The Los Angeles Kings visit the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center on Thursday night, with both teams announcing projected lineups amid key returns and injuries. The Kings hold a 10-6-4 record, while the Sharks are 9-8-3. Game time is 10 p.m. ET on HULU, ESPN+, SNW, SNO, SNE and SN360.
The matchup features adjustments on both sides due to recent roster moves. For the Kings, forward Andrei Kuzmenko returns to the lineup after sitting out as a healthy scratch for three games. He slots in on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Trevor Moore. Defenseman Drew Doughty has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is week to week. Goalie Phoenix Copley was recalled from the AHL's Ontario Reign to back up Anton Forsberg, as Darcy Kuemper receives a maintenance day and is slated to start Friday against the Boston Bruins.
Kings projected forward lines include Kevin Fiala with Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe on the second line, Warren Foegele centering Phillip Danault and Alex Laferriere on the third, and Joel Armia with Alex Turcotte and Corey Perry on the fourth. Defense pairs are Mikey Anderson with Brian Dumoulin, Joel Edmundson with Brandt Clarke, and Jacob Moverare with Cody Ceci. Scratches are Jeff Malott, Samuel Helenius and Kuemper.
On the Sharks' side, defensemen John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren return to action. Klingberg was a healthy scratch during San Jose's 3-2 overtime win against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, while Liljegren missed the past two games. Forwards Michael Misa and Jeff Skinner remain sidelined with lower-body injuries. Projected forwards are Philipp Kurashev with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith up top, William Eklund centering Alexander Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli, Adam Gaudette with Ty Dellandrea and Collin Graf, and Barclay Goodrow with Zack Ostapchuk and Ryan Reaves. Defense features Dmitry Orlov with Liljegren, Mario Ferraro with Klingberg, and Sam Dickinson with Vincent Desharnais. Goalies are Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic, with Vincent Iorio, Nick Leddy and Shakir Mukhamadullin as scratches.