik Shine

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note: Detroit needs clean zone exits and quick support routes to beat Carolina’s pressure. Larkin’s line can create rush looks, but extended defensive-zone shifts against Carolina’s cycle will test puck retrieval execution.

Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Canadiens – Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Samuel Montembeault

Scratched
Arber Xhekaj
Joe Veleno
Alexandre Texier

Injured
Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Montreal can create pace off quick puck movement from the back end, but they must protect the middle on turnovers. Suzuki line is the possession driver; the key is turning speed into inside-lane chances rather than perimeter volume.

Capitals – Projected lineup

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

Defense
Martin Fehervary – Rasmus Sandin
Jakob Chychrun – Matt Roy
Declan Chisholm – Trevor van Riemsdyk

Goalies
Charlie Lindgren
Logan Thompson

Scratched
Dylan McIlrath
Hendrix Lapierre

Injured
John Carlson (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Washington’s attack still funnels to Ovechkin’s weak-side shooting lane, but without full blue-line stability they must manage risk. If the Caps keep their F3 high and exits simple, they can avoid feeding Montreal’s transition game.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Buffalo Sabres

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Lightning – Projected lineup

Forwards
Gage Goncalves – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Jake Guentzel – Dominic James – Brandon Hagel
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
Oliver Bjorkstrand – Scott Sabourin

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

Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson

Scratched
Curtis Douglas
Declan Carlile

Injured
Anthony Cirelli (upper body)
Nick Paul (lower body)
Max Crozier (core muscle)

IHM Lineup Note: Tampa can still manufacture premium looks through Kucherov’s half-wall manipulation and rapid puck rotation. If they dress 11F and 7D, shift management becomes critical, especially on the backcheck and defensive-zone matchups.

Sabres – Projected lineup

Forwards
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Josh Doan
Josh Dunne – Tyson Kozak – Beck Malenstyn

Defense
Mattias Samuelsson – Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Zach Metsa – Michael Kesselring

Goalies
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon

Scratched
Jacob Bryson
Anton Wahlberg
Colten Ellis

Injured
Zach Benson (upper body)
Jordan Greenway (middle body)
Conor Timmins (broken leg)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
Justin Danforth (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Buffalo’s ceiling is driven by Dahlin and Power creating offense from the blue line and pushing pace. The Sabres must avoid long defensive shifts and keep their spacing on exits clean to prevent Tampa from feasting on turnovers.

Dallas Stars vs Nashville Predators

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Stars – Projected lineup

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

Defense
Esa Lindell – Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley – Nils Lundkvist
Ilya Lyubushkin – Lian Bichsel

Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith

Scratched
Kyle Capobianco
Alexander Petrovic

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

IHM Lineup Note: Dallas can run controlled possessions through Heiskanen’s puck movement and strong wall play from the top six. Missing key pieces means they must win the middle and keep their defensive-zone routes efficient to avoid being worn down.

Predators – Projected lineup

Forwards
Steven Stamkos – Ryan O’Reilly – Luke Evangelista
Filip Forsberg – Erik Haula – Michael Bunting
Cole Smith – Michael McCarron – Jonathan Marchessault
Zachary L’Heureux – Tyson Jost – Matthew Wood

Defense
Brady Skjei – Roman Josi
Nicolas Hague – Nick Blankenburg
Adam Wilsby – Nick Perbix

Goalies
Justus Annunen
Juuse Saros

Scratched
Ozzy Wiesblatt
Justin Barron

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note: Nashville can drive offense through Josi’s activation and Forsberg’s inside-lane attacks. If the Preds win forecheck battles and generate net-front layers, they can stress Dallas’ depth and force penalties.

Seattle Kraken vs Vancouver Canucks

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Kraken – Projected lineup

Forwards
Jared McCann – Matty Beniers – Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz – Chandler Stephenson – Eeli Tolvanen
Berkly Catton – Shane Wright – Kaapo Kakko
Ben Meyers – Frederick Gaudreau – Jacob Melanson

Defense
Vince Dunn – Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak – Brandon Montour
Ryker Evans – Cale Fleury

Goalies
Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer

Scratched
Josh Mahura
Ryan Winterton

Injured
Matt Murray (lower body)
Ryan Lindgren (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note: Seattle can play a strong forecheck game when the puck gets behind the opposing defense, but they must connect short passes in the neutral zone to avoid one-and-done entries. Dunn’s puck moving sets the breakout rhythm when gaps are tight.

Canucks – Projected lineup

Forwards
Evander Kane – Elias Pettersson – Jake DeBrusk
Drew O’Connor – Marco Rossi – Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren – Teddy Blueger – Conor Garland
Nils Hoglander – David Kampf – Linus Karlsson

Defense
Elias Pettersson – Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson – Tom Willander
Zeev Buium – P.O Joseph

Goalies
Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo

Scratched
Max Sasson
Aatu Raty
Tyler Myers

Injured
Filip Chytil (facial fracture)
Thatcher Demko (hip surgery)
Derek Forbort (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note: Vancouver’s best look is off controlled entries with Pettersson orchestrating the middle lane and Boeser finishing from the slot-side pocket. If Myers sits again, defensive zone retrievals and first-pass execution become even more important under Seattle’s pressure.

Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies

Q1: What are projected lineups?

Projected lineups are the expected forward lines and defense pairs based on the latest practice information, morning skate reports, and beat-writer updates. They can change closer to puck drop.

Q2: When are starting goalies confirmed?

Starters are most often confirmed after morning skate or during pregame media availability. Final confirmation can also come 30 to 90 minutes before faceoff.

Q3: Why do line combinations change on game day?

Coaches adjust lines for matchups, injury status, travel fatigue, and special teams roles. Late scratches can force quick reshuffles and role changes.

Q4: What is the difference between scratched and injured?

A scratched player is healthy but not in the lineup. Injured players are unavailable due to a reported injury or medical status designation.

Q5: How should I read forward lines and defense pairs?

Lines reflect expected even-strength usage, while defense pairs indicate matchup structure and puck-moving roles. Special teams usage can differ from the listed units.

Q6: What do the IHM lineup notes focus on?

The notes focus on forecheck structure, neutral-zone approach, transition quality, and how personnel changes affect matchups, tempo, and scoring chance quality.

Q7: Can projected lineups change after this post is published?

Yes. Treat projected lineups as the latest snapshot. Always re-check starters and late lineup updates closer to puck drop.

Date: 28 February
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

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

Florida Panthers vs Buffalo Sabres

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Panthers - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Carter Verhaeghe - Evan Rodrigues - Sam Reinhart
• Mackie Samoskevich - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
• Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Brad Marchand
• A.J. Greer - Cole Schwindt - Sandis Vilmanis

Defense

• Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
• Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis
• Donovan Sebrango - Jeff Petry

Goalies

• Sergei Bobrovsky
• Daniil Tarasov

Scratched

• Luke Kunin
• Jesper Boqvist
• Tobias Bjornfot

Injured

• Seth Jones (collarbone)
• Aleksander Barkov (knee)
• Tomas Nosek (knee)
• Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)
• Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder)

IHM Lineup Note:
Florida’s forward groups are built for layered O-zone pressure: strong F1 pursuit, quick support routes, and constant net-front presence. Without Barkov, their center depth leans more on pace and forecheck structure than pure two-way control, so defensive reloads and slot coverage timing become even more important.

Sabres - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
• Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
• Noah Ostlund - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
• Josh Dunne - Tyson Kozak - Beck Malenstyn

Defense

• Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
• Zach Metsa - Michael Kesselring
• Bowen Byram - Owen Power

Goalies

• Alex Lyon
• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Scratched

• Jacob Bryson
• Anton Wahlberg
• Colten Ellis

Injured

• Zach Benson (upper body)
• Jordan Greenway (middle body)
• Conor Timmins (broken leg)
• Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
• Justin Danforth (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Buffalo’s blueprint is pace and shot volume with Dahlin driving transition and activating into the rush as a second-layer attacker. Against Florida’s forecheck, the Sabres must prioritize clean zone exits and avoid soft rims under pressure, because extended D-zone shifts will lead to breakdowns in the low slot.

Washington Capitals vs Vegas Golden Knights

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Capitals - Projected lineup

Forwards

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

Defense

• Martin Fehervary - Trevor van Riemsdyk
• Jakob Chychrun - Matt Roy
• Declan Chisholm - Rasmus Sandin

Goalies

• Logan Thompson
• Charie Lindgren

Scratched

• Dylan McIlrath
• Hendrix Lapierre

Injured

• John Carlson (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Without Carlson, Washington loses a key puck-moving hub and first-pass distributor, so breakouts may lean more on simple support and chip-and-chase sequences. Ovechkin still hunts the weak-side shooting pocket, and Dubois adds puck protection down the middle to help sustain O-zone time.

Golden Knights - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone
• Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Reilly Smith
• Braeden Bowman - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
• Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Alexander Holtz

Defense

• Jeremy Lauzon - Shea Theodore
• Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
• Brayden McNabb - Kaedan Korczak

Goalies

• Akira Schmid
• Adin Hill

Scratched

• Cole Reinhardt
• Ben Hutton

Injured

• Carter Hart (lower body)
• Brett Howden (lower body)
• William Karlsson (lower body)
• Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas is built for matchup control and aggressive neutral-zone pressure that forces rushed exits and quick re-entries. With Eichel and Theodore back, their transition pace and blue-line activation improve, and Marner adds elite puck transport to drive controlled entries and high-danger looks off seams.

Utah Mammoth vs Minnesota Wild

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Mammoth - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Clayton Keller - Nick Schmaltz - Lawson Crouse
• Jack McBain - Logan Cooley - Dylan Guenther
• JJ Peterka - Barrett Hayton - Kailer Yamamoto
• Alexander Kerfoot - Kevin Stenlund - Michael Carcone

Defense

• Mikhail Sergachev - Sean Durzi
• Nate Schmidt - John Marino
• Ian Cole - Nick DeSimone

Goalies

• Karel Vejmelka
• Vitek Vanecek

Scratched

• Olli Maatta
• Liam O’Brien
• Brandon Tanev

Injured

• None

IHM Lineup Note:
Utah has multiple lines that can attack off transition with speed, but the key is defending the middle lane on the backcheck. Sergachev-Durzi can drive controlled exits and quick counterattacks, yet they must manage pinches to avoid giving Minnesota odd-man rushes.

Wild - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello
• Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Matt Boldy
• Yakov Trenin - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko
• Marcus Foligno - Nico Sturm - Vinnie Hinostroza

Defense

• Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber
• Jacob Middleton - Jared Spurgeon
• Daemon Hunt - Zach Bogosian

Goalies

• Jesper Wallstedt
• Filip Gustavsson

Scratched

• Ben Jones
• Matt Kiersted

Injured

• Jonas Brodin (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Minnesota can generate layered offense through strong puck support and quick slot rotations, with Eriksson Ek acting as a net-front and retrieval anchor. The Hughes-Faber pair brings elite puck movement, so expect Minnesota to look for fast up-ice distribution and controlled entries rather than dumping pucks blindly.

Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Ducks - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Cutter Gauthier
• Alex Killorn - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
• Jeffrey Viel - Ryan Poehling - Jansen Harkins
• Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Frank Vatrano

Defense

• Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
• Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas
• Pavel Mintyukov - Ian Moore

Goalies

• Lukas Dostal
• Ville Husso

Scratched

• Drew Helleson
• Ryan Strome

Injured

• Mikael Granlund (upper body)
• Troy Terry (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Anaheim’s forward mix can produce net-front pressure and cycle shifts, but their biggest need is clean execution on exits to avoid getting trapped. Trouba’s presence changes the physical tone and defensive spacing, yet puck movement under pressure will decide whether they can transition efficiently.

Jets - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Gabriel Vilardi
• Cole Perfetti - Adam Lowry - Alex Iafallo
• Gustav Nyquist - Jonathan Toews - Vladislav Namestnikov
• Cole Koepke - Morgan Barron - Tanner Pearson

Defense

• Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson
• Logan Stanley - Dylan DeMelo
• Ville Heinola - Luke Schenn

Goalies

• Connor Hellebuyck
• Eric Comrie

Scratched

• Walker Duehr
• Kale Clague
• Domenic DiVincentiis

Injured

• Josh Morrissey (upper body)
• Nino Niederreiter (undisclosed)
• Neal Pionk (undisclosed)
• Haydn Fleury (bruised back)
• Colin Miller (knee)

IHM Lineup Note:
Winnipeg’s top line can tilt the ice with controlled entries and quick-strike offense, but injuries on the blue line reduce breakout options. If Morrissey and Pionk remain out, the Jets will likely simplify retrievals, prioritize safe wall plays, and lean on Hellebuyck to stabilize high-danger moments.

New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Faceoff: 18:30 CET

Rangers - Projected lineup

Forwards

• J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad - Gabe Perreault
• Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
• Conor Sheary - Noah Laba - Brendan Brisson
• Tye Kartye - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh

Defense

• Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
• Braden Schneider - Will Borgen
• Matthew Robertson - Vincent Iorio

Goalies

• Igor Shesterkin
• Jonathan Quick

Scratched

• Jonny Brodzinski
• Scott Morrow
• Urho Vaakanainen

Injured

• Matt Rempe (upper body)
• Adam Edstrom (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
With Fox back in the top pair, New York’s transition game and controlled exits improve immediately. The Rangers will look to manage the neutral zone with layered structure, then attack off quick entries and middle-lane drives to create second chances in the slot.

Penguins - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Egor Chinakhov - Tommy Novak - Evgeni Malkin
• Avery Hayes - Rickard Rakell - Bryan Rust
• Anthony Mantha - Ben Kindel - Justin Brazeau
• Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari

Defense

• Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
• Ryan Shea - Kris Letang
• Ryan Graves - Connor Clifton

Goalies

• Stuart Skinner
• Arturs Silovs

Scratched

• Kevin Hayes
• Ilya Solovyov

Injured

• Sidney Crosby (lower body)
• Samuel Girard (lower body)
• Jack St. Ivany (hand surgery)
• Caleb Jones (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Without Crosby, Pittsburgh’s center depth shifts and their puck-possession baseline drops, so they must play cleaner, simpler hockey. Karlsson still drives transition, but the Penguins need tight gap control and disciplined puck support to avoid being stretched by New York’s speed through the neutral zone.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins

Faceoff: 21:00 CET

Flyers - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
• Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
• Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
• Nik ita Grebenkin - Carl Grundstrom - Garnet Hathaway

Defense

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

Goalies

• Dan Vladar
• Samuel Ersson

Scratched

• Emil Andrae
• Nicolas Deslauriers

Injured

• Tyson Foerster (arm)
• Rodrigo Abols (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
Philadelphia’s best chance is to win the forecheck battle and create east-west movement before Boston’s structure sets. Zegras can drive creative entries, but Couturier’s line has to handle heavy defensive-zone matchups and protect the slot against Bruins net-front pressure.

Bruins - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Marat Khusnutdinov - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak
• Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
• Michael Eyssimont - Fraser Minten - 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
• Henri Jokiharju
• Jordan Harris

Injured

• None

IHM Lineup Note:
Boston’s game revolves around controlled zone time, layered slot presence, and strong wall play that turns into second-chance offense. With McAvoy and Lindholm anchoring matchups, the Bruins can keep tight gaps and force low-percentage shots, then counter off quick retrievals.

San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers

Faceoff: 22:00 CET

Sharks - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Will Smith - Macklin Celebrini - Kiefer Sherwood
• Philipp Kurashev - Alexander Wennberg - Collin Graf
• William Eklund - Michael Misa - Tyler Toffoli
• Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Ryan Reaves

Defense

• Dmitry Orlov - John Klingberg
• Mario Ferraro - Timothy Liljegren
• Sam Dickinson - Vincent Desharnais

Goalies

• Yaroslav Askarov
• Alex Nedeljkovic

Scratched

• Adam Gaudette
• Pavol Regenda
• Shakir Mukhamadullin

Injured

• Ty Dellandrea (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note:
San Jose will need strong puck support on exits and disciplined spacing to survive Edmonton’s speed through the neutral zone. If the Sharks cannot protect the middle lane, they will be forced into extended defensive-zone shifts and repeated slot collapses.

Oilers - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
• Matt Savoie - Leon Draisaitl - Jack Roslovic
• Vasily Podkolzin - Adam Henrique - Trent Frederic
• Andrew Mangiapane - Curtis Lazar - Kasperi Kapanen

Defense

• Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
• Darnell Nurse - Jake Walman
• Spencer Stastney - Ty Emberson

Goalies

• Connor Ingram
• Tristan Jarry

Scratched

• None

Injured

• Mattias Janmark (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Edmonton’s top unit is an entry machine, forcing early defensive collapses and creating slot looks off speed and quick support routes. If the Oilers win the retrieval battle, Bouchard can keep pucks alive at the blue line and sustain pressure through layered attacks.

St. Louis Blues vs New Jersey Devils

Faceoff: 23:00 CET

Blues - Projected lineup

Forwards

• Brayden Schenn - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jimmy Snuggerud
• Jake Neighbours - Pavel Buchnevich - Jordan Kyrou
• Dylan Holloway - Pius Suter - Jonatan Berggren
• Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Nathan Walker

Defense

• Philip Broberg - Colton Parayko
• Tyler Tucker - Justin Faulk
• Cam Fowler - Logan Mailloux

Goalies

• Jordan Binnington
• Joel Hofer

Scratched

• Robby Fabbri
• Matthew Kessel

Injured

• Robert Thomas (lower body)
• Oskar Sundqvist (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis is built to play direct and attack off quick turnovers, but without Thomas their center depth and controlled-entry efficiency drop. The Blues need strong wall play, net-front presence, and disciplined tracking to avoid getting stretched by New Jersey speed.

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

• Brett Pesce - Johnathan Kovacevic
• Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton
• Brenden Dillon - Simon Nemec

Goalies

• Jacob Markstrom
• Jake Allen

Scratched

• Luke Glendening
• Evgenii Dadonov
• Colton White

Injured

• Luke Hughes (shoulder)
• Stefan Noesen (knee)
• Zack MacEwen (ACL)

IHM Lineup Note:
With Jack Hughes back in the top six, New Jersey’s transition pace and controlled-entry threat rises immediately. The Devils can create seam looks off quick puck movement, but they must manage turnovers at both blue lines to avoid giving St. Louis momentum through counterattacks.

Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies

Q1: What are projected lineups?
Projected lineups are the expected forward lines and defense pairs based on the latest practice information, morning skate reports, and beat-writer updates. They can change closer to puck drop.

Q2: When are starting goalies confirmed?
Starters are most often confirmed after morning skate or during pregame media availability. Final confirmation can also come 30 to 90 minutes before faceoff.

Q3: Why do line combinations change on game day?
Coaches adjust lines for matchups, injury status, travel fatigue, and special teams roles. Late scratches can force quick reshuffles and role changes.

Q4: What is the difference between scratched and injured?
A scratched player is healthy but not in the lineup. Injured players are unavailable due to a reported injury or medical status designation.

Q5: How should I read forward lines and defense pairs?
Lines reflect expected even-strength usage, while defense pairs indicate matchup structure and puck-moving roles. Special teams usage can differ from the listed units.

Q6: What do the IHM lineup notes focus on?
The notes focus on forecheck structure, neutral-zone approach, transition quality, and how personnel changes affect matchups, tempo, and scoring chance quality.

Q7: Can projected lineups change after this post is published?
Yes. Treat projected lineups as the latest snapshot. Always re-check starters and late lineup updates closer to puck drop.