NHL News
Alex Nedeljkovic Progressing But Remains Out On Monday
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (lower body) will remain unavailable on Monday against Montreal. According to Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, Nedeljkovic is "making real progress." However, his season debut will have to wait. The 28-year-old had a fantastic finish to last year and could become a viable fantasy option again, depending on the form of his competitors. Tristan Jarry had a nightmare in Wednesday's season opener against the Rangers and has since been stuck on the bench for a couple of games, watching Finnish youngster Joel Blomqvist go 1-1-0. The 22-year-old beat Detroit on Thursday but lost against Toronto on Saturday night, allowing three goals in both outings.
10 hours ago
Ridly Greig Misses Practice With An Upper-Body Injury
Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig wasn't on the ice for Sunday's practice because of an upper-body injury. He should be considered a game-time decision for Monday's matinee against the Kings. Greig has seen time with the second and fourth line early in the year, averaging 14:03 of ice time. He has produced two scoreless performances without generating any shots on goal. Adam Gaudette will jump on the fourth line if Greig isn't available for Monday's game. The 28-year-old had a great year in the minors last season, recording 71 points (44 goals, 27 assists) in 67 AHL appearances, but he has averaged only 0.32 points in the NHL.
11 hours ago
Ville Husso Waived By Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso was waived on Sunday. The team made the move after seeing Husso give up four goals on 14 shots in Thursday's season-opening 6-3 loss to Pittsburgh. Husso also struggled badly last year, finishing with a below-par .892 save percentage and allowing 3.55 goals. He inked a three-year, $14.25 million contract with the Red Wings in 2022 following a strong campaign with the St. Louis Blues. However, Husso has posted a mediocre 75-35-28 record in Motown. Cam Talbot got the nod for Saturday's matchup against Nashville and posted an impressive 42-save shutout in a 3-0 win. Alex Lyon is also an option between the sticks for Detroit.
11 hours ago
Christian Fischer Out With An Upper-Body Injury
Detroit Red Wings right wing Christian Fischer (upper body) has been ruled out for Monday's matchup against the Rangers. He sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday's meeting with Nashville and is labeled as day-to-day. Fischer has worked on the third line to start the year, going scoreless in two games with zero shots. The Red Wings need to call up a forward from the minors to replace Fischer, or the team could go with seven defensemen in the Original Six matchup.
11 hours ago
Matt Dumba Misses Sunday's Action
Dallas Stars defenseman Matt Dumba (lower body) will not play in Sunday's matchup against Seattle and is considered day-to-day. He will be evaluated further on Monday after Dumba suffered a lower-body injury versus the Islanders on Saturday. Dumba has partnered Miro Heiskanen on the top defensive pairing in his first games with the Stars. Brendan Smith is set to replace Dumba in the lineup on Sunday, and a reconfiguration of the defensive pairs is expected. Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley saw extra usage next to Heiskanen on Saturday and will be asked to step up again versus the Kraken.
11 hours ago
Jared Spurgeon Unavailable On Sunday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon will sit out Sunday's clash with the Jets because of a lower-body injury. The Wild captain is considered day-to-day. Spurgeon has averaged 19:34 of ice time on the first defensive pairing this season, a significant drop from the 23:19 he logged last term. He logged his first point of the campaign with an assist in Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss to Seattle. Brock Faber has averaged the most ice time among the Wild defensemen and will be asked to do even more in Sunday's matchup. Declan Chisholm (illness) is expected to re-enter the lineup as Spurgeon's replacement.
11 hours ago
Joel Eriksson Ek Out On Sunday
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (nose) will not play against Winnipeg on Sunday. He was forced to leave Saturday's matchup against Seattle early due to a broken nose and didn't join the team for the trip to Canada. The Swedish centerman is expected to rejoin the lineup on Tuesday versus St. Louis. Ryan Hartman looks set to move up in the lineup and replace Eriksson Ek as the second-line center versus the Jets. The versatile forward opened his points account for the season with a goal on Saturday and has produced eight shots on goal across two games.
11 hours ago
Nazem Kadri Tallies Two Goals On Saturday
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri scored twice in their victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday evening. Kadri tallied his first goal of the night in the second frame on the power-play on a snapshot from the slot. He then would go on to score the empty netter to clinch the victory in the final minute. The 34-year-old has now tallied at least two points in each of the first two games of the campaign. In the season opener he tallied two assists. Kadri has shown great chemistry with his linemates Andrei Kuzmenko and Samuel Honzek both in even strength situations and man-advantage situations and should remain locked into all fantasy lineups.
19 hours ago
Cole Caufield Scores Twice On Saturday
Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield continued his hot start to the season by scoring two goals in their victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday evening. Caufield has now scored at least one goal in every game this season and sits with a total four through the first week. His first goal came in the opening frame off a snapshot from the slot off a pass from defenseman Mike Matheson. Later in the third, the 23-year-old increased their lead by finishing a rebound from center Nick Suzuki. Caufield should remain locked into all lineups going forward and a popular pick in DFS given his hot stretch.
19 hours ago
Lukas Dostal Shines In Season Opener
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped all 30 shots he faced in the season opener en route to defeating the San Jose Sharks on Saturday evening. This was the 24-year-old's second career shutout. The shots were even in this game, but Dostal was able provide the difference maker in the divisional showdown. Last season, Dostal saw the most starts of his young career and held a modest .902 SV% and 3.33 GAA. Dostal will likely continue to serve as the starting option while John Gibson (abdomen) remains on the IR. Fantasy managers in shallow leagues should continue to monitor Dostal's development as he could be worth a look. DFS players should expect veteran James Reimer to get the nod in the second-half of a back-to-back on Sunday evening against the Vegas Golden Knights.
19 hours ago
Jake Oettinger Earns Second Victory Of The Season
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger earned his second victory of the season in shutout fashion as he turned aside all 34 shots he faced against the New York Islanders. Oettinger continued his hot start on Saturday evening as he tallied 30+ saves for the second straight game. In the season opener, Oettinger stopped 33 of the 36 shots he faced en route to defeating the Nashville Predators. The Islanders had the slight majority of shots but the 25-year-old was able to keep the scoresheet clean on Saturday evening. This is a nice start for the former first-round selection as he posted a career worst 2.72 GAA and .905 SV% last season. Fantasy managers should continue to start Oettinger in all leagues and remains a top pick in all DFS formats.
19 hours ago
Cam Talbot Stops 42 Shots In Shutout Victory
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot stopped all 42 shots en route to earning his victory as a Detroit Red Wing. Ville Husso got the starting nod in their first game of the season but was eventually replaced by Talbot after he allowed four goals on 14 shots. Talbot was able to stop 12 of the 14 shots he faced in relief but looked much sharper on Saturday evening as he shutout the Nashville Predators. The Predators dominated play as they had more than 20 shots than Detroit. Nashville also had three power-play opportunities. This is a great sign for Talbot as he looks quite comfortable in his new home after posting a strong .913 SV% and 2.50 GAA last season in Los Angeles. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor this time share going forward as Talbot could eventually take over the starting role if he continues this strong play.
20 hours ago
Daniil Tarasov Faces Avalanche On Saturday
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov will get the nod for Saturday's tough road matchup against the Colorado Avalanche. He'll head to work for the first time this season following Elvis Merzlikins' exploits in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Minnesota. Playing on a struggling team, Tarasov has had very little joy in his NHL career, going 12-24-4 across 42 starts. He has registered a 3.39 goals-against average with a .905 save percentage. This promises to be another long night for Tarasov, although he beat the Avalanche with a 45-save effort last season and takes on a team that's missing multiple important offensive pieces.
Yesterday
Dustin Wolf Makes Season Debut Versus Flyers
Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf will make his first appearance of the season in Saturday's matchup against Philadelphia. The Flames enjoyed a winning start to the campaign on Wednesday with Dan Vladar in the crease, but he wasn't very sharp, giving up five goals on 24 shots. Wolf has built himself a big reputation in the AHL, but things haven't yet clicked for him very well in the big league. The 23-year-old carries a 7-7-1 career record, having allowed 3.16 goals with a .893 save percentage. However, Wolf has won each of his last four NHL starts and catches the Flyers on the second night of a back-to-back, so he looks to be a solid option between the pipes for fantasy managers on Saturday.
Yesterday
Semyon Varlamov Set To Remain Between The Sticks Saturday
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov is expected to make a second consecutive start in Saturday's clash with the Dallas Stars. Regular starter Ilya Sorokin was limited in training camp while recovering from back surgery, giving Varlamov a chance to open the campaign as the Islanders' No.1. He had a hard time against Utah on Thursday, finishing a 5-4 overtime loss with 21 saves. However, the Islanders are going with Varlamov again on Saturday in a tough matchup. The Russian veteran has a strong 17-9-2 career record against Dallas. But he faces a team that went 26-11-4 on home ice last season and is considered a heavy favorite by the bookmakers for Saturday's game.
Yesterday
Macklin Celebrini Placed On Injured Reserve
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (lower body) has been placed on Injured Reserve. He is considered week-to-week after reportedly playing through a hip injury in the season opener. Celebrini shined with two points in his NHL debut on Thursday versus St. Louis but will now have to sit out at least two games. His first opportunity to return comes on Thursday versus Chicago. Until then, fantasy managers should expect to see Mikael Granlund center San Jose's first line. Meanwhile, Klim Kostin will fill the open spot in the top six and join the second line for Saturday's game against Anaheim.
Yesterday
Aleksander Barkov Sidelined For 2-3 Weeks
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (lower body) is expected to miss 2-3 weeks. The Panthers captain suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Ottawa and heads to the shelf with one assist through the first two games of the season. Sam Bennett will take over as the first-line center on Saturday versus Buffalo. With Matthew Tkachuk (illness) also unavailable for the game, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen will join the top six for Saturday's matchup.
Yesterday
Bryan Rust Makes His Season Debut Saturday
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (lower body) will see his first action of the season in Saturday's clash with the Maple Leafs. Rust sat out the first two games of the season with a lower-body injury but is now ready to jump into the lineup. He joins the first line, linking up with old pal Sidney Crosby and Anthony Beauvillier. Rickard Rakell will move back down to the second line. Rust will look to hit the ground running after scoring a career-high 28 goals and picking up 56 points in 62 games last season.
Yesterday
John Tavares Out On Saturday
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (illness) will not play against Pittsburgh on Saturday. The former Maple Leafs captain has gone down with an illness. He exits the lineup after posting one goal with six shots in the first two games of the season. Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McCann will have a chance to get extra usage with Tavares out. The veteran star will get his first opportunity to return on Wednesday versus Los Angeles.
Yesterday
Pavel Buchnevich Totals Three Points Friday Night
St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich recorded a game-high three points in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He had two goals and an assist, registering his second marker with the man advantage. Buchnevich led his team with four shots and collected one block in 20:39 of action. After going scoreless in St. Louis' season opener against Seattle, Buchnevich has bagged three goals and one assist with a plus-four rating. It looks like the experiment of playing him at center is working for the Blues. Buchnevich will aim to score in three consecutive games for the first time since January when the Blues face Minnesota on Tuesday night.
Yesterday
