NHL News
Anze Kopitar Strikes Twice In Victory
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar scored twice in their victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday evening. Kopitar tallied his first goal in the final minutes of the second frame on a backhand shot to beat goaltender Aleksei Kolosov. Later in the third period, Kopitar would extend the Los Angeles lead on a wrist shot. The veteran center is now riding a three-game point streak. During this span, he has posted two multi-point efforts. Since the start of December, Kopitar has been held off the scoresheet just once and has tallied eight total points across seven games. Overall, the 37-year-old has registered 37 points across 32 total games this season. Fantasy managers should continue to view him as a solid center option in standard formats as he continues to see heavy ice time on a nightly basis.
4 hours ago
Andrei Vasilevskiy Stands Tall In Thursday's Victory
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy tallied his third straight victory in Thursday evening's 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. In this game, Vasilevskiy stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced. Tampa Bay was heavily out-shot in this contest, but the 30-year-old was able to lead the way. Over his previous six starts, Vasilevskiy has held a 5-1 record with a strong .924 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average. Overall, through 25 games, he sits with a 15-9-1 record and a .911 save percentage with a 2.38 goals-against average. Fantasy managers should continue to view Vasilevskiy as a high-end goaltender, not only given his elite production, but also heavy workload. He should be expected to get the starting nod on Sunday evening when the Lightning host the Florida Panthers.
4 hours ago
Leon Draisaitl Tallies Three Helpers In Overtime Victory
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl tallied an assist on all three of Edmonton's goals during their 3-2 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. The Bruins got out to an early two-goal lead in the opening frame, but the Oilers took control of the game the rest of the way. Draisaitl logged his first helper on Zach Hyman's 11th tally of the season in the second period. Then in the third, Draisaitl tallied the secondary assist on Connor McDavid's game-tying strike. In overtime, Draisaitl would earn his third point of the evening on Connor McDavid's game-winner. This was his seventh straight multi-point showing. During this span, the 29-year-old has tallied 18 points (six goals, 12 assists). Draisaitl remains a high-end fantasy option in all formats and is a safe lineup anchor in DFS.
4 hours ago
Bryan Rust Busy During Thursday's Victory
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust tallied four points (two goals and two assists) during Thursday's overtime victory over the Nashville Predators. Rust scored his first goal of the game in the opening frame on a backhand shot to beat Juuse Saros. In the second period, Rust tallied two secondary assists, one on the power-play, and the other in even-strength play. Then in overtime, Rust would play the hero and complete the Penguins comeback and secure the victory on a wrist shot. This was Rust's second four-point performance of the month. Over his previous six games, he has tallied 12 points (six goals, six assists) while registering 19 total shots and seven blocks. Given how well the top line in Pittsburgh has performed, Rust should remain locked into all lineups on Saturday evening when he travels to Newark to face the Devils.
4 hours ago
Sidney Crosby Snaps Goal Drought, Posts Four-Point Night
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby snapped his 10-game goal drought and added three assists during Thursday's overtime victory over the Nashville Predators. Crosby's first assist came on Bryan Rust's first goal of the evening. Later in the second period, Crosby would snap his multi-week-long goal drought by scoring his ninth of the season on the power play. Later in the period, Crosby would register the secondary assist on Rickard Rakell's tally. Then in the third, Crosby would once again kickstart the offense with his third helper of the evening, this time on Erik Karlsson's game-tying strike. Even during his 10-game goal drought, Crosby still averaged a point per game. Over his previous 12 contests, he has been held off the scoresheet just twice and has registered three multi-point showings. He will look to stay hot on Saturday evening against the New Jersey Devils.
4 hours ago
Nathan MacKinnon Tallies Two Power-Play Assists In Victory
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied two assists on the man advantage during Thursday's victory over the San Jose Sharks. MacKinnon's first helper of the evening was the secondary assist on Valeri Nichuskin's ninth tally of the season. Later in the final frame, MacKinnon tallied the primary assist on Mikko Rantanen's 19th goal of the season. Since the start of December, MacKinnon has tallied 16 total points (six goals, ten assists) with three of them coming on the power-play. Over his previous six games, he has been held off the scoresheet just twice and logged at least three shots on goal in each game. MacKinnon remains a high-end center in all formats and a top play in DFS in all matchups. He should be viewed as a high-upside option on Friday evening facing the Anaheim Ducks.
5 hours ago
Petr Mrazek Activated From Injured Reserve
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek (groin) has been activated from Injured Reserve ahead of Thursday's contest against Seattle. He's set to rejoin the lineup following a five-game absence, although Arvid Soderblom will be the starter in the crease. Both netminders have played well for the Blackhawks this season, but the team's lethargic offense has made it tough for them to string together a run of wins. Mrazek carries a 7-11-1 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Chicago has assigned Drew Commesso to the AHL as a result of Mrazek's return.
17 hours ago
Yanni Gourde Returns To Kraken Lineup Thursday
Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (lower body) is ready to return from a three-game absence on Thursday against Chicago. He's expected to grab a second-line role, working as the center between Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Tanev. Gourde's offensive output has been limited to five goals and nine assists in 29 games this season. However, his scoring rate has improved this month, as Gourde has averaged a point per game in four appearances. The Blackhawks share the league's worst record with Nashville and allow over three goals per game (3.16), so Gourde will be in a good position to continue his recent hot spell.
17 hours ago
Jordan Greenway To Be Out Long-Term After Undergoing Surgery
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (undisclosed) will be out long-term after having surgery. The 27-year-old power forward has been in and out of the lineup due to health issues all season and is now looking at an extended absence. However, the team expects to have Greenway available again at some point later in the season. Greenway has amassed seven points (three goals, four assists) in 20 games while delivering 54 hits. Sam Lafferty (lower body) might be Greenway's replacement in the lineup on Friday versus Toronto. He's recovered from a lower-body injury but needs to be activated from Injured Reserve before he can join the action.
18 hours ago
Roman Josi Remains Out On Thursday
Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (lower body) will miss a fourth consecutive game on Thursday against Pittsburgh. The Predators captain has been left nursing a lower-body injury after getting hurt in a game against Calgary on Dec. 10. Nashville has placed Josi on Injured Reserve, which might be a sign that Jeremy Lauzon (lower body is ready to replace him in the lineup. Lauzon has missed 10 games due to a lower-body injury and has been activated from Injured Reserve. With Josi out, Brady Skjei has been skating on the first power-play unit, with Adam Wilsby seeing action with the second unit. The latter enters Thursday's contest with a three-game point streak.
18 hours ago
Viktor Arvidsson Back In Oilers Lineup Versus Bruins
Edmonton Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson (undisclosed) will end a 15-game absence on Thursday against Boston. This will be his first appearance since Nov. 12. Arvidsson's first campaign in Edmonton has been full of frustration, as he's totaled only five points (two goals, three assists) in 16 outings. The Swedish forward has been disappointing in a top-six role and will rejoin the lineup on the third line, with Connor Brown and Adam Henrique skating next to him. With a couple of 60-point campaigns under his belt, Arvidsson has proved that he can be a major threat offensively, but he doesn't have much fantasy value right now.
18 hours ago
Nicolas Roy Misses Thursday's Game
Vegas Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy (upper body) will miss his first game of the season on Thursday versus Vancouver. Roy has been cold offensively in recent weeks, and his season has now suffered another setback due to an upper-body injury. In 31 games, Roy has contributed six goals and seven assists. Ivan Barbashev (upper body) will also miss Thursday's action, so the Golden Knights are set to roll out a new-look offense. Cole Schwindt, who has tallied six assists in 24 outings this season, will replace Roy on the fourth line, while Pavel Dorofeyev will fill in for Barbashev on the first line. Meanwhile, Tanner Laczynski will make his season debut on the third line after being called up from the AHL, where he has been red-hot with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 17 games.
18 hours ago
Ivan Barbashev Unavailable Thursday
Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev (upper body) will be sidelined for Thursday's clash against Vancouver. Barbashev suffered an upper-body injury on Sunday versus Minnesota and hasn't been able to practice this week. The 29-year-old lands on the shelf after amassing 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) in 31 games. With Barbashev unavailable, Pavel Dorofeyev is expected to join Jack Eichel and Mark Stone on the first line. Dorofeyev has had a decent campaign with 12 goals and 18 points in 31 appearances. He'll have additional fantasy value as long as Barbashev remains out.
18 hours ago
Janis Moser To Miss 8-10 Weeks With A Lower-Body Injury
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Janis Moser (lower body) is expected to miss 8-10 weeks of action. He's already been unavailable for a pair of games, and it looks like Moser will have to sit out a couple of months. The 24-year-old has enjoyed a good season among the top-four group in the Lightning defense, recording 10 points (two goals, eight assists), 28 shots, 39 hits, and 19 blocks across 27 appearances. Due to Moser's absence, Darren Raddysh has received a boost in playing time lately. He boasts similar offensive numbers, sitting on nine points (one goal, eight assists) through 21 outings, but offers much less defensively than Moser.
18 hours ago
Mason Marchment Exits Early Wednesday
Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (undisclosed) missed most of the third period in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to Toronto. He took only one shift in the period, exiting the contest after logging 10:25 of ice time. Marchment was minus-two for the game. Stars head coach Peter DeBoer said postgame that Marchment is "dealing with something." The team expects to know more about his injury on Thursday. It was a bad night at the office for Marchment on Wednesday, but he's had a hugely successful campaign overall. A haul of 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 30 games puts Marchment among Dallas' top scorers, and he's second on the team with 41 hits.
Yesterday
Brock Faber Remains Under Evaluation After Getting Hit By Puck
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber remains under evaluation after he was hit in the face by a puck on Wednesday versus Florida. The incident occurred in the final minute of play. Faber had a rough outing against the Panthers, finishing a 6-1 loss with a minus-two rating, but he's played a major role in the Wild's success this season. Through 32 games, Faber has contributed three goals and 14 assists with 41 shots and 42 blocks. He's among eight skaters in the league to average at least 25 minutes of ice time per game.
Yesterday
Canadiens Trade Justin Barron To Nashville
The Nashville Predators have acquired defenseman Justin Barron from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Alexandre Carrier (upper body). Barron has seen very little action lately with the Canadiens, and the team has decided to move on from him, replacing Barron with a more experienced player in defense. The 23-year-old, who was acquired from Colorado in the Artturi Lehkonen deal in 2022, skated in 109 games for the Canadiens, registering 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) with 129 shots, 121 blocks, and 132 hits. This season, Barron made only 17 appearances in Montreal, sitting out 11 games as a healthy scratch.
Yesterday
Alexandre Carrier Moves To Montreal
The Nashville Predators have traded defenseman Alexandre Carrier (upper body) to the Montreal Canadiens, with defenseman Justin Barron heading in the opposite direction. Carrier has so far spent his entire NHL career in Nashville, recording 69 points (11 goals, 58 assists) in 245 games with 279 shots, 409 blocks, and 268 hits. The 28-year-old departs Music City only a few months after signing a three-year, $11.25 million extension. Montreal has allowed the second-most goals in the league (3.65) and Carrier should help the team with the situation, but he doesn't offer anything to fantasy managers. Carrier has nursed an upper-body injury lately but is reportedly healthy again.
Yesterday
Will Borgen Joins Rangers
The New York Rangers have picked up defenseman Will Borgen in a trade with the Seattle Kraken. Additionally, the team received a third-round and sixth-round draft pick in a deal that saw winger Kaapo Kakko go the other way. Borgen looks like a replacement for the recently departed Jacob Trouba, who was traded to Anaheim on Dec. 6. Borgen, who turned 28 on Thursday, has been limited to two points (one goal, one assist) in 33 games with the Kraken this season but brings physicality to the team. He has logged 48 hits this season with 37 blocks. Across the previous two campaigns, Borgen averaged 2.43 hits per game.
Yesterday
Kaapo Kakko Traded To Seattle
The Seattle Kraken have acquired right wing Kaapo Kakko in a trade with the New York Rangers. The team gave up defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2025 sixth-round pick in the deal. Kakko, a former No. 2 pick, heads to the Western Conference after having a tough time with the Rangers. He's posted 131 points (61 goals, 70 assists) in 330 career games, including 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 30 appearances this season. Kakko gets a fresh start on a new team, but it remains to be seen if the move helps to unlock his full potential.
Yesterday
Anze Kopitar
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