The Seattle Kraken will welcome back Jaden Schwartz to their lineup while Chandler Stephenson exits the lineup for personal reasons.
Prior to their road matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Seattle Kraken activated Jaden Schwartz from the injured reserve and designated Chandler Stephenson as non-roster.
Schwartz has been out of the lineup since Nov. 26 after suffering a lower-body injury against the Dallas Stars. Before sustaining the injury, the 33-year-old had notched eight goals and 15 points. He was leading the team in points before the injury.
His return comes at a vital time. Jordan Eberle is currently out with an upper-body injury, and his timetable remains undetermined. The Kraken desperately needed the veteran winger to return.
To increase the difficulty, the Kraken will be without Stephenson, who will be away from the team for personal reasons. He and his wife are expecting the birth of their child.
The 31-year-old has scored 11 goals and 27 points in 42 games this season and ranks first in average ice time among forwards at 19:58. He takes on tough matchups at 5-on-5 while also contributing to the Kraken's power play and penalty kill.
Tonight's fixture against the Hurricanes will be difficult. The Hurricanes are relentless in their pursuit of the puck and counterattack quickly when they cause turnovers. They currently lead the Metropolitan Division with a 27-14-3 record, which also includes a 15-8-1 record on home ice.
Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. PST at the Lenovo Center.
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