This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
The next few days of the season can be some of the trickiest. Players are out and the games, at large, don't mean that much.
The one very meaningful game is the Detroit Red Wings versus the Boston Bruins. They are two of three team that can take the two remaining playoff spots. The other is Philadelphia, and they're in play tonight too.
Outside of that, I've been looking for players who have motivation in the final days. The entire Oilers team had some motivation Wednesday with the final days of Rexall Place. Nail Yakupov is hoping for a trade over the summer.
Patrick Kane is looking to hit 100 points. Artemi Panarin is looking to solidify his Calder Trophy.
There's something to this in the season's waning days. Look for the motivation and you might find some value when teams are left with little to play for.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
Red Wings (Petr Mrazek) at Bruins (Tuukka Rask), 7:00 PM
Lightning (Ben Bishop) at Devils (Keith Kinkaid), 7:00 PM
Islanders (Thomas Greiss) at Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist), 7:00 PM
Maple Leafs (Jonathan Bernier) at Flyers (Steve Mason), 7:00 PM
Penguins (Matt Murray) at Capitals (Braden Holtby), 7:00 PM
Canadiens (Charlie Lindgren) at Hurricanes (Cam Ward), 7:00 PM
Panthers (Roberto Luongo) at Senators (Craig Anderson), 7:30 PM
Coyotes (Mike Smith) at Predators (Pekka Rinne), 8:00 PM
Blues (Brian Elliott) at Blackhawks (Scott Darling), 8:30 PM
Avalanche (Semyon Varlamov) at Stars (Kari Lehtonen), 8:30 PM
Canucks (Ryan Miller) at Flames (Joni Ortio), 9:00 PM
Ducks (John Gibson) at Kings (Jonathan Quick), 10:30 PM
Jets (Ondrej Pavelec) at Sharks (Martin Jones), 10:30 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Thursday
Detroit Red Wings
Johan Franzen, RW (concussion) - won't be back on the ice
Drew Miller, LW (lower body) - won't return to the ice this season
Boston Bruins
Jimmy Hayes, RW (undisclosed) - did not practice Wednesday
Brett Connolly, RW (lower body) - returned to practice Wednesday
Dennis Seidenberg, D (undisclosed) - did not practice Wednesday
Chris Kelly, RW (leg) - practiced with his team on Monday, though remains unlikely for Thursday's game
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ryan Callahan, RW (lower body) - did not play Tuesday
Anton Stralman, D (fibula) - is out indefinitely
Steven Stamkos, C (blood clots) - will miss one to three months
Victor Hedman, D (upper body) - did not play Tuesday
Jonathan Drouin, C (lower body) - is considered day-to-day, but is possible for Thursday's game
New Jersey Devils
Jon Merrill, D (shoulder) - won't play again this season
Michael Cammalleri, LW (hand) - won't play again this season
Jordin Tootoo, RW (wrist) - won't play again this season
Jiri Tlusty, LW (wrist) - won't play again this season
New York Islanders
Jaroslav Halak, G (groin) - won't play again during the regular season
Mikhail Grabovski, C (upper body) - has resumed skating
Cal Clutterbuck, RW (undisclosed) - was held out of Tuesday's game
Travis Hamonic, D (lower body) - won't play again during the regular season
Calvin de Haan, D (knee) - did not play Tuesday
Jean-Francois Berube, G (lower body) - is considered day-to-day
Brian Strait, D (upper body) - is possible
Adam Pelech, D (upper body) - is conditioning in the AHL
New York Rangers
Dan Girardi, D (undisclosed) - left Tuesday's game with an injury and hasn't had his status updated
Ryan McDonagh, D (upper body) - won't play again during the regular seasons
Toronto Maple Leafs
Raffi Torres, LW (knee) - has ben shut down for the regular season
Joffrey Lupul, LW (abdomen) - won't play again this season
Milan Michalek, LW (knee) - won't play again this season
Matt Hunwick, D (hernia) - won't play again this season
Stephane Robidas, D (knee) - will probably finish this season without having played a game
Nazem Kadri, C (suspension) - has been suspended for the remainder of the year
Peter Holland, C (concussion) - is likely out for the duration of the year
Leo Komarov, LW (lower body) - is traveling with the team
James van Riemsdyk, LW (foot) - won't play again this season
Philadelphia Flyers
Michael Del Zotto, D (wrist) - won't play again this season
Michal Neuvirth, G (knee) - won't play again during the regular season
Pittsburgh Penguins
Marc-Andre Fleury, G (concussion) - is without a time table for return
Evgeni Malkin, C (upper body) - isn't likely to hit the ice before the playoffs
Kevin Porter, C (ankle) - is on IR
Olli Maatta, D (lower body) - is considered week-to-week
Scott Wilson, LW (lower body) - is on IR
Bryan Rust, RW (lower body) - is said to not be close to a return
Washington Capitals
Nicklas Backstrom, C (upper body) - was held out of Tuesday's game
Montreal Canadiens
Carey Price, G (knee) - won't play again this season
Jeff Petry, D (lower body) - won't play again this season
Tom Gilbert, D (knee) - won't play again this season
P.K. Subban, D (neck) - won't play again this season
Mark Barberio, D (concussion) - won't play again this season
Victor Bartley, D (lower body) - won't play again this season
Nathan Beaulieu, D (thumb) - won't play again this season
Lucas Lessio, LW (knee) - won't play again this season
Brian Flynn, C (lower body) - won't play again this season
Brett Lernout, D (knee) - won't play again this season
Carolina Hurricanes
Phil Di Giuseppe, LW (undisclosed) - is questionable
Andrej Nestrasil, C (back) - won't play again this season
James Wisniewski, D (knee) - doesn't look like he'll play again this season
Florida Panthers
Dave Bolland, C (lower body) - is on IR
Vincent Trocheck, C (ankle) - won't play again during the regular season
Willie Mitchell, D (concussion) - may have played his final NHL game
Erik Gudbranson, D (upper bodY) - is out
Ottawa Senators
Mark Stone, RW (upper body) - has been ruled out of Thursday's game
Mark Borowiecki, D (knee) - is out
Dion Phaneuf, D (lower body) - won't play again this season
Clarke MacArthur, LW (concussion) - won't play again this season
Bobby Ryan, RW (undisclosed) - is questionable after leaving Tuesday's game and not practicing Wednesday, but he's "feeling better"
Marc Methot, D (undisclosed) - won't play again this season
Kyle Turris, C (ankle) - is out indefinitely
Patrick Wiercioch, D (upper body) - has said that he hopes to play
Scott Gomez, C (undisclosed) - didn't play Tuesday
Chris Phillips, D (back) - won't play again this season
Arizona Coyotes
Nicklas Grossmann, D (personal) - had left the team, but may return for Thursday's game
Martin Hanzal, C (upper body) - is day-to-day
Michael Stone, D (ACL) - won't play again this season
Joe Vitale, C (concussion) - won't play again this season
Anders Lindback, G (Achilles) - won't play again this season
Jarred Tinordi, D (suspension) - continues to serve a 20-game suspension
Louis Domingue, G (personal) - has temporarily left the team
Eric Selleck, LW (upper body) - has been ruled out of Thursday's game
Nashville Predators
Miikka Salomaki, RW (undisclosed) - did not play Tuesday
Anthony Bitetto, D (lower body) - is questionable
St. Louis Blues
Jay Bouwmeester, D (upper body) - was a full participant in Wednesday's practice
Steve Ott, C (colitis) - will be re-evaluated in two weeks
David Backes, RW (lower body) - won't play again this season
Jake Allen, G (lower body) - won't play again this season
Robby Fabbri, C (ankle) - could play Thursday
Chicago Blackhawks
Andrew Shaw, C (upper body) - has missed the last two games
Duncan Keith, D (suspension) - will miss the remainder of the regular season and the first game of the postseason
Artem Anisimov, C (upper body) - is day-to-day
Corey Crawford, G (upper body) - could return for the season finale
Marian Hossa, RW (knee) - did not play Tuesday
Colorado Avalanche
Brad Stuart, D (back) - has been out
Nathan MacKinnon, C (knee) - is unlikely Thursday
Ben Street, C (chest) - remains out
Jesse Winchester, LW (concussion) - remains out
Dallas Stars
Jason Demers, D (shoulder) - won't play again during the regular season
Tyler Seguin, C (Achilles) - has done some limited skating
Brett Ritchie, RW (lower body) - is unlikely to play again during the regular season, according to GM Jim Nill
Mattias Janmark, C (upper body) - may return Thursday
Patrick Eaves, RW (mid body) - is questionable
Kris Russell, D (lower body) - could return Thursday
Vancouver Canucks
Radim Vrbata, RW (knee) - won't play again this season
Chris Higgins, LW (lower body) - didn't play Wednesday
Alexander Edler, D (leg) - won't play again this season
Brandon Prust, LW (ankle) - won't play again this season
Brandon Sutter, C (jaw) - won't play again this season
Luca Sbisa, D (upper body) - won't play again this season
Linden Vey, C (upper body) - did not play Wednesday
Sven Baertschi, LW (undisclosed) - did not play Wednesday
Calgary Flames
Lance Bouma, C (oblique) - won't play again this season
Ladislav Smid, D (upper body) - is on IR
Karri Ramo, G (ACL) - won't play again this season
Dennis Wideman, D (tricep) - won't play again this season
Michael Frolik, LW (lower body) - doesn't have a timetable for return
Anaheim Ducks
Kevin Bieksa, D (undisclosed) - did not play Tuesday
David Perron, LW (shoulder) - won't play again during the regular season
Brandon Pirri, C (upper body) - is questionable
Rickard Rakell, C (appendicitis) - remains out
Frederik Andersen, G (concussion) - the team hopes he's back this weekend
Los Angeles Kings
Jordan Nolan, RW (back) - is out indefinitely
Alec Martinez, D (undisclosed) - is questionable
Marian Gaborik, RW (knee) - has skated again, but there's a sense he won't play before the regular season is done
Robert Scuderi, D (undisclosed) - was a late scratch Tuesday
Matt Greene, D (shoulder) - won't play again this season
Winnipeg Jets
Toby Enstrom, D (knee) - won't play again this season
Mathieu Perreault, C (concussion) - won't play again this season
Tyler Myers, D (hip/knee) - won't play again this season
Anthony Peluso, RW (shoulder) - won't play again this season
Bryan Little, C (back) - won't play again this season
J.C. Lipon, RW (upper body) - did not play Tuesday
San Jose Sharks
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D (lower body) - has yet to resume skating
Matthew Nieto, LW (hand) - remains out
Matt Tennyson, D (concussion) - has no clear time table for a return
Chris Tierney, C (undisclosed) - did not play Tuesday
Hot
Jimmy Howard, G, DET — It didn't seem likely at the start of the season that Howard would be the starter come playoff time. It seemed even less likely in January when Petr Mrazek was tearing it up. Now, Howard is the starter and is beginning to play like a former All-Star and Olympian. He's playing in front of a motivated team and has had to come into games in relief of Mrazek enough that he looks like he's going to be getting plenty of ice time in the coming days. He posted a shutout Wednesday in the game after he stopped 32 of 34 against Toronto. He's feeling it right now.
John Tavares, C, NYI — He looks like he wanted to single-handedly drag the dead corpse of his team into the postseason. The Islanders have struggled and started a painful decline down the standings that may be the medical source of many ulcers in around New York. But Tavares has shone. He's ready for the postseason with six points in his last two games, and four goals and five assists over the last five games.
Cold
Tuukka Rask, G, BOS — This is bad news for Boston. Rask is not looking like the perennial Vezina finalist we expect at the start of each season. Including a game where he was pulled two minutes into the second period, he's been at a .867 save percentage or below in three of his last four games. You hope Rask can bounce back, but there are better starts out there.
Recommended Pickup
Jonathan Drouin, LW, TBL — It's finally happened. Drouin is headed back to the NHL. There aren't stats and recency to say that he's going to explode or that this is a guarantee. He's probably not starting at the top of the lineup or starting with huge minutes, but he's going to be motivated. This stint, however long it lasts, is going to mean a lot to his chances to keep playing once the regular season has ended. It could also mean a lot to his chances of getting traded over the summer, something he wants.
