The Colorado Avalanche take on the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at PPG Paints Arena. Here are the projected/expected lineups sourced from NHL.com staff writers, independent correspondents, and others.
AVALANCHE (16-13-0) at PENGUINS (12-13-4)
7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, ALT, SNP, SNE, TVAS
Avalanche projected lineup
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Ross Colton — Casey Mittelstadt — Valeri Nichushkin
Joel Kiviranta — Parker Kelly — Logan O’Connor
Givani Smith — Ivan Ivan — Chris Wagner
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski
Keaton Middleton — Calvin de Haan
Scott Wedgewood
Trent Miner
Scratched: John Ludvig
Injured: Mackenzie Blackwood (illness), Josh Manson (upper body), Jonathan Drouin (upper body), Oliver Kylington (undisclosed), Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Tucker Poolman (head), Miles Wood (upper body)
Status report
- Blackwood did not join the Avalanche in Pittsburgh because of an undisclosed illness. The goalie was acquired, along with Smith and a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, in a trade Monday that sent goalie Alexandar Georgiev, forward Nikolai Kovalenko, a fifth-round pick in 2025 and a second-round selection in 2026 to the San Jose Sharks; Smith could make his Avalanche debut.
- Miner will back up Wedgewood after being recalled from Colorado of the American Hockey League on Monday.
Latest for THW:
- Avalanche Prospect Update: Ritchie, Zellers, Curran & More
- Avalanche Address Goaltending Problems With Georgiev-for-Blackwood Trade
- Grading Avalanche’s Trade for Mackenzie Blackwood
Penguins projected lineup
Rickard Rakell — Sidney Crosby — Bryan Rust
Drew O’Connor — Evgeni Malkin — Cody Glass
Michael Bunting — Blake Lizotte — Jesse Puljujarvi
Kevin Hayes — Noel Acciari — Anthony Beauvillier
Owen Pickering — Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson — Erik Karlsson
Ryan Graves — Matt Grzelcyk
Tristan Jarry
Alex Nedeljkovic
Scratched: Matt Nieto, Ryan Shea
Injured: Philip Tomasino (upper body)
Status report:
- Tomasino will be a game-time decision; the forward practiced in a noncontact jersey Monday after missing a 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Latest for THW:
- Canucks Should Target a Couple Defencemen for Nils Hoglander
- 6 Penguins Draft Picks That Didn’t Work Out in Pittsburgh
- Top 3 Penguins Difference-Makers
