NHL.com's projected lineups for Wednesday's Rangers vs Flames game show Glenn Gawdin ready to make his season debut after being recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League. He is projected to center the fourth line, giving the Flames a new look in the bottom six for the matchup.
What the projected lineups show
The lineup report gives a clear snapshot of where both teams stand entering the game in Calgary. For the Rangers, Brennan Othmann remains out after sustaining an upper-body injury on Oct. 28 during a 4-0 loss at the Edmonton Oilers. The injury update continues to affect New York's forward mix as it prepares for Rangers at Flames.
On the Calgary side, the projected lineup also reflects a few moving parts. Sean Durzi took part in the morning skate in a noncontact jersey, but he remains on injured reserve. Jonathan Huberdeau skated again in a regular jersey, though there is still no timeline for his return. Samuel Honzek, meanwhile, had been activated from injured reserve before being assigned to Calgary of the American Hockey League.
Who is in and who is out
Gawdin is the notable addition in the projected lineup. The center was recalled from Hartford and will get his season debut in a fourth-line role, a sign that Calgary is looking for some stability and depth in the middle of its lineup.
For the Rangers, the injury list includes Alberts Smits, who was placed on injured reserve on Monday and is week to week. That adds to the team's short-term uncertainty on the blue line. The projected lineup report does not change the fact that New York will be managing absences while trying to keep pace in the early part of the schedule.
The biggest takeaway from the lineup report is simple: both teams are still dealing with availability questions, and the projected lineups offer a more complete picture of how the Rangers and Flames may line up before puck drop. For Calgary, Gawdin's return is the headline. For New York, the focus remains on who is unavailable and how the roster adjusts around those absences.
