NHL News
Dakota Joshua Makes Season Debut After Cancer Recovery
Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua (cancer) will make his first appearance of the season on Thursday against the New York Islanders. He will be back in action after winning a battle against testicular cancer. Joshua has his best NHL campaign in 2023-24, setting new career highs for goals (18), assists (14), and points (32). He also ranked ninth in the league with 244 hits. The 28-year-old can impact a game in many ways, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect too much from Joshua initially, as he will only occupy a fourth-line role on Thursday.
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Alec Martinez A Game-Time Call On Thursday
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Alec Martinez (groin) has been labeled as a game-time decision for Thursday's matchup against Seattle. He has missed a month of action with a groin injury. However, it appears as though Martinez will be ready to return on Thursday, as the team has activated him from Injured Reserve. Before suffering the injury, Martinez recorded one assist, four shots, and 15 blocks in four games at the start of the season. He should see a good amount of minutes as Seth Jones' companion on the first defensive pairing, but Martinez doesn't produce much offense, limiting his fantasy appeal.
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Viktor Arvidsson Sits Out Meeting With Predators
Edmonton Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson (undisclosed) will come out of the lineup on Thursday against Nashville. Per Oilers TV host & reporter Tony Brar, the Swedish winger is dealing with a "minor injury." Arvidsson will miss his first game of the season. The Oilers had high hopes for Arvidsson when they signed him to a two-year, $8 million contract in the summer, but the 31-year-old has been very slow out the gate. He currently boasts only two goals and five points for the campaign. Arvidsson's minutes will be staggered throughout the lineup, as Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has decided to go with seven defensemen on Thursday.
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Sean Couturier Out On Thursday
Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (lower body) will miss his first game of the season on Thursday versus Ottawa. The veteran is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Couturier has averaged 0.5 points per game for the campaign, notching three goals and five assists in 16 appearances. His absence opens the door for Morgan Frost to re-enter the lineup. Meanwhile, Ryan Poehling might get some extra action. Returning from a three-game absence on Monday versus San Jose, Poehling showed good chemistry with Matvei Michkov on the third line and picked up an assist.
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Samuel Ersson Misses Thursday's Action
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson (lower body) will not play against Ottawa on Thursday. He hurt himself in Wednesday's practice. Ersson has been strong in the Flyers net, going 5-2-2 with one shutout. The Swedish netminder has allowed 2.70 goals with a .902 save percentage. With him on the shelf, Philadelphia will start with Ivan Fedotov between the pipes on Thursday. Fedotov is coming off an impressive 2-1 shootout win against Tampa Bay, but he hasn't played well at all this season. Before limiting the Lightning to one goal, Fedotov had coughed up 14 goals across his first three starts of the campaign. He has a 4.01 goals-against average and a .851 save percentage. Aleksei Kolosov, who is 0-3-0 for the year, will back up Fedotov on Thursday.
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Sam Bennett A Game-Time Call Thursday
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (upper body) might be back in the lineup on Thursday versus New Jersey. He is considered a game-time decision for the matchup. Bennett was unavailable against the Devils on Tuesday due to an upper-body injury. The team missed him badly, as Florida was limited to fewer than two goals for only the third time this season in a 4-1 loss. Bennett sits second on the squad with 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in as many games. Jesper Boqvist moved to the second line on Tuesday and looks set to remain there on Thursday even if Bennett plays, as the two worked on the line together Thursday morning.
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Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Unavailable Thursday
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (undisclosed) will not dress for Thursday's tilt against St. Louis. He's been dealing with an undisclosed injury since Sunday. Luukkonen was able to play against Montreal on Monday but struggled in the contest and will be kept out of the lineup versus the Blues. Devon Levi will be in the net, with new waiver addition James Reimer working as the backup. It's not been a fun campaign for Levi, who sits on a 1-4-0 record and has allowed 4.10 goals with a .866 save percentage. However, he is expected to improve his record on Thursday, as the bookmakers have listed Buffalo as a -159 favorite for the game.
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Tage Thompson Ruled Out For Thursday
Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (lower body) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against St. Louis. He sustained a lower-body injury in Monday's matchup versus Montreal and needs more time to recover. It's possible Thompson will be ready to return on Saturday against Philadelphia. His absence on Thursday means that Buffalo will be without its top scorer. Thompson has tallied 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) in 16 games. Ryan McLeod will handle the top-line center duties on Thursday. He is not as big of a goal threat as Thompson but has also been active offensively, recording nine points (four goals, five assists) in 16 contests. Only five teams have given more goals than the Blues this season, meaning this is a good matchup for Buffalo's frontline.
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Mikko Rantanen Grabs Four Points Against Kings
Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen crushed it against the L.A. Kings on Wednesday, amassing four points in a 4-2 victory. He picked up an assist early in the game and went on to turn a 2-1 deficit into a victory for the Avalanche with a natural hat trick. Nathan MacKinnon and Joe Sakic were previously the only players in Avalanche history to score a natural hat trick. Rantanen and MacKinnon have continued to post ridiculous numbers in 2024-25. The two have combined for nearly 60 points already, with Rantanen scoring a team-high 12 goals and dishing out 13 assists in 17 games. Eight of his goals have come in the past five games.
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Aliaksei Protas Enjoys Multi-Point Outing Versus Maple Leafs
Washington Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas posted a goal and an assist in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Toronto. Protas' fine work helped Washington jump ahead 3-1 on home ice, but the team blew a two-goal lead inside the final 4:09 of regulation. Following a summer of change in D.C., Protas has landed a first-line role, and he's taken full advantage of it. The 23-year-old is on a point-per-game pace, having tallied six goals and nine assists in 15 outings. Impressively, he has done all of his scoring during even-strength play. Only 10 players in the league have totaled more than 15 even-strength points.
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Patrick Kane Notches Two Points In Overtime Win
Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane played a vital role in Wednesday's 3-2 overtime triumph at Pittsburgh, scoring a power-play goal and helping to set up Simon Edvinsson for the game-winning tally. The former MVP ended a three-game dry spell with the two-point outing. It's his third multi-point game of the campaign. Health issues have left a mark on Kane, but he can still get hot occasionally. In 15 outings this season, Kane has managed three goals and seven assists, grabbing half of his 10 points with the man advantage.
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Blake Lizotte Suffers Another Injury
Pittsburgh Penguins center Blake Lizotte left Wednesday's action against Detroit after taking a puck to the face. He was limited to six shifts and 3:36 of ice time. A similar incident in a preseason game left Lizotte with a concussion and delayed his season debut. The 26-year-old made only his seventh appearance of the season on Wednesday. He has contributed two goals with nine shots. Cody Glass (concussion) and Kevin Hayes (upper body) have recently dropped out of the lineup, meaning the Penguins have an injury crisis up front if Lizotte is also forced to miss time. The team continues the season on Friday versus Columbus.
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Pyotr Kochetkov Suffers Injury Versus Utah
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (undisclosed) was injured in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Utah. He left the contest in the third period. It wasn't a great night for Kochetkov, who allowed three goals on 18 shots. Spencer Martin completed the game, giving up one more goal on three shots. Overall, the 2024-25 campaign has gone well for Kochetkov, who boasts an 8-2-0 record. He has allowed 2.56 goals while registering a .897 save percentage. The Russian netminder has carried a heavy load due to Frederik Andersen's (lower body) absence. It might now be Martin's time to hold down the fort.
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Caleb Jones Hurt On Wednesday
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Caleb Jones suffered an upper-body injury in Wednesday's clash with Colorado. Jones returned to the lineup after missing seven games as a healthy scratch, but his comeback lasted less than six minutes. He registered two hits and a minus-one rating in 5:56 of ice time. Jones' role has been very limited in 2024-25, as he's made only five appearances. The 27-year-old is stuck on zero points with six shots, four blocks, and nine hits. Andreas Englund made way for Jones in the lineup on Wednesday, while Kyle Burroughs is also an option to rejoin the action at the weekend versus Detroit.
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Darcy Kuemper Exits With Injury Wednesday
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (undisclosed) left Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Colorado early. He suffered an undisclosed injury in the third period. Kuemper was performing well before getting hurt, stopping 18 of 20 shots. David Rittich finished the game between the sticks for L.A., allowing one goal on five shots. Kuemper hasn't celebrated many victories, but it's been a solid campaign for him. The 34-year-old is 4-2-3 with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. Rittich, who's sporting a 5-4-0 record, will take on a heavier load if Kuemper is forced to miss additional time. Pheonix Copley will likely be summoned from the minors to work as the backup.
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Tage Thompson Labeled As Day-To-Day
Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (lower body) is considered day-to-day ahead of Thursday's clash against St. Louis. The 27-year-old suffered a lower-body injury against Montreal on Monday but could still be an option for Thursday's game. Thompson is riding a four-game goal streak and boasts 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) through 16 outings. Ryan McLeod practiced on the top line in his absence on Wednesday, while Dylan Cozens could also get additional playing time if Thompson is sidelined on Thursday.
Yesterday
Mattias Samuelsson Out Indefinitely
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (lower body) has been ruled out indefinitely by head coach Lindy Ruff. Following a three-game spell as a healthy scratch, Samuelsson was back in action against Montreal on Monday, but he sustained a lower-body injury. It's a fresh blow for the 24-year-old, whose season hasn't gone well. Samuelsson has registered one goal in 13 outings and carries a minus-two rating. Buffalo has placed Samuelsson on Injured Reserve. Dennis Gilbert is set to take over Samuelsson's role on the third defensive pairing. He's gone scoreless in four prior appearances this season, recording 10 penalty minutes, five blocks, and 11 hits.
Yesterday
Gabriel Landeskog Remains Without A Timeline
Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog (knee) remains without a timeline for his return. The Avalanche captain hasn't played since the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. He was expected to return to action in 2024-25, but with nearly a quarter of the campaign gone, it is still unclear when Landeskog will be ready to lace up his skates again. Injuries have decimated the Avalanche attack this season, but hope is around the corner. Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Miles Wood (upper body) each could be ready to return on Friday against Washington. At the same time, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar has confirmed that Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) will be back in the lineup for Friday's game.
Yesterday
Jonas Brodin Considered Questionable For Thursday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (undisclosed) is regarded as questionable for Thursday's tilt against Montreal. He suffered an undisclosed injury against Chicago on Sunday and sat out Wednesday's practice. Brodin is a shot-blocking machine at the back for the Wild and occasionally also contributes offensively. He has recorded six points (one goal, five assists) with 31 blocks in 15 outings this season. Declan Chisholm, who is much more offensive-minded, will likely draw back into the lineup if Brodin is out on Thursday. Chisholm has tallied three assists in 10 outings this season, logging all of his points in his past six appearances.
Yesterday
Hampus Lindholm Expected To Miss "Weeks"
Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower body) will be absent for an extended period. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said Wednesday that Lindholm will be out for "weeks." The Swedish rearguard suffered a lower-body injury against St. Louis on Tuesday when he blocked a shot late in the first period. Lindholm has posted solid numbers at both ends this season, notching seven points (three goals, four assists) in 17 games with 17 blocks. Boston has recalled Jordan Oesterle from the minors to replace Lindholm in the lineup. Mason Lohrei is in line for a top-four role in defense.
Yesterday
Dakota Joshua
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