NHL News
Clayton Keller A Game-Time Call Thursday
Utah Hockey Club winger Clayton Keller (illness) will be a game-time decision for Thursday's action against Calgary. Per Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah head coach Andre Tourigny has stated that Keller's status for the game, along with that of some other players, is "up in the air." Utah's star forward missed Tuesday's tilt against Edmonton due to illness. Keller had a big month in December with 15 points and has provided consistent production for fantasy managers throughout the campaign. He leads his team in scoring with 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) through 36 appearances. Matias Maccelli will likely have an expanded role on Thursday if Keller remains out.
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Anton Forsberg Rejoins Senators Lineup
Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg (lower body) has been activated from Injured Reserve ahead of Thursday's matchup against Dallas. He's set to dress as the backup goalie for the game. The Swedish netminder has missed six games due to a lower-body ailment. Forsberg will likely return to game action on Friday as Ottawa completes a back-to-back against St. Louis. Through 11 starts, Forsberg is sporting a 4-6-0 record with two shutouts. He has allowed 2.95 goals per game while registering a .889 save percentage. There haven't been any recent updates on Linus Ullmark (back), so we might see Forsberg a lot this month in the Senators crease. Leevi Merilainen, who is 2-1-0 for the campaign, will start on Thursday.
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Artem Zub Back In Senators Lineup Thursday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub (foot) will end a 16-game absence on Thursday against Dallas. He has been activated from long-term Injured Reserve ahead of the contest. Zub will rejoin the action on the third defensive pairing, linking up with Tyler Kleven. The team wants to ease Zub back into action. Once he finds his feet again, Zub should head back to the first defensive pairing. Zub has had some really bad luck with injuries and will make only his 12th appearance of the season on Thursday. He has recorded two assists, 13 shots, 19 blocks, and 16 hits. Nikolas Matinpalo will come out of the lineup to make room for Zub.
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Marc-Edouard Vlasic Ready For Season Debut On Thursday
San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (back) will make his season debut on Thursday against Tampa Bay. He has received the all-clear to play after recovering from a back problem. Vlasic's addition will push Shakir Mukhamadullin out of the lineup. He will join Jan Rutta on the third defensive pairing. Vlasic has been a solid defenseman throughout his 18 years in the NHL, but his play has never really translated well into fantasy hockey. Last season, Vlasic finished with 12 points (six goals, six assists), 72 shots, and 108 blocks in 57 outings.
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Jared Spurgeon Out On Thursday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower body) will not play against Washington on Thursday. He was injured in Tuesday's tilt against Nashville and might be out for a while, as it was reported that Spurgeon used crutches and wore a leg brace after getting hurt. Travis Dermott is projected to replace Spurgeon in the lineup on Thursday, with Zach Bogosian moving to his place on the second defensive pairing. Neither player has significant fantasy value and should be ignored by managers.
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Martin Fehervary Good To Go Thursday
Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary (face) will play in Thursday's contest against Minnesota. His day in the office ended early on Tuesday versus Boston when Fehervary was hit in the face by a stick. However, he's ready to go on Thursday, with Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reporting that Fehervary is only dealing with a bruise and some soreness. Fehervary is operating on the second defensive pairing. His offensive output has been limited to seven assists in 37 games, but Fehervary does a lot of the dirty work for the Capitals. He boasts a team-high 79 blocks and is tied for second with 69 hits.
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Zachary L'Heureux Suspended For Three Games
Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'Heureux will miss the next three games due to a suspension. He has been suspended for three games for slew-footing Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon in Tuesday's 5-3 loss. L'Heureux's suspension will begin with Friday's contest against Vancouver. In his first NHL campaign, L'Heureux has amassed four goals and nine points in 33 games with 38 shots, 106 hits, and 32 penalty minutes. Ozzy Wiesblatt has been called up from the minors to replace L'Heureux in the lineup. The 22-year-old boasts 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) through 128 career AHL outings. He has yet to play in the NHL.
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William Eklund Ruled Out For Thursday
San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund (upper body) will remain absent for Thursday's meeting with Tampa Bay. Eklund sustained an upper-body injury against Vancouver on Dec. 23 and is forced to miss a fourth consecutive contest. Klim Kostin has received top-six usage during Eklund's unavailability but has recorded zero points with zero shots in two games since returning from an upper-body injury. Kostin's work, in general, has left a lot to be desired this season, as the Russian forward has posted just four points (one goal, three assists) in 22 appearances.
7 hours ago
Jake Walman To Remain Out For Fifth Consecutive Game
San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman (lower body) will miss a fifth consecutive game on Thursday against Tampa Bay. He's struggling to shake off a lower-body injury. Walman's absence has left the Sharks without their top-scoring defenseman. The 28-year-old has notched 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 31 outings during an impressive campaign. Shakir Mukhamadullin has seen action with Walman out, while Timothy Liljegren has secured a spot on the first power-play unit. However, Liljegren has still struggled to make an impact, going scoreless in four games with a minus-seven rating.
7 hours ago
Samuel Ersson Labeled As Day-To-Day
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson (lower body) is considered day-to-day. He has sustained a lower-body injury for the third time this season. Health issues have limited Ersson to just 18 starts, with the Swedish netminder posting a 9-6-2 record. He has logged a 3.02 goals-against average with a .884 save percentage and one shutout. Aleksei Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov are the alternative options between the pipes for Philadelphia. Both netminders have had a torrid time in 2024-25 and are not good fantasy options, especially on Thursday, when the Flyers face a top-class Vegas team.
7 hours ago
Valeri Nichushkin Out On Thursday
Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin (lower body) will not suit up for Thursday's matchup against Buffalo. He sustained a lower-body injury on Tuesday versus Winnipeg. Per Avalanche play-by-play announcer Conor McGahey, head coach Jared Bednar has described Nichushkin's injury as "more of a minor deal." This suggests that the Russian forward can make a relatively quick return. After a suspension delayed his season debut, Nichushkin has been performing well in 2024-25, recording 17 points (11 goals, six assists) in 21 outings. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen might be reunited on the first line due to Nichushkin's absence. Jonathan Drouin, who returned to the lineup with a two-assist performance on Tuesday, is also an option to move up to the top line.
8 hours ago
Kirill Kaprizov Likely Out For At Least Two More Games
Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) will likely sit out at least two more games. According to The Athletic's Michael Russo, Kaprizov is not expected to join the team for an upcoming two-game road trip. The Wild star last played on Dec. 23, missing three games. Minnesota has also placed Kaprizov on injured reserve, although he can be activated anytime he's ready to return. Matt Boldy has skated on the first line during Kaprizov's absence, but it hasn't helped him break out of his offensive slump. The 23-year-old will enter Thursday's matchup against Washington with a run of one point in six games.
8 hours ago
Auston Matthews Remains Out On Thursday
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (upper body) will be sidelined for a sixth consecutive game on Thursday against the Islanders. Matthews returned to practice this week but isn't ready to rejoin the lineup yet. However, his comeback appears to be close, and Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has not ruled Matthews out for the team's upcoming back-to-back against Boston and Philadelphia over the weekend. John Tavares and David Kampf will likely continue to center the scoring lines in Thursday's game. Tavares is in the midst of an eight-game point streak, scoring seven goals during the stretch, while Kampf has tallied two goals across the past three games.
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Darcy Kuemper Logs 33-Save Shutout Against Devils
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper was at the top of his game in Wednesday's matchup against New Jersey, recording his second shutout of the season with 33 saves in a 3-0 win. Kuemper's work helped the Kings register an eighth consecutive home win, with the veteran netminder extending his personal point streak to eight games in the process. Dating back to Dec. 7, Kuemper has gone 6-0-2 in the Kings crease. Kuemper's improvement in form has been noticeable, as he won only one of five starts in November. The 34-year-old is sporting a 10-2-5 record for the season and has allowed 2.29 goals with a .916 save percentage.
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Jason Robertson Tallies Three Points In Victory
Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson tallied a goal and two assists during Tuesday's victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Robertson tallied his first point on the primary assist on Roope Hintz's second period strike. In the third, Robertson found the back of the net on a wrist shot and capped off his night with another primary assist, this time on Esa Lindell's empty-net goal. Over his past eight contests, Robertson has tallied 11 points (three goals, eight assists) with 23 total shots. This is an excellent sign for the 25-year-old, as he started the season slowly. Fantasy managers should continue to expect these performances from him as he sees top minutes in the Dallas lineup. Robertson will look to stay hot tomorrow evening against the Ottawa Senators.
Yesterday
John Tavares Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares extended his point streak to eight games during their victory over the New York Islanders. Tavares got on the scoresheet on the final minutes with an empty-net goal on the power-play. During this eight-game stretch, the veteran has tallied 13 total points (seven goals, six helpers), with four of these points coming on the power-play. With Auston Matthews (upper body) on the injured reserve, Tavares has taken full control of the No.1 center role. Across 37 games this season, the 34-year-old has scored 38 points with eight of them coming on the man-advantage. Fantasy managers should expect Tavares to continue to produce point-per-game production, playing alongside William Nylander and Mitch Marner.
Yesterday
Valeri Nichushkin Departs Early On Tuesday
According to Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette, Colorado Avalanche left wing Valeri Nichushkin (lower body) departed Tuesday's game early and did not return. Before suffering the injury, Nichushkin tallied three shots on goal with a +1 rating while playing on the top line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 29-year-old's status heading into their next matchup on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. While sidelined, Mikko Rantanen will likely return to the top unit. The superstar forward is currently riding an 11-game point streak. Over this span, he has tallied 19 points (six goals, 13 helpers) with 25 total shots on goal.
Yesterday
Samuel Ersson Departs Early On Tuesday
According to Jordan Hall of NBCS Philadelphia, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson (undisclosed) left Tuesday's game early. Ersson did not return after the end of the second frame. No.2 option Aleksei Kolosov took the crease in the final period. Before departing, Ersson stopped all 15 shots he faced against the San Jose Sharks. Kolosov continued his shutout by stopping all seven shots in the third period. Entering Tuesday's game, Ersson was riding a 3-4 record over his past seven starts with an underwhelming .843% SV and a 3.79 GAA. If Ersson needs to miss any time, Ivan Fedotov will move up to the backup spot behind Kolosov. In his previous start, Kolosov allowed five goals in their loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He would likely get the starting nod on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Yesterday
Kris Letang Placed On Injured Reserve, Marcus Pettersson Activated
According to the team, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed defenseman Kris Letang (lower body) on the injured reserve. They activated defenseman Marcus Pettersson (lower body) from the injured reserve in a corresponding move. Letang sat out on Sunday evening and was initially viewed as day-to-day. However, the former three-time Stanley Cup Champion will now miss at least the next two contests and be eligible to return to face the Carolina Hurricanes on January 5th. On Tuesday evening, Pettersson made his return after missing the previous six contests on the IR. In this game, Pettersson logged three shots on goal with one block. While Letang is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Pettersson to play alongside Pierre-Oliver Joseph on the second pairing while Erik Karlsson and Matt Grzelcyk play on the top unit. Ryan Shea should continue to draw starts with Letang out.
Yesterday
Igor Shesterkin Placed On Injured Reserve
According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (upper body) was placed on the injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Rangers recalled Louis Domingue from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Since the start of December, Shesterkin has held a disappointing 3-7 record with a 3.43 GAA and a .891% SV. As a result, the 29-year-old will now miss at least the next three games but could miss a longer period of time. Veteran Jonathan Quick will likely be given the starter's crease for the foreseeable future with Domingue filling in as the No.2 option. Over his past four appearances, Quick has posted a 2.95 ERA and a .882% SV. He should only be rostered in deeper formats.
Yesterday
Clayton Keller
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Hockey Club
