Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (lower body) was activated from Injured Reserve and is set to rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. The veteran has played in just three of the last 36 games, missing each of the last 15 due to a lower-body injury. When in the lineup, McDonagh has made a mark at both ends of the ice, recording eight points (four goals, four assists) and 29 blocks in 18 appearances. On Thursday, McDonagh will join Erik Cernak on the second defensive pairing, and his return will also be a boost for Tampa Bay's penalty kill. Maxim Groshev will exit the lineup to make room for McDonagh.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (upper body) won't play in Thursday's contest against the Detroit Red Wings and is considered day-to-day. Thompson had his mask knocked off by a shot on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. He remained in the game but will sit out Thursday's action due to an upper-body injury. Thompson saw a lot of success early in the campaign and holds an 18-16-4 record. He has allowed 2.46 goals with a .912 save percentage and two shutouts. Charlie Lindgren, who is 7-6-3 for the year, will start on Thursday, while Clay Stevenson has been summoned from the minors to serve as the backup.

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther (lower body) will be sidelined for a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The talented forward exited the lineup at the start of the week due to a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day. It's possible that Guenther, who leads Utah with 24 goals and has 45 points in 52 games, will be able to end his absence on Saturday against the Dallas Stars. Logan Cooley (lower body) is also nearing his return after rejoining practice this week. In the meantime, Barrett Hayton will continue to center the second line, while Kailer Yamamoto will be on third-line duty against Carolina.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body) will return from a five-game absence on Thursday night against the Utah Mammoth. He will join Alexander Nikishin on the third defensive pairing and jump on the first power-play unit. Gostisbehere has had an impressive year with the Hurricanes, posting 32 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 35 outings. 10 of his points have come with the man advantage. Unfortunately, injuries have robbed Gostisbehere of 17 games. With the Mammoth's penalty kill operating at a mediocre 80 percent efficiency, Gostisbehere has a good chance to make a significant impact in his return.