Date: 28 February
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom
Update: Additional matchups will be added as projected lineups are updated throughout the day.
Florida Panthers vs Buffalo Sabres
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Panthers - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Carter Verhaeghe - Evan Rodrigues - Sam Reinhart
- Mackie Samoskevich - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
- Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Brad Marchand
- A.J. Greer - Cole Schwindt - Sandis Vilmanis
Defense
- Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis
- Donovan Sebrango - Jeff Petry
Goalies
- Sergei Bobrovsky
- Daniil Tarasov
Scratched
- Luke Kunin
- Jesper Boqvist
- Tobias Bjornfot
Injured
- Seth Jones (collarbone)
- Aleksander Barkov (knee)
- Tomas Nosek (knee)
- Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)
- Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder)
IHM Lineup Note:
Florida’s forward groups are built for layered O-zone pressure: strong F1 pursuit, quick support routes, and constant net-front presence. Without Barkov, their center depth leans more on pace and forecheck structure than pure two-way control, so defensive reloads and slot coverage timing become even more important.
Sabres - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
- Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
- Noah Ostlund - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
- Josh Dunne - Tyson Kozak - Beck Malenstyn
Defense
- Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
- Zach Metsa - Michael Kesselring
- Bowen Byram - Owen Power
Goalies
- Alex Lyon
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Scratched
- Jacob Bryson
- Anton Wahlberg
- Colten Ellis
Injured
- Zach Benson (upper body)
- Jordan Greenway (middle body)
- Conor Timmins (broken leg)
- Jiri Kulich (blood clot)
- Justin Danforth (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Buffalo’s blueprint is pace and shot volume with Dahlin driving transition and activating into the rush as a second-layer attacker. Against Florida’s forecheck, the Sabres must prioritize clean zone exits and avoid soft rims under pressure, because extended D-zone shifts will lead to breakdowns in the low slot.
Washington Capitals vs Vegas Golden Knights
Faceoff: 01:00 CET
Capitals - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Alex Ovechkin - Dylan Strome - Aliaksei Protas
- Connor McMichael - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Tom Wilson
- Anthony Beauvillier - Justin Sourdif - Ryan Leonard
- Brandon Duhaime - Nic Dowd - Ethen Frank
Defense
- Martin Fehervary - Trevor van Riemsdyk
- Jakob Chychrun - Matt Roy
- Declan Chisholm - Rasmus Sandin
Goalies
- Logan Thompson
- Charie Lindgren
Scratched
- Dylan McIlrath
- Hendrix Lapierre
Injured
- John Carlson (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Without Carlson, Washington loses a key puck-moving hub and first-pass distributor, so breakouts may lean more on simple support and chip-and-chase sequences. Ovechkin still hunts the weak-side shooting pocket, and Dubois adds puck protection down the middle to help sustain O-zone time.
Golden Knights - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone
- Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Reilly Smith
- Braeden Bowman - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar
- Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Alexander Holtz
Defense
- Jeremy Lauzon - Shea Theodore
- Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
- Brayden McNabb - Kaedan Korczak
Goalies
- Akira Schmid
- Adin Hill
Scratched
- Cole Reinhardt
- Ben Hutton
Injured
- Carter Hart (lower body)
- Brett Howden (lower body)
- William Karlsson (lower body)
- Jonas Rondbjerg (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Vegas is built for matchup control and aggressive neutral-zone pressure that forces rushed exits and quick re-entries. With Eichel and Theodore back, their transition pace and blue-line activation improve, and Marner adds elite puck transport to drive controlled entries and high-danger looks off seams.
Utah Mammoth vs Minnesota Wild
Faceoff: 03:00 CET
Mammoth - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Clayton Keller - Nick Schmaltz - Lawson Crouse
- Jack McBain - Logan Cooley - Dylan Guenther
- JJ Peterka - Barrett Hayton - Kailer Yamamoto
- Alexander Kerfoot - Kevin Stenlund - Michael Carcone
Defense
- Mikhail Sergachev - Sean Durzi
- Nate Schmidt - John Marino
- Ian Cole - Nick DeSimone
Goalies
- Karel Vejmelka
- Vitek Vanecek
Scratched
- Olli Maatta
- Liam O’Brien
- Brandon Tanev
Injured
- None
IHM Lineup Note:
Utah has multiple lines that can attack off transition with speed, but the key is defending the middle lane on the backcheck. Sergachev-Durzi can drive controlled exits and quick counterattacks, yet they must manage pinches to avoid giving Minnesota odd-man rushes.
Wild - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello
- Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Matt Boldy
- Yakov Trenin - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko
- Marcus Foligno - Nico Sturm - Vinnie Hinostroza
Defense
- Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber
- Jacob Middleton - Jared Spurgeon
- Daemon Hunt - Zach Bogosian
Goalies
- Jesper Wallstedt
- Filip Gustavsson
Scratched
- Ben Jones
- Matt Kiersted
Injured
- Jonas Brodin (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Minnesota can generate layered offense through strong puck support and quick slot rotations, with Eriksson Ek acting as a net-front and retrieval anchor. The Hughes-Faber pair brings elite puck movement, so expect Minnesota to look for fast up-ice distribution and controlled entries rather than dumping pucks blindly.
Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets
Faceoff: 04:00 CET
Ducks - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Cutter Gauthier
- Alex Killorn - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
- Jeffrey Viel - Ryan Poehling - Jansen Harkins
- Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Frank Vatrano
Defense
- Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
- Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas
- Pavel Mintyukov - Ian Moore
Goalies
- Lukas Dostal
- Ville Husso
Scratched
- Drew Helleson
- Ryan Strome
Injured
- Mikael Granlund (upper body)
- Troy Terry (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Anaheim’s forward mix can produce net-front pressure and cycle shifts, but their biggest need is clean execution on exits to avoid getting trapped. Trouba’s presence changes the physical tone and defensive spacing, yet puck movement under pressure will decide whether they can transition efficiently.
Jets - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Gabriel Vilardi
- Cole Perfetti - Adam Lowry - Alex Iafallo
- Gustav Nyquist - Jonathan Toews - Vladislav Namestnikov
- Cole Koepke - Morgan Barron - Tanner Pearson
Defense
- Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson
- Logan Stanley - Dylan DeMelo
- Ville Heinola - Luke Schenn
Goalies
- Connor Hellebuyck
- Eric Comrie
Scratched
- Walker Duehr
- Kale Clague
- Domenic DiVincentiis
Injured
- Josh Morrissey (upper body)
- Nino Niederreiter (undisclosed)
- Neal Pionk (undisclosed)
- Haydn Fleury (bruised back)
- Colin Miller (knee)
IHM Lineup Note:
Winnipeg’s top line can tilt the ice with controlled entries and quick-strike offense, but injuries on the blue line reduce breakout options. If Morrissey and Pionk remain out, the Jets will likely simplify retrievals, prioritize safe wall plays, and lean on Hellebuyck to stabilize high-danger moments.
New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Faceoff: 18:30 CET
Rangers - Projected lineup
Forwards
- J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad - Gabe Perreault
- Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
- Conor Sheary - Noah Laba - Brendan Brisson
- Tye Kartye - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh
Defense
- Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
- Braden Schneider - Will Borgen
- Matthew Robertson - Vincent Iorio
Goalies
- Igor Shesterkin
- Jonathan Quick
Scratched
- Jonny Brodzinski
- Scott Morrow
- Urho Vaakanainen
Injured
- Matt Rempe (upper body)
- Adam Edstrom (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
With Fox back in the top pair, New York’s transition game and controlled exits improve immediately. The Rangers will look to manage the neutral zone with layered structure, then attack off quick entries and middle-lane drives to create second chances in the slot.
Penguins - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Egor Chinakhov - Tommy Novak - Evgeni Malkin
- Avery Hayes - Rickard Rakell - Bryan Rust
- Anthony Mantha - Ben Kindel - Justin Brazeau
- Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari
Defense
- Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
- Ryan Shea - Kris Letang
- Ryan Graves - Connor Clifton
Goalies
- Stuart Skinner
- Arturs Silovs
Scratched
- Kevin Hayes
- Ilya Solovyov
Injured
- Sidney Crosby (lower body)
- Samuel Girard (lower body)
- Jack St. Ivany (hand surgery)
- Caleb Jones (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Without Crosby, Pittsburgh’s center depth shifts and their puck-possession baseline drops, so they must play cleaner, simpler hockey. Karlsson still drives transition, but the Penguins need tight gap control and disciplined puck support to avoid being stretched by New York’s speed through the neutral zone.
Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins
Faceoff: 21:00 CET
Flyers - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
- Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
- Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
- Nik ita Grebenkin - Carl Grundstrom - Garnet Hathaway
Defense
- Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
- Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
- Nick Seeler - Noah Juulsen
Goalies
- Dan Vladar
- Samuel Ersson
Scratched
- Emil Andrae
- Nicolas Deslauriers
Injured
- Tyson Foerster (arm)
- Rodrigo Abols (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
Philadelphia’s best chance is to win the forecheck battle and create east-west movement before Boston’s structure sets. Zegras can drive creative entries, but Couturier’s line has to handle heavy defensive-zone matchups and protect the slot against Bruins net-front pressure.
Bruins - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Marat Khusnutdinov - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak
- Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
- Michael Eyssimont - Fraser Minten - Morgan Geekie
- Tanner Jeannot - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic
Defense
- Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy
- Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei
- Nikita Zadorov - Andrew Peeke
Goalies
- Jeremy Swayman
- Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched
- Alex Steeves
- Henri Jokiharju
- Jordan Harris
Injured
- None
IHM Lineup Note:
Boston’s game revolves around controlled zone time, layered slot presence, and strong wall play that turns into second-chance offense. With McAvoy and Lindholm anchoring matchups, the Bruins can keep tight gaps and force low-percentage shots, then counter off quick retrievals.
San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers
Faceoff: 22:00 CET
Sharks - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Will Smith - Macklin Celebrini - Kiefer Sherwood
- Philipp Kurashev - Alexander Wennberg - Collin Graf
- William Eklund - Michael Misa - Tyler Toffoli
- Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Ryan Reaves
Defense
- Dmitry Orlov - John Klingberg
- Mario Ferraro - Timothy Liljegren
- Sam Dickinson - Vincent Desharnais
Goalies
- Yaroslav Askarov
- Alex Nedeljkovic
Scratched
- Adam Gaudette
- Pavol Regenda
- Shakir Mukhamadullin
Injured
- Ty Dellandrea (lower body)
IHM Lineup Note:
San Jose will need strong puck support on exits and disciplined spacing to survive Edmonton’s speed through the neutral zone. If the Sharks cannot protect the middle lane, they will be forced into extended defensive-zone shifts and repeated slot collapses.
Oilers - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
- Matt Savoie - Leon Draisaitl - Jack Roslovic
- Vasily Podkolzin - Adam Henrique - Trent Frederic
- Andrew Mangiapane - Curtis Lazar - Kasperi Kapanen
Defense
- Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
- Darnell Nurse - Jake Walman
- Spencer Stastney - Ty Emberson
Goalies
- Connor Ingram
- Tristan Jarry
Scratched
- None
Injured
- Mattias Janmark (undisclosed)
IHM Lineup Note:
Edmonton’s top unit is an entry machine, forcing early defensive collapses and creating slot looks off speed and quick support routes. If the Oilers win the retrieval battle, Bouchard can keep pucks alive at the blue line and sustain pressure through layered attacks.
St. Louis Blues vs New Jersey Devils
Faceoff: 23:00 CET
Blues - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Brayden Schenn - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jimmy Snuggerud
- Jake Neighbours - Pavel Buchnevich - Jordan Kyrou
- Dylan Holloway - Pius Suter - Jonatan Berggren
- Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Nathan Walker
Defense
- Philip Broberg - Colton Parayko
- Tyler Tucker - Justin Faulk
- Cam Fowler - Logan Mailloux
Goalies
- Jordan Binnington
- Joel Hofer
Scratched
- Robby Fabbri
- Matthew Kessel
Injured
- Robert Thomas (lower body)
- Oskar Sundqvist (upper body)
IHM Lineup Note:
St. Louis is built to play direct and attack off quick turnovers, but without Thomas their center depth and controlled-entry efficiency drop. The Blues need strong wall play, net-front presence, and disciplined tracking to avoid getting stretched by New Jersey speed.
Devils - Projected lineup
Forwards
- Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer
- Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Connor Brown
- Arseny Gritsyuk - Cody Glass - Lenni Hameenaho
- Paul Cotter - Nick Bjugstad - Maxim Tsyplakov
Defense
- Brett Pesce - Johnathan Kovacevic
- Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton
- Brenden Dillon - Simon Nemec
Goalies
- Jacob Markstrom
- Jake Allen
Scratched
- Luke Glendening
- Evgenii Dadonov
- Colton White
Injured
- Luke Hughes (shoulder)
- Stefan Noesen (knee)
- Zack MacEwen (ACL)
IHM Lineup Note:
With Jack Hughes back in the top six, New Jersey’s transition pace and controlled-entry threat rises immediately. The Devils can create seam looks off quick puck movement, but they must manage turnovers at both blue lines to avoid giving St. Louis momentum through counterattacks.
Q&A: Projected Lineups and Starting Goalies
Q1: What are projected lineups?
Projected lineups are the expected forward lines and defense pairs based on the latest practice information, morning skate reports, and beat-writer updates. They can change closer to puck drop.
Q2: When are starting goalies confirmed?
Starters are most often confirmed after morning skate or during pregame media availability. Final confirmation can also come 30 to 90 minutes before faceoff.
Q3: Why do line combinations change on game day?
Coaches adjust lines for matchups, injury status, travel fatigue, and special teams roles. Late scratches can force quick reshuffles and role changes.
Q4: What is the difference between scratched and injured?
A scratched player is healthy but not in the lineup. Injured players are unavailable due to a reported injury or medical status designation.
Q5: How should I read forward lines and defense pairs?
Lines reflect expected even-strength usage, while defense pairs indicate matchup structure and puck-moving roles. Special teams usage can differ from the listed units.
Q6: What do the IHM lineup notes focus on?
The notes focus on forecheck structure, neutral-zone approach, transition quality, and how personnel changes affect matchups, tempo, and scoring chance quality.
Q7: Can projected lineups change after this post is published?
Yes. Treat projected lineups as the latest snapshot. Always re-check starters and late lineup updates closer to puck drop.
