NHL Player News

Ullmark (lower body) is not expected back for Saturday's clash with Utah, TSN 1200 Ottawa reports.

Ullmark will be sidelined for his eighth consecutive game due to his upper-body problem. Still, the fact that the 33-year-old netminder was on the ice for Friday's practice is a good indication he'll be back sooner rather than later. In the meantime, Samuel Ersson should continue to see the bulk of the workload.

Greaves will tend the twine on the road versus Buffalo on Friday, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.

Greaves is mired in a three-game losing streak during which he posted a 4.02 GAA and has managed just one victory in his prior seven contests. With the 25-year-old netminder struggling, the Jackets have turned to Cam Talbot and may continue to do so if Greaves struggles linger.

DeSmith stopped 29 of 30 shots in Thursday's 2-1 shootout loss to the Blue Jackets.

DeSmith was just over three minutes away from his second shutout of the season before Zach Werenski tied the contest late in regulation. His strong performance reinforces his value as a reliable backup, although his fantasy ceiling remains limited by his secondary role behind Jake Oettinger. This was just the fourth appearance DeSmith has made this season, though he has a .909 save percentage and 2.42 GAA in those four games while going 1-2-1. He has posted a single-game save percentage of .920 or higher in three of his four appearances.

Talbot stopped 27 of 28 shots in Thursday's 2-1 shootout win over the Stars.

Talbot kept Dallas scoreless through two periods, making several difficult saves before surrendering Mikko Rantanen's third-period goal. Columbus rallied late and prevailed in the shootout, giving the veteran his fifth win of the season. His .964 save percentage was particularly encouraging, and this was the fourth straight outing in which he posted a single-game save percentage above the .900 mark. He's on a four-game winning streak, posting a 1.69 GAA and a .940 save percentage with 109 stops on 116 shots faced over that stretch.

Tarasov stopped 32 of 34 shots in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights.

Tarasov kept Vegas scoreless through 40 minutes and finished with a .941 save percentage, but Trevor Connelly's late winner denied him a positive result. The netminder delivered an encouraging performance despite falling to 2-2-2, particularly with John Gibson (lower body) currently carrying a day-to-day status. Tarasov has posted a save percentage of .920 or higher in his last two starts and in four of his seven outings this season. He's made three starts in a row and should continue to see more playing time until Gibson is ready to return.

Hart stopped 25 of 26 shots in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Red Wings.

Hart kept Detroit scoreless through the first two periods before allowing Anton Johansson to score early in the third, but a late comeback allowed the Golden Knights -- and Hart -- to earn the win. Hart now has a 5-3-2 record this season, and Vegas' strong offensive support continues to provide a favorable environment for accumulating wins. The 28-year-old netminder has a 2.49 GAA and a .900 save percentage in his 10 starts.

Pickard is slated to start Saturday's home game against the Sharks, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.

Although Jesper Wallstedt will draw a fifth consecutive start during Friday's home game against the Sharks, Pickard will be in the crease for the second time in the Wild's last 11 games during the second half of the back-to-back set. Across his two appearances this season, Pickard has gone 1-1-0 with a 3.50 GAA and .833 save percentage.

Wallstedt will start Friday's home game against the Sharks, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.

Wallstedt will draw a fifth consecutive start Friday before Calvin Pickard defends the home crease in the second half of the back-to-back set Saturday against the Lightning. Across his last four outings, Wallstedt has gone 3-0-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .924 save percentage.

Wolf will get the starting nod at home versus the Ducks on Friday, Pat Steinberg of QR Calgary 770 AM reports.

Wolf is undefeated in regulation over his last three contests, posting a 2-0-1 record, 1.66 GAA and .936 save percentage. With the 25-year-old netminder making his third straight start, it seems that he has reclaimed the No. 1 job after sitting four straight in late October.

Gibson (lower body) participated in Friday's practice session, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Gibson sustained a lower-body injury during Tuesday's game against the Lightning, and he was unavailable for Thursday's matchup against the Golden Knights. It's not yet clear whether Gibson will be able to suit up for Saturday's road game against Colorado, but he doesn't appear to be facing a long-term absence.