NHL Player News

Vladar will get the starting nod on the road against the Capitals on Wednesday, Jackie Spiegel of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Vladar was struggling prior to the break, going 1-1-2 in his last five outings despite a decent 2.54 GAA. With the Czech backstop getting the start Wednesday, fantasy managers can probably expect to see Samuel Ersson (lower body) play in Thursday's road matchup versus the Rangers, assuming he's healthy enough to play.

Thompson will start Wednesday's home game against the Flyers, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.

Although Thompson saw some playing time for Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, he won't require additional rest time following the break in the NHL schedule and will start during the Capitals' first game back. Over his six starts leading up to the Olympic break, he went 2-4-0 with a 3.06 GAA and .892 save percentage.

Allen was the first goalie off during Wednesday's morning skate, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports, indicating that he'll draw the home start against the Sabres.

Allen was somewhat shaky leading up to the Olympic break, going 1-6-0 with a 3.08 GAA and .880 save percentage over his seven appearances since the start of the calendar year. However, he'll draw the start during the Devils' first game back in action after Jacob Markstrom played for Sweden at the Olympics.

Poirier was loaned to AHL Texas on Wednesday.

Poirier's return to the minors after being recalled Tueday signals that Jake Oettinger should be available to serve as Casey DeSmith's backup in Wednesday's home game against the Kraken. Poirier has yet to make his NHL debut, and he's gone 16-14-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .906 save percentage across 34 AHL appearances this year.

Hart (lower body) was transferred to long-term injured reserve on Tuesday, per PuckPedia.

Hart's move to LTIR created the cap flexibility necessary to activate Brayden McNabb (upper body). Hart's status hasn't been updated since he landed on injured reserve Jan. 15. Adin Hill and Akira Schmid will handle the goaltending for Vegas while Hart remains out.

Portillo was loaned to AHL Ontario on Tuesday.

After getting the call-up earlier Tuesday, Portillo will return to Ontario, which indicates that Darcy Kuemper will likely be available for the Kings' matchup Wednesday. If the Kings end up needing Portillo during their upcoming back-to-back, he'll likely be called back up before the second game. Across 20 appearances in the AHL this season, the 25-year-old netminder has a 14-3-1 record, a 2.47 GAA and a .905 save percentage.

Portillo was called up from AHL Ontario on Tuesday.

Portillo's elevation to the NHL roster is a good indication that Darcy Kuemper won't be back from Milan in time to face the Golden Knights on Wednesday, which means Anton Forsberg could get the starting nod at home. With the Kings heading into a back-to-back, it's certainly possible that Portillo gets into one of the two games, though Kuemper will likely be available in time to face Edmonton on Thursday.

DiPietro was recalled from AHL Providence on Tuesday on an emergency basis, according to Scott McLaughlin of WEEI.

This is DiPietro's second call-up under emergency conditions in the last week, as he'll continue to help the Bruins in practice as a result of Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics. The NHL season resumes Wednesday, but the Bruins aren't back in action until Thursday versus Columbus, so Swayman should be back with the team by then after winning the gold medal Sunday. If that's the case, DiPietro will probably be sent back to Providence in the near future.

Poirier was recalled from AHL Texas on Tuesday.

Poirier figures to serve as the backup to Casey DeSmith on Wednesday, as starter Jake Oettinger is still making his way back from the Olympics. Fantasy managers can likely expect the 24-year-old Poirier to be shipped back to the minors after Wednesday's matchup.

Lankinen is not expected to suit up against the Jets on Wednesday, Jeff Paterson of CanucksArmy.com reports.

Lankinen is still making his way back from Milan after taking part in the Winter Olympics with Finland. The Canucks recalled Nikita Tolopilo from AHL Abbotsford on Monday, though whether Tolopilo or Jiri Patera gets the nod versus Winnipeg remains to be seen. Even with the travel delays, Lankinen should be back in time to get the nod on the road versus Seattle on Saturday.