Driedger, Johansson Playing Against Vegas

LAS VEGAS -- Two more players that were part of Kraken GM Ron Francis' master plan for the inaugural season will be back on the ice for Tuesday's game against Pacific division rival Vegas.
Goaltender Chris Driedger will get his first start for Seattle after signing a three-year, $10.5 million free agent contract with the Kraken this summer, counting as the team's expansion draft choice from the Florida Panthers. Driedger played a half-game in relief of Philipp Grubauer during a 6-1 loss to Philadelphia, hurting his knee, causing him to miss a planned start in New Jersey and head to the injured list for seven games.

"For Chris, this is his opportunity to step in and play well for us," said Kraken coach Dave Hakstol Tuesday. "He's a very competitive goaltender and we will need that in this tough environment."
Johansson played in the season-opening game here, notching 16 minutes of ice time and incurring a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup and on the injured-reserve (IR) since. He will be one of 12 forwards dressed and likely playing on a line with center Morgan Geekie and Brandon Tanev, replacing Ryan Donato, who skated Tuesday morning but in a red no-contact jersey.
"Jojo is a veteran presence in the dressing room and on the ice," said Hakstol.
Vegas enters the game with a 6-6-0 record and the Kraken are 4-7-1. Both teams have been missing players targeted for significant minutes. Along with Donato being held out of Tuesday's game, Kraken forwards Colin Blackwell and Mason Appleton remain on the IR.
Forward Jared McCann, who has three goals and four assists in eight games, has been in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol and not eligible to return any sooner than Thursday when Anaheim comes to Climate Pledge Arena. That's a lot of missing pieces to the Ron Francis plan.