IceHockeyMan – Hockey News & Tactical Analysis

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day March 14, 2026

Date: 13 March 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

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

New York Islanders vs Los Angeles Kings

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Islanders - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich

Scratched
Anthony Duclair
Kyle MacLean
Adam Boqvist

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

IHM Lineup Note:
The Islanders rely heavily on Horvat’s two-way structure and Barzal’s puck transport to generate offense. With Sorokin starting the opener of a back-to-back, New York should emphasize controlled exits and disciplined defensive layers.

Kings - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg

Scratched
Mathieu Joseph
Jacob Moverare

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

IHM Lineup Note:
Los Angeles brings veteran structure through Kopitar and Doughty, but injuries reduce their offensive depth. The Kings will likely prioritize defensive posture and opportunistic transition plays through Kempe and Panarin.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Islanders

Forecheck Signal
Islanders

Blue Line Signal
Kings have the most experienced defensive leadership through Doughty.

Goalie Stability Signal
Islanders

X-Factor Signal
If Panarin finds open transition space, Los Angeles can generate higher offensive quality than expected.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Islanders

Transition Edge
Kings

Defensive Stability
Islanders

Goaltending Edge
Islanders

Game Control Projection
New York should control more territorial pressure, while Los Angeles will search for counterattack opportunities.

St. Louis Blues vs Edmonton Oilers

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Blues - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

Scratched
Nathan Walker
Jonatan Berggren
Oskar Sundqvist
Justin Holl
Matthew Kessel

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis enters with momentum after the Carolina win and should try to control pace through Thomas and Kyrou. Their defensive structure will be tested against Edmonton’s elite transition speed.

Oilers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
Vasily Podkolzin - Leon Draisaitl - Jack Roslovic
Matt Savoie - Jason Dickinson - Kasperi Kapanen
Adam Henrique - Josh Samanski - Trent Frederic

Defense
Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Jake Walman - Connor Murphy
Darnell Nurse - Spencer Stastney

Goalies
Connor Ingram
Tristan Jarry

Scratched
None

Injured
Colton Dach (undisclosed)
Ty Emberson (undisclosed)
Mattias Janmark (shoulder)
Curtis Lazar (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note:
Edmonton’s identity remains driven by McDavid and Draisaitl creating pace through the neutral zone. If the Oilers win the speed battle early, they can quickly tilt territorial pressure.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal
Oilers

Forecheck Signal
Blues

Blue Line Signal
Oilers through Bouchard’s puck movement.

Goalie Stability Signal
Even

X-Factor Signal
Thomas versus McDavid matchup in transition will define the tempo.

IHM Match Pressure Index

Offensive Pressure
Oilers

Transition Edge
Oilers

Defensive Stability
Blues

Goaltending Edge
Even

Game Control Projection
Edmonton should generate more rush opportunities, while St. Louis relies on structure and counter pressure.

Ottawa Senators vs Anaheim Ducks

Faceoff: 19:00 CET

Senators - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
James Reimer
Linus Ullmark

Scratched
Stephen Halliday
Kurtis MacDermid

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

IHM Lineup Note:
Ottawa’s top line drives most of the offensive creation through Stutzle’s speed and Giroux’s playmaking. Defensive stability will depend heavily on Chabot and Zub controlling puck retrievals.

Ducks - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso

Scratched
Frank Vatrano
Ross Johnston

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

IHM Lineup Note:
Anaheim mixes youth and veteran physicality, which can make their game unpredictable. If Carlsson’s line generates clean zone entries, the Ducks can challenge Ottawa’s defensive gaps.

Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies

Q1: What is a projected lineup?

A projected lineup is the best estimate of how teams will deploy their players based on morning skates, practices and coaching comments before puck drop.

Q2: Can projected lineups change?

Yes. Late scratches, illness, travel delays or coaching decisions can change the final lineup shortly before the game begins.

Q3: Why are starting goalies important?

Goaltending has the single largest impact on game outcomes because save percentage swings can dramatically influence scoring expectations.

Q4: Why do coaches adjust line combinations?

Line changes can be used to improve matchups, create chemistry between players or address injuries and fatigue.

Q5: What does the Match Pressure Index show?

The index summarizes the likely flow of the game by evaluating offense, transition, defensive structure and goaltending stability.

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day March 11, 2026

Date: 11 March
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Update: Lineups are based on latest team reports and may change before puck drop due to late scratches or coaching adjustments.

Boston Bruins vs Los Angeles Kings

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

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
Henri Jokiharju
Jordan Harris

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note: Boston can dictate rhythm if McAvoy controls the first pass and Pastrnak finds space off weak-side rotations. The Bruins should try to turn this into a structured possession game rather than trading rushes with a Kings team that prefers territorial control.

Kings - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg

Scratched
Mathieu Joseph
Jacob Moverare

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

IHM Lineup Note: Los Angeles remains a heavy structure team built around Kopitar’s puck management and Doughty’s breakout control. If the Kings keep Boston out of the middle lane and win the wall battles, they can slow the game into a lower-event matchup.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal:
Boston has the better chance to push tempo at home, especially if Pastrnak gets touches in motion through the middle.

Forecheck Signal:
The Bruins can pressure LA exits more aggressively, but the Kings are built to survive heavy retrieval sequences.

Blue Line Signal:
McAvoy vs Doughty is the main blue-line duel. Both can control exits, re-entries and game flow.

Goalie Stability Signal:
Kuemper gives Los Angeles strong game-management stability if this becomes a tighter defensive contest.

X-Factor Signal:
If Boston establishes slot traffic early, LA’s defensive layers will be tested far more than in a rush-based game.

Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs

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
Josh Anderson - Phillip Danault - Brendan Gallagher

Defense
Mike Matheson - Noah Dobson
Kaiden Guhle - Lane Hutson
Arber Xhekaj - Alexandre Carrier

Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Samuel Montembeault

Scratched
Jayden Struble
Alexandre Texier
Joe Veleno

Injured
Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Montreal’s attack is driven by Suzuki’s pace control and Caufield’s release threat, while Hutson and Dobson can move pucks quickly enough to break Toronto’s first layer. The Canadiens will want speed through the neutral zone and quick offensive support under the puck.

Maple Leafs - Projected lineup

Forwards
Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi
Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander
Easton Cowan - Jacob Quillan - Nicholas Robertson
Dakota Joshua - Benoit-Olivier Groulx - Steven Lorentz

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

Goalies
Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz

Scratched
Philippe Myers
Calle Jarnkrok

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note: Toronto’s top line can create repeated inside-lane chances when Matthews gets early touches off controlled entries. The Leafs need disciplined support above the puck, because Montreal’s transition speed can punish overcommitted pinches.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal:
Toronto likely pushes the cleaner offensive tempo if Matthews and Nylander begin generating controlled zone entries.

Forecheck Signal:
Montreal’s aggressive pressure can create disruption if the Leafs’ breakout timing is off.

Blue Line Signal:
Dobson and Hutson can heavily influence Montreal’s transition quality if they win the first-pass battle.

Goalie Stability Signal:
Montembeault’s rebound control becomes crucial against Matthews’ release profile and second chances around the crease.

X-Factor Signal:
If Tavares’ line wins the matchup against Montreal’s middle six, Toronto’s offensive depth edge grows significantly.

New York Rangers vs Calgary Flames

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Rangers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Gabe Perreault - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Jonny Brodzinski
Tye Kartye - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary
Adam Edstrom - Juuso Parssinen - Jaroslav Chmelar

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

Goalies
Jonathan Quick
Igor Shesterkin

Scratched
Vincent Iorio
Taylor Raddysh
Brett Berard

Injured
Matt Rempe (upper body)
J.T. Miller (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note: New York remains dependent on Fox to create orderly exits and tilt the game back into the offensive zone. Without Miller, the Rangers lose some puck-protection and transition force, so Zibanejad’s line has to drive more of the offense directly.

Flames - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Kevin Bahl - Yan Kuznetsov
Olli Maatta - Brayden Pachal
Joel Hanley - Zayne Parekh

Goalies
Dustin Wolf
Devin Cooley

Scratched
Martin Pospisil
John Beecher
Hunter Brzustewicz

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

IHM Lineup Note: Calgary needs to turn this into a grinding, disruptive game. If Backlund’s line can force New York into contested exits and stall Fox’s timing, the Flames have a path to slowing the Rangers’ offensive structure and turning the game into a physical trench battle.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal:
The Rangers hold the edge in clean pace creation, but Calgary can drag the game down if the forecheck connects early.

Forecheck Signal:
Calgary’s structure is better suited to making this a heavy game below the goal line.

Blue Line Signal:
Fox is the main blue-line driver. If he escapes pressure cleanly, New York’s control rises sharply.

Goalie Stability Signal:
Wolf gives Calgary a chance to survive long stretches without possession if the Rangers own puck share.

X-Factor Signal:
The Flames’ ability to win second pucks off dump-ins could completely reshape the flow of this matchup.

Florida Panthers vs Detroit Red Wings

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Panthers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Evan Rodrigues
Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
A.J. Greer - Tomas Nosek - Mackie Samoskevich
Vinnie Hinostroza - Luke Kunin - Jesper Boqvist

Defense
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis
Donovan Sebrango - Dmitry Kulikov

Goalies
Daniil Tarasov
Sergei Bobrovsky

Scratched
Sam Reinhart
Cole Reinhardt

Injured
Brad Marchand (lower body)
Seth Jones (collarbone)
Aleksander Barkov (knee)
Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note: Florida still plays with a heavy forecheck identity, but the injuries remove some finishing punch and two-way control. That puts even more pressure on Bennett and Tkachuk to generate chaos below the hashmarks and keep Detroit pinned in-zone.

Red Wings - Projected lineup

Forwards
Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie - Marco Kasper - Lucas Raymond
Mason Appleton - J.T. Compher - Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
James van Riemsdyk - Michael Rasmussen - Dominik Shine

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

Goalies
John Gibson
Cam Talbot

Scratched
Travis Hamonic
John Leonard
Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Injured
David Perron (lower body)
Dylan Larkin (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Detroit’s offensive structure is thinner without Larkin, so they need Kane and Raymond to control more of the play-driving. If Seider and Edvinsson can survive Florida’s forecheck and move pucks quickly, the Wings can create enough rush offense to stay dangerous.

IHM Tactical Signals

Pace Signal:
Florida prefers a heavier pace built on pressure, while Detroit needs more open ice to maximize skill touches.

Forecheck Signal:
The Panthers still carry the stronger puck-retrieval pressure game, even with missing top names.

Blue Line Signal:
Seider and Forsling are the most important stabilizers for their respective teams in this matchup.

Goalie Stability Signal:
Gibson becomes central if Detroit spends too much time defending below the dots.

X-Factor Signal:
If Detroit escapes Florida’s first layer cleanly, the Panthers’ depleted lineup becomes far easier to stretch.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Pittsburgh Penguins

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
Mike Reilly - Alexander Nikishin

Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi

Scratched
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Nicolas Deslauriers

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

IHM Lineup Note: Carolina can overwhelm opponents through forecheck volume and puck retrieval discipline. If Aho’s line starts establishing O-zone time early, Pittsburgh’s injury-hit center depth will have real trouble surviving long defensive sequences.

Penguins - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Stuart Skinner
Arturs Silovs

Scratched
Ryan Graves
Kevin Hayes

Injured
Sidney Crosby (lower body)
Jack St. Ivany (hand surgery)
Caleb Jones (lower body)
Samuel Girard (upper body)
Justin Brazeau (upper body)

Suspended
Evgeni Malkin

IHM Lineup Note: Pittsburgh is playing without several core drivers, which pushes even more offensive responsibility onto Karlsson and Letang. Against Carolina’s pressure game, the Penguins need short support routes and fast puck decisions or they risk being trapped below the goal line repeatedly.

Buffalo Sabres vs San Jose Sharks

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Sabres - Projected lineup

Forwards
Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Noah Ostlund - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
Zach Benson - Sam Carrick - Beck Malenstyn

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

Goalies
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis

Scratched
Logan Stanley
Luke Schenn
Tanner Pearson
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Injured
Tyson Kozak (undisclosed)
Jordan Greenway (middle body)
Conor Timmins (broken leg)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
Justin Danforth (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Buffalo’s best hockey comes when Dahlin controls the top of the zone and Thompson gets into one-timer space from dangerous inside lanes. Against San Jose, the Sabres should have the edge if their puck management stays clean and they avoid feeding easy counters off turnovers.

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
Ryan Reaves
Nick Leddy

Injured
Ty Dellandrea (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: San Jose’s youth-heavy forward core can create quick offensive bursts, but sustaining structure over 60 minutes remains the challenge. If the Sharks do not support pucks quickly enough on exits, Buffalo’s top skill lines can force long defensive stretches and tilt possession.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Lightning - Projected lineup

Forwards
Brandon Hagel - Anthony Cirelli - Nikita Kucherov
Jake Guentzel - Brayden Point - Gage Goncalves
Zemgus Girgensons - Yanni Gourde - Pontus Holmberg
Corey Perry - Connor Geekie - Oliver Bjorkstrand

Defense
J.J. Moser - Declan Carlile
Ryan McDonagh - Charle-Edouard D’Astous
Victor Hedman - Steven Santini

Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson

Scratched
Emil Lilleberg
Darren Raddysh
Scott Sabourin

Injured
Erik Cernak (undisclosed)
Dominic James (lower body)
Nick Paul (lower body)
Max Crozier (core muscle)

IHM Lineup Note: Tampa still has enough top-six skill to create elite chance quality, especially if Kucherov gets half-wall time and Point attacks downhill through seams. Their defensive pairings look thinner, though, so Columbus can find room if they win the transition race.

Blue Jackets - Projected lineup

Forwards
Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson - Sean Monahan - Conor Garland
Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundestrom - Boone Jenner - Miles Wood

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

Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves

Scratched
Dmitri Voronkov
Danton Heinen
Egor Zamula

Injured
Erik Gudbranson (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note: Columbus has become far more dangerous with added skill in the top-six, especially when Garland and Johnson can support controlled entries instead of pure straight-line attacks. If Werenski drives pace from the back end, the Blue Jackets can challenge Tampa’s thinner defensive structure.

St. Louis Blues vs New York Islanders

Faceoff: 01:30 CET

Blues - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

Scratched
Jonatan Berggren
Nathan Walker
Oskar Sundqvist
Justin Holl
Matthew Kessel

Injured
None

IHM Lineup Note: St. Louis gains a major boost with Parayko returning, especially on retrievals and penalty-kill stability. The Blues can create more off Thomas and Kyrou if they get enough controlled exits, but they still need to avoid allowing New York to settle into heavy cycle hockey.

Islanders - Projected lineup

Forwards
Emil Heineman - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal
Calum Ritchie - Brayden Schenn - Ondrej Palat
Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Simon Holmstrom
Anthony Duclair - 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
Kyle MacLean
Adam Boqvist

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

IHM Lineup Note: The Islanders should be comfortable in a slower, more territorial game where Horvat’s line can play through the middle and Schenn adds another heavy matchup option. If Sorokin controls rebounds, New York can gradually squeeze the life out of the pace.

Minnesota Wild vs Utah Mammoth

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Wild - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Filip Gustavsson
Jesper Wallstedt

Scratched
Daemon Hunt
Jeff Petry
Nico Sturm
Robby Fabbri

Injured
Marcus Foligno (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Minnesota has enough structure and top-end skill to dictate possession if Hughes and Faber control the first two passes out of the zone. The Wild should target Utah’s defensive depth with layered forecheck pressure and repeated middle-lane entries.

Utah Mammoth - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Sean Durzi - MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt - John Marino
Ian Cole - Nick DeSimone

Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek

Scratched
Liam O’Brien
Brandon Tanev
Dmitri Simashev

Injured
Mikhail Sergachev (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Utah still has enough speed to challenge Minnesota in transition, especially when Cooley and Keller start carrying pucks through the middle. The problem is defensive depth without Sergachev, which could show up if the Wild establish long-cycle offensive-zone pressure.

Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights

Faceoff: 02:00 CET

Stars - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith

Scratched
Nathan Bastian
Kyle Capobianco
Ilya Lyubushkin
Alexander Petrovic

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

IHM Lineup Note: Dallas remains one of the best structure teams in the league, with Heiskanen controlling pace from the back end and Robertson-Johnston driving offensive quality. If they keep Vegas from winning inside-lane entries, the Stars can force the game into their possession-based shape.

Golden Knights - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Braeden Bowman
Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Reilly Smith
Brandon Saad - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Colton Sissons

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

Goalies
Adin Hill
Akira Schmid

Scratched
Ben Hutton

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

IHM Lineup Note: Vegas is still dangerous because Eichel and Marner can create controlled entries against almost any structure. But without Stone and Karlsson, the Golden Knights lose some detail and finishing support, which puts more pressure on Theodore and the top-six to carry the attack.

Winnipeg Jets vs Anaheim Ducks

Faceoff: 02:30 CET

Jets - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Scratched
Ville Heinola

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

IHM Lineup Note: Winnipeg’s top line remains a powerful transition and finishing unit, especially when Morrissey is available to support cleaner exits. If the Jets establish their forecheck and force Anaheim into rushed puck decisions, they should control the territorial battle.

Ducks - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso

Scratched
Drew Helleson
Frank Vatrano

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

IHM Lineup Note: Anaheim will need Dostal to be sharp if Winnipeg wins the neutral-zone exchanges early. Their path is to keep the game physical, survive the first wave, and then attack off broken structure rather than trying to out-execute the Jets in a clean possession game.

Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Avalanche - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Scratched
Nick Blankenburg

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

IHM Lineup Note: Colorado can blow open games with MacKinnon’s speed and Makar’s layered support from the back end. If they force Edmonton into poor gap control and catch the Oilers’ defense flat-footed through the neutral zone, they can generate repeated high-danger rush looks.

Oilers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
Vasily Podkolzin - Leon Draisaitl - Jack Roslovic
Matt Savoie - Jason Dickinson - Kasperi Kapanen
Colton Dach - Josh Samanski - Trent Frederic

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

Goalies
Connor Ingram
Tristan Jarry

Scratched
Spencer Stastney

Injured
Adam Henrique (knee)
Mattias Janmark (shoulder)
Curtis Lazar (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note: Edmonton always carries game-breaking potential through McDavid and Draisaitl, but against Colorado they need elite puck management at both blue lines. If the Oilers give away transition chances, the Avalanche will turn that into pace, momentum and dangerous slot looks very quickly.

Q&A: Lineups, Matchups and Tactical Reading

Q1: What is the first thing serious readers should look at in a projected lineups post?

Look first at the centers, first two defense pairs and the expected starting goalie. Those three elements usually tell you how a team wants to control pace, manage matchups and protect the middle of the ice.

Q2: Why do coaching staffs value center depth so much?

Centers drive faceoff assignments, defensive support low in the zone, transition exits and matchup responsibility. When a team loses center depth, its structure often weakens in every zone.

Q3: How can one missing defenseman change the style of a game?

A missing top defenseman affects retrieval timing, first-pass efficiency, gap control and special teams balance. Teams often become more conservative without that stabilizer, especially in the neutral zone and on offensive blue-line holds.

Q4: What does it mean when a lineup looks more “balanced” than “top-heavy”?

It means the coach is trying to spread pressure across more than one line, reducing the chance that a single shutdown matchup can erase the offense. Balanced teams are often harder to defend over 60 minutes.

Q5: Why are bottom-six forwards so important in lineup analysis?

Because they shape shift quality and territorial momentum. A strong third and fourth line can extend O-zone time, wear down top defenders and make life easier for the scoring lines that follow.

Q6: How should readers interpret a “maintenance day” in status reports?

Usually as workload management rather than a full injury concern, but it still matters. Maintenance days can hint at reduced minutes, softer deployment or pregame uncertainty if something tightens up.

Q7: What tactical signal does a more physical lineup usually send?

It usually means the team wants to pressure retrievals, win wall battles and create a heavier game below the dots rather than rely purely on transition speed and controlled entry volume.

Q8: Why does goalie confirmation matter beyond just knowing who starts?

Because goalie style changes how teams defend. Some goalies handle pucks well and improve breakouts, while others encourage safer defense-zone habits and more conservative retrieval support from defensemen.

Q9: What is the biggest warning sign in a projected lineup?

A lineup that loses center strength and puck-moving defense at the same time. That combination often leads to messy exits, weak defensive layers and poor game control.

Q10: How can a newly acquired player affect tactics immediately?

Even before full chemistry forms, a new player can alter entry style, forecheck routes or defensive detail. A strong puck carrier changes transition shape, while a veteran center can stabilize matchup minutes right away.

Q11: Why does home ice matter so much in lineup-based analysis?

Because last change lets the home coach target favorable matchups, protect weaker lines and deploy shutdown pairs against elite scorers more consistently.

Q12: What do IHM Tactical Signals add that raw lineups do not?

They translate names into game logic. Raw lineups tell you who is in. Tactical Signals tell you where the game may tilt: pace, forecheck, blue-line control, goalie stability and the matchup detail that could decide the result.

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day March 9, 2026

Date: 09 March
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Update: Additional lineup adjustments may occur closer to puck drop due to late scratches, maintenance decisions or travel updates.

Detroit Red Wings vs New Jersey Devils

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Red Wings - Projected lineup

Forwards
Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie - Marco Kasper - Lucas Raymond
Mason Appleton - J.T. Compher - Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
James van Riemsdyk - Michael Rasmussen - Dominik Shine

Defense
Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot - Justin Faulk
Albert Johansson - Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Goalies
John Gibson
Cam Talbot

Scratched
Travis Hamonic
Elmer Soderblom
John Leonard

Injured
David Perron (lower body)
Dylan Larkin (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Detroit loses a major transition driver without Larkin, meaning puck transport responsibility shifts heavily toward Raymond and Kane. The Red Wings will rely on controlled zone entries rather than pure rush speed, while Faulk’s debut could stabilize puck movement from the second pair.

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

Goalies
Jake Allen
Jacob Markstrom

Scratched
Colton White
Dennis Cholowski
Evgenii Dadonov

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

IHM Lineup Note: New Jersey’s attack revolves around speed through the middle lanes with Hughes orchestrating tempo. The Devils will try to exploit Detroit’s slower defensive recoveries by forcing quick transition plays and activating Hamilton aggressively in the offensive zone.

St. Louis Blues vs Anaheim Ducks

Faceoff: 03:00 CET

Blues - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Philip Broberg - Cam Fowler
Tyler Tucker - Matthew Kessel
Colton Parayko - Logan Mailloux

Goalies
Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

Scratched
Justin Holl
Jonathan Drouin
Nathan Walker

IHM Lineup Note: St. Louis continues leaning on Thomas as the offensive engine, especially in controlled entries and high-slot distribution. If Parayko is fully available, the Blues gain a major defensive stabilizer capable of slowing Anaheim’s rush speed.

Ducks - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso

Scratched
Jansen Harkins
Drew Helleson

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

IHM Lineup Note: Anaheim’s top line blends size and finishing ability. Carlsson’s playmaking vision paired with Gauthier’s release creates strong scoring potential, but the Ducks must avoid extended defensive-zone sequences against the Blues’ heavier forecheck.

Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights

Faceoff: 03:30 CET

Oilers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
Vasily Podkolzin - Leon Draisaitl - Jack Roslovic
Matt Savoie - Jason Dickinson - Kasperi Kapanen
Colton Dach - Adam Henrique - Trent Frederic

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

Goalies
Connor Ingram
Tristan Jarry

Scratched
Josh Samanski
Spencer Stastney

Injured
Mattias Janmark (shoulder)
Curtis Lazar (undisclosed)

IHM Lineup Note: Edmonton’s offense still flows through the McDavid-Draisaitl dual-center dynamic. When both lines generate speed through the neutral zone, the Oilers become extremely difficult to contain due to layered rush attacks and trailing defense activation.

Golden Knights - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Adin Hill
Akira Schmid

Scratched
Ben Hutton
Reilly Smith

Injured
Carter Hart (lower body)
William Karlsson (lower body)
Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)
Mark Stone (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note: Vegas relies on structural discipline and balanced depth scoring. Eichel’s line drives puck possession, while Theodore’s mobility from the blue line allows the Knights to sustain pressure and control offensive-zone cycles.

Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Faceoff: 22:00 CET (Monday)

Kings - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg

IHM Lineup Note: LA’s defensive stability improves significantly with Doughty controlling breakouts. The Kings aim to slow the pace and force Columbus into structured half-ice hockey where Kopitar’s line can dominate possession.

Blue Jackets - Projected lineup

Forwards
Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson - Sean Monahan - Conor Garland
Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundestrom - Boone Jenner - Miles Wood

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

Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves

IHM Lineup Note: Columbus combines speed and physical pressure across the lineup. Fantilli’s development as a top-line center adds another transition weapon, especially when paired with Marchenko’s shooting ability on the rush.

Q&A: Lineups, Tactical Matchups and Coaching Decisions

Why do coaches change line combinations even after wins?

Because line chemistry evolves during the season. Coaches constantly search for better puck-retrieval balance, defensive reliability and scoring efficiency.

How important are defensive pairings compared with forward lines?

Defense pairs often influence puck possession more than forwards because they control breakouts and zone entries.

What is the biggest indicator of a team’s tactical identity?

Deployment patterns: how coaches distribute ice time between top-six forwards and shutdown lines.

Why are scratches important in lineup reports?

Scratches often signal tactical adjustments, injury management or upcoming roster moves.

What should analysts watch during the first five minutes?

Neutral-zone structure and forecheck patterns. Those early shifts reveal the strategic game plan.

How do injuries affect tactical systems?

Losing a top defenseman or center can completely change puck-movement structure and matchups.

Why do coaches value versatile players?

Players who can move between lines or positions give teams flexibility during in-game adjustments.

What does a “maintenance day” usually indicate?

It means the player is healthy but managing fatigue during the schedule.

Why do some teams play stronger at home?

Home teams control line matchups and last change, which allows better tactical deployment.

What is the most underrated lineup factor?

Depth lines. Strong third and fourth lines often determine puck possession over a full game.

NHL Projected Lineups - Game Day March 7, 2026

Date: 07 March
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom

Update: Projected lineups remain subject to change closer to puck drop due to late scratches, travel issues, maintenance days and final coaching decisions.

New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers

Faceoff: 21:00 CET

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

Goalies
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen

Scratched
Colton White
Dennis Cholowski
Evgenii Dadonov

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

IHM Lineup Note: New Jersey’s pace rises sharply with Jack Hughes back in the middle. The Devils can attack through quick middle-lane transport and weak-side support, but without Pesce their defensive spacing on second attacks and low-slot coverage becomes less stable against teams that reload quickly off broken plays.

Rangers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Gabe Perreault - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Taylor Raddysh
Tye Kartye - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary
Adam Edstrom - Jonny Brodzinski - Jaroslav Chmelar

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

Goalies
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick

Scratched
Urho Vaakanainen
Jaroslav Chmelar
Aidan Thompson
Jusso Parssinen

Injured
Matt Rempe (upper body)
J.T. Miller (upper body)

IHM Lineup Note: New York will want Fox controlling first-touch exits and slowing the Devils through compact neutral-zone layers. Without Miller, the Rangers lose a major puck-protection piece, so their offensive structure depends more on clean entries and faster support underneath Zibanejad’s line.

Buffalo Sabres vs Nashville Predators

Faceoff: 23:30 CET

Sabres - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis

Scratched
Sam Carrick
Logan Stanley
Luke Schenn
Tanner Pearson
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Injured
Tyson Kozak (undisclosed)
Jordan Greenway (middle body)
Conor Timmins (broken leg)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
Justin Danforth (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Buffalo’s attack still runs through Dahlin’s puck movement and Thompson’s release profile from dangerous inside lanes. If the Sabres can keep their breakouts clean and avoid extended D-zone shifts, they can stretch Nashville’s defensive layers and create repeated second-wave looks from the slot.

Predators - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Brady Skjei - Roman Josi
Nicolas Hague - Nick Perbix
Justin Barron - Ryan Ufko

Goalies
Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen

Scratched
None

Injured
Adam Wilsby (lower body)
Ryan O’Reilly

IHM Lineup Note: Nashville looks thinner down the middle without full certainty around O’Reilly, so the Predators may have to simplify their entry game and lean on Josi’s transport and weak-side shooting support. If they fail to win puck retrievals early, Buffalo can control tempo off the rush.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers

Faceoff: 23:30 CET

Penguins - Projected lineup

Forwards
Rickard Rakell - Ben Kindel - Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov - Tommy Novak - Ville Koivunen
Anthony Mantha - Kevin Hayes - Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - 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
Elmer Soderblom

Injured
Sidney Crosby (lower body)
Jack St. Ivany (hand surgery)
Caleb Jones (lower body)

Suspended
Evgeni Malkin

IHM Lineup Note: Pittsburgh is missing major center gravity, so their offensive game becomes more fragmented and reliant on Karlsson-Letang activation plus rush support from the wings. If they cannot establish controlled entries, the Penguins will struggle to create slot traffic consistently against Philadelphia’s layered defensive posture.

Flyers - Projected lineup

Forwards
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Luke Glendening
Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Nikita Grebenkin
Alex Bump - Carl Grundstrom - Garnet Hathaway

Defense
Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae - Noah Juulsen

Goalies
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson

Scratched
None

Injured
Tyson Foerster (arm)
Rodrigo Abols (lower body)
Travis Konecny (upper body)
Nick Seeler (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Philadelphia can turn this into a forecheck and board-battle game, especially if Couturier’s line controls defensive-zone matchups and Michkov’s line gets offensive-zone starts. Glendening’s addition gives them more defensive detail, which matters against a Penguins team trying to survive through structure rather than pure star power.

Los Angeles Kings vs Montreal Canadiens

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Kings - Projected lineup

Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore - Alex Turcotte - Alex Laferriere
Jared Wright - Kenny Connors - Mathieu Joseph
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

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

Goalies
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg

Scratched
Jacob Moverare
Scott Laughton

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

IHM Lineup Note: LA’s structure looks better with Doughty back, because it sharpens their first-pass game and stabilizes defensive retrievals. The Kings still lack some high-end finishing depth, so their path is possession, low-to-high pressure, and repeated second chances rather than trading rush chances with Montreal.

Canadiens - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Lane Hutson - Noah Dobson
Mike Matheson - Kaiden Guhle
Arber Xhekaj - Alexandre Carrier

Goalies
Jakub Dobes
Samuel Montembeault

Scratched
Jayden Struble
Alexandre Texier
Joe Veleno

Injured
Patrik Laine (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Montreal can create offense with speed through the middle and lateral puck movement from Hutson and Dobson, but LA will try to pin them into a heavier, lower-event structure. If Suzuki’s line can break through the first layer cleanly, the Canadiens can expose slower recovery routes on the Kings’ back end.

Winnipeg Jets vs Vancouver Canucks

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Jets - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Scratched
Ville Heinola

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

IHM Lineup Note: Morrissey’s return is huge because it restores Winnipeg’s transitional rhythm and blue-line composure. The Jets can control this game if they keep Vancouver from exiting cleanly and turn neutral-zone pressure into quick re-entries and net-front sequences.

Canucks - Projected lineup

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

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

Goalies
Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo

Scratched
Curtis Douglas

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

IHM Lineup Note: Vancouver needs to keep this game mobile and avoid long defensive-zone cycles where Winnipeg’s size can wear them down. Pettersson’s line must control the puck through the middle lane and turn offensive-zone entries into immediate shot threats rather than perimeter possession.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs Utah Mammoth

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Blue Jackets - Projected lineup

Forwards
Mason Marchment - Adam Fantilli - Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson - Sean Monahan - Conor Garland
Cole Sillinger - Charlie Coyle - Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundestrom - Boone Jenner - Miles Wood

Defense
Zach Werenski - Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov - Denton Mateychuk
Egor Zamula - Erik Gudbranson

Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves

Scratched
Danton Heinen
Dmitri Voronkov
Jake Christiansen

Injured
Dante Fabbro (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Columbus gets a real skill boost with Garland and Johnson in the top-six mix, which should improve controlled entry quality and east-west play around the slot. The concern is on the back end, where Fabbro’s absence and Zamula’s insertion could affect retrieval stability under Utah’s forecheck pressure.

Utah Mammoth - Projected lineup

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

Defense
Nate Schmidt - Sean Durzi
Ian Cole - Nick DeSimone
Dmitri Simashev - John Marino

Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek

Scratched
Liam O’Brien
Brandon Tanev
MacKenzie Weegar

Injured
Mikhail Sergachev (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Utah’s speed and layered transition game remain dangerous, but Sergachev’s absence reduces their top-end puck transport from the blue line. If they can still get clean exits and let Cooley’s line attack with pace, they can pressure Columbus’ third pair and force coverage errors.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Faceoff: 01:00 CET

Maple Leafs - Projected lineup

Forwards
Matias Maccelli - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Easton Cowan
Nicholas Robertson - Max Domi - Dakota Joshua
Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Jarnkrok

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

Goalies
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll

Scratched
Philippe Myers

Injured
Chris Tanev (groin)

IHM Lineup Note: Toronto’s first line is built to manufacture controlled entries and then stretch coverage laterally around Matthews and Nylander. If the Leafs can force Tampa’s defense into repeated pivots and keep strong F3 support, they can attack the slot with more regularity than off pure point-volume hockey.

Lightning - Projected lineup

Forwards
Jake Guentzel - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Oliver Bjorkstrand - Anthony Cirelli - Brandon Hagel
Zemgus Girgensons - Yanni Gourde - Pontus Holmberg
Scott Sabourin - Connor Geekie - Corey Perry

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

Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson

Scratched
Emil Lilleberg
Declan Carlile

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

IHM Lineup Note: Tampa can still create premium offense through Kucherov’s half-wall manipulation and Point’s timing through the middle, but Toronto’s puck pressure can disrupt those seam plays if the Leafs keep their structure above the puck. Perry’s arrival adds more crease-layer detail and secondary finishing presence around rebounds.

Calgary Flames vs Carolina Hurricanes

Faceoff: 04:00 CET

Flames - Projected lineup

Forwards
Yegor Sharangovich - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato
Blake Coleman - Morgan Frost - Joel Farabee
Connor Zary - Ryan Strome - Martin Pospisil
Ryan Lomberg - John Beecher - Adam Klapka

Defense
Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud
Yan Kuznetsov - Brayden Pachal
Olli Maatta - Zayne Parekh

Goalies
Dustin Wolf
Devin Cooley

Scratched
Joel Hanley
Victor Olofsson

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

IHM Lineup Note: Calgary needs this to be a wall-battle and forecheck game, because if Carolina starts dictating pace through the middle, the Flames’ puck support can break down. New additions help depth, but their defensive spacing must stay disciplined against Carolina’s relentless second-wave pressure.

Hurricanes - Projected lineup

Forwards
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Jordan Martinook
William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson

Defense
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller - Sean Walker
Mike Reilly - Alexander Nikishin

Goalies
Brandon Bussi
Frederik Andersen

Scratched
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Nicolas Deslauriers

Injured
Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body)
Charles-Alexis Legault (hand)
Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body)

IHM Lineup Note: Carolina’s identity remains pace, forecheck, retrievals and repeated O-zone layering. Even without Gostisbehere, they can tilt the ice if Slavin’s pair controls exits and Aho’s line keeps forcing Calgary’s defense to turn and defend from underneath the puck.

Q&A: Projected Lineups, Matchups and Tactical Signals

Q1: Why do projected lineups matter more than just knowing who is active?

Because deployment reveals tactical intent. A player being active tells you availability. A player’s line, partner and likely usage tells you whether the team wants speed, forecheck pressure, defensive stability, matchup protection or offensive-zone creation.

Q2: What is the biggest clue that a team will play a lower-event game?

Look for a heavier bottom-six, more conservative third pair, and centers known for defensive-zone faceoff work. Those lineup signals usually mean the coach wants cleaner exits, more puck safety, and fewer rush exchanges.

Q3: How does the absence of one defenseman change an entire team structure?

If the missing defenseman is a top puck mover, zone exits become more predictable, retrieval speed drops and forwards have to come lower to support. That can weaken transition attack and leave fewer numbers available above the puck.

Q4: What should readers watch first in a lineup post if they want to understand matchup strategy?

Start with the top-six centers, then the first two defense pairs, then the goalie choice. Those three areas usually tell you whether the coach is prioritizing pace, structure, physical control or transition pressure.

Q5: Why are third and fourth lines so important in hockey analysis?

Because they shape the rhythm of the game. Strong depth lines can extend offensive-zone time, tilt momentum after TV breaks, and protect the top-six from hard defensive minutes. Weak depth lines get trapped, forcing stars into overuse.

Q6: What does “maintenance day” usually imply for projected lineups?

It often means the player is still likely to play, but the coaching staff is managing workload. It is not the same as a clear injury absence, though it can become one if symptoms worsen before puck drop.

Q7: How should a reader interpret a team using a backup or unconfirmed goalie?

Goalie choice can shift the team’s tactical risk tolerance. A trusted starter may allow more aggressive pinches and tighter gaps. A backup start often leads to slightly simpler exits, more conservative neutral-zone posture, and stronger focus on box-outs.

Q8: Why do new acquisitions often start lower in the lineup even if they are skilled?

Because coaches prioritize structure first. New players must learn forecheck routes, D-zone responsibilities, line-change timing and special teams reads. Even skilled players often begin in sheltered usage before earning larger matchup minutes.

Q9: What is the tactical value of a strong F3 in modern lineup usage?

F3 protects against counterattacks by staying above the puck and reading weak-side danger. Teams with disciplined F3 habits can activate defense more confidently because they have a built-in transition safety layer.

Q10: What lineup signal suggests a team wants more net-front offense?

Look for heavier wingers moving up, bigger centers playing between skilled passers, and defense pairs that shoot more from the point. Those combinations usually indicate a plan to create rebounds, screens and second chances rather than pure rush chances.

Q11: How does a returning top defenseman change a matchup immediately?

It improves more than defense. Breakouts get cleaner, pair matchups become more efficient, special teams stabilise, and the forwards no longer need to over-support low in the zone. That usually restores a team’s preferred pace and spacing.

Q12: Why do some lineups look unbalanced on paper but still work in games?

Because coaches do not always build lines for pure talent symmetry. Some groups are designed for retrievals, some for matchup defense, some for zone starts, and some for late-game situations. Function often matters more than appearance.

Q13: What is the best way to read an IHM Lineup Note?

Read it as a tactical forecast, not just a summary. It tells you where the game may tilt: forecheck pressure, gap control, middle-lane defense, transition pace, point activation, or crease-layer detail around rebounds and second attacks.

Q14: Can projected lineups still change after this post is published?

Yes. Treat projected lineups as the latest reliable snapshot, not a final card. Warmup adjustments, late illness updates, travel complications and coaching matchup decisions can still change the final combinations before puck drop.

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.