Malinski has played in eight straight games and has scored four points (1G / 3A) in his last four, but will be a healthy scratch on Friday to allow Jack Johnson to draw back into the lineup. Malinski has been effective in limited time this season, scoring 10 points (3G / 7A) in 22 games while averaging only 14:19 time-on-ice.
Lehkonen has been a full participant at practice for the last two weeks and will return to the lineup for the first time since suffering a neck injury on November 9th. Before his injury, Lehkonen had eight points (3G / 5A) in 12 games, averaging 18:30 time-on-ice, playing predominantly alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, including a spot on the top powerplay. With Valeri Nichushkin out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, Lehkonen should benefit immediately from favourable offensive deployment.
Blackwood served as the backup last night and will tend the twine on Tuesday in the back end of a back-to-back. The Sharks are riding a rare two-game winning streak, but are sizeable +291 home underdogs against a New York Rangers team that defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 in their last contest. Blackwood has saved 55 of the last 59 shots he faced (.932 SV%) over his last two games (1-0-1).
Wedgewood started Saturday and won after stopping 29 of 31 shots against (.935 SV%) and will surprisingly retake the Stars' crease Sunday for a second straight start. Tonight he will take on an Islanders team that has lost four in a row and eight of their last 10, but have a new head coach, after hiring Patrick Roy on Saturday.
Necas has been out since January 2nd due to an upper-body injury but will return to the Hurricanes' lineup Friday vs. Detroit. The 25-year-old broke out with a 71 point campaign in 2022-23 but has failed to take another step forward this season with just nine goals and 26 points in 38 games prior to the injury.
Barre-Boulet will be the odd-man out on Thursday as Waltteri Merela will draw into the lineup. Barre-Boulet has six goals and three assists in 31 games this season.
Necas has been sidelined for the last five games due to an upper-body injury, but was a full participant at practice on Wednesday, skating alongside Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen. Before his injury, Necas was amid a dry spell, scoring only three points (0G / 3A) in his last eight games.
Blackwood helped the Sharks snap a 12-game losing skid last week when he saved 33 of 35 shots (.943 SV%) in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens but followed that up by allowing five goals on 41 shots (.878 SV%) in a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators. The Sharks, on a fresh two-game losing streak, are +131 road underdogs against a Chicago Blackhawks club that has lost three straight, being outscored 7-3.
Foudy hasn't appeared in 2023-24 due to a lower-body injury but was finally activated off the Injured Non-Roster list Thursday and has been assigned to the Colorado Eagles (AHL). The 21-year-old is Colorado's 2020 3rd round pick (75th overall) and appeared in nine games as a rookie for the Avalanche in 2022-23, but failed to pick up a point.
There is no timeline for a Landeskog return, and he was skating alone, but it was still encouraging to see him at the Avalanche practice facility on Thursday. Landeskog missed the entire 2022-23 regular season as he recovered from knee surgery and followed that up with a cartilage transplant in his right knee during the offseason. The 30-year-old has 571 points (248G/323A) and a +77 plus/minus across 738 career NHL games.
Blackwood was serviceable entering the Sharks' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in relief on Tuesday, saving 22 of 25 shots (.880 SV%), but with the outcome already predetermined, there was very little he could do to help his squad avoid a defeating 7-1 fate. The Sharks have lost 12 straight (0-12-0), largely due to the Sharks' inability to score as they have been outscored 31-8 in their last seven games. That said, Blackwood hasn't been horrible lately, posting a .898 SV% in his last three games (0-2-0).
