NHL News
Auston Matthews Ruled Out For At Least Two More Games
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (upper body) will not rejoin the lineup this week as the team gets ready to face Detroit on Friday and Washington on Saturday. The Maple Leafs captain recently re-aggravated an upper-body injury and will sit out a third consecutive contest on Friday. Matthews' next chance to return comes on Tuesday versus the Islanders. With him out, John Tavares will continue to skate as the first-line center. Pontus Holmberg is projected to center the second line in Friday's matchup.
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David Pastrnak Available On Friday
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (upper body) will be in the lineup on Friday against Columbus. The star winger suffered an upper-body injury against Washington on Monday, exiting the contest after logging only nine minutes of action, but Pastrnak will not miss additional time. Pastrnak has had a hot month with 13 points. However, it's been a down year for him overall, as the prolific forward has settled for 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 36 appearances. Pastrnak last averaged fewer than a point per game in 2017-18.
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Adin Hill Sharp In Monday's Victory
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced en route to defeating the Anaheim Ducks on Monday evening. Hill's lone blemish came in the third period on a snap shot from Mason McTavish which tied the game at the time. Tomas Hertl was able to break the stalemate later in the frame. Hill has now won six of his past seven starts and seven of his past nine. Over his past seven games, Hill has held a strong .925% SV with a 2.14 GAA. During this span, he has only allowed more than three goals on one occasion and allowed two or less in five. Overall, the 28-year-old sits with an impressive 15-5-2 record this season with two shutouts, and a 2.61 GAA and a .905% SV. He will look to extend his win streak on Friday evening against the San Jose Sharks.
3 days ago
Jiri Kulich Posts First Three-Point Outing Of The Season
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich posted his first three-point game of his season on Monday evening during their demanding 7-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Kulich would score the second goal of the game in the opening frame which would eventually serve as the game-winner. Kulich beat Ilya Sorokin on a wrist shot. In the second, Kulich would tack on his lone helper on a secondary assist on Zach Benson's strike. Kulich would tally his second goal of the night in the final frame to put the game out of reach. The former 28th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft has not contributed much offensively playing primarily on the third line but this breakout showing could build some confidence. Through 25 games, he has tallied eight points. Kulich should only be rostered in dynasty formats given his lack of consistent production.
3 days ago
Jonas Johansson Stops 36 Shots In Victory
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson led the way against the defending Stanley Cup Champions on Monday evening. Johansson stopped all 36 shots he faced. The Lightning were heavily outshot in this contest but the No.2 netminder was able to lead them to a victory. The Lightning were able to strike three times in the opening frame which was able to Johansson a nice cushion early on. This was only his seventh appearance of the campaign as Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to see a heavy workload in the crease. Across these seven outings, the No.2 option has held a 4-1-1 record with a 3.25 GAA and a .902% SV. Johansson should only be left for deeper formats as he has very limited opportunities to draw a start.
3 days ago
Dylan Holloway Scores First Career Hat Trick
St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway scored his first career hat trick during their victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday evening. Holloway scored his first goal of the game on a slap shot in the opening frame which beat Detroit netminder Cam Talbot. In the second frame, Holloway would find the back of the net for the second time, this time on a snap shot which further extended their lead. Holloway would cap off his first career hat trick with an empty-net goal in the final minutes. This was a much-needed breakout performance for the 23-year-old as he carried a six-game point drought into this game. Before this drought he was riding a seven-game point streak. Holloway will look to kickstart another point streak on Friday evening, against the Nashville Predators.
3 days ago
Jack Hughes Scores Twice In Monday's Victory
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored twice and added a helper during their 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday afternoon. Hughes opened the scoring and tallied the eventual game-winner in the opening minutes. Hughes would score on a wrist shot which beat Jonathan Quick. In the second frame, Hughes would strike again, this time on the power-play. Hughes would tally his third point of the game on a primary assist in the final frame on Dawson Mercer's power-play goal. Over his past six games, Hughes has tallied ten total points (four goals, six helpers) while averaging over 4.0 shots per game with a +7 rating. Hughes remains a must-start option in all formats as he will look to stay hot on Friday evening against the Carolina Hurricanes.
3 days ago
Sidney Crosby Ties Team Record With Four-Point Showing
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby led the way on Monday evening during their victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Crosby tallied three helpers and a goal. These three assists tied him with Mario Lemieux's 1,033 total assists with the Penguins. Crosby tallied the primary assist on Bryan Rust's opening goal. Later in the first, Crosby would tack on two more helpers, both times on the power-play. He tallied his first on Michael Bunting's goal and the other on Philip Tomasino's strike. Then, in the final minutes, Crosby would score the empty-netter to put the game out of reach to cap off his four-point night. This was Crosby's second four-point outing over his past three games and third time he tallied at least three points in a single game over his past six contests. Crosby has the chance to make history Saturday evening in Belmont against the Islanders.
3 days ago
Jake Neighbours Good To Go Versus Red Wings
St. Louis Blues winger Jake Neighbours (undisclosed) will be in the lineup on Monday against Detroit. He didn't finish Friday's matchup against Florida after absorbing a heavy hit, but Neighbours won't have to miss additional time. The 22-year-old is tied for the second-most goals on the team with 10 and has amassed 17 points across 35 contests. Neighbours is expected to work as a third-liner on Monday, but he should also see action with the first power-play unit. It's a juicy matchup for St. Louis' power play on Monday, as the Red Wings have the league's second-worst penalty kill.
3 days ago
Filip Gustavsson Returns To Work Monday
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (lower body) will be back between the pipes on Monday versus Chicago. He's been out of the lineup for four games due to a lower-body injury. His last outing ended in a heavy 7-1 defeat against Edmonton, but Gustavsson has had a fantastic campaign as Minnesota's No. 1 option in the cease, posting a 14-5-3 record. He has allowed 2.24 goals with a .922 save percentage and two shutouts. Gustavsson's losses include a 2-1 overtime defeat against the Blackhawks on Nov. 10, but it's a great matchup for him. Chicago has won only five of 19 road games and averages the fourth-fewest goals in the league (2.56).
3 days ago
Sean Couturier Back For Battle Of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (personal) will return to the lineup on Monday versus Pittsburgh. He missed Saturday's meeting with Columbus due to a personal matter. The veteran forward will operate as the first-line center, working with Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny. Couturier's efforts have resulted in six goals and 17 points in 32 appearances this season. He tends to go through cold spells and is in the middle of one right now, with seven of Couturier's last nine appearances ending without a point for him.
4 days ago
Jake Walman Unavailable Monday
San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman (lower body) will not play on Monday against Vancouver. The 28-year-old is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Walman has quietly been among the most productive fantasy defensemen in 2024-25, offering value across the board. Through 31 appearances, he has produced a career-high 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) with 80 shots, 30 hits, and 47 blocks. Henry Thrun is set to move to Walman's position on the first defensive pairing, while his absence may give Timothy Liljegren a job on the first power-play unit. Shakir Mukhamadullin will fill the open spot in the lineup.
4 days ago
Zach Werenski Questionable For Monday's Action
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (leg) might skip Monday's meeting with Montreal. He hurt his left leg against Philadelphia at the weekend and could be out of action for the first time this season. Werenski is one of four defensemen in the league with 30-plus points for the season, having tallied 11 goals and 21 assists in 34 appearances. Additionally, Werenski ranks second on the team with 56 blocks, so his absence would be a massive blow for Columbus. The rest of the blue line would need to put in extra shifts if he's out, with Ivan Provorov likely replacing Werenski on the first power-play unit.
4 days ago
Ivan Barbashev, Nicolas Roy Remain Out Monday
Vegas Golden Knights forwards Ivan Barbashev (upper body) and Nicolas Roy (upper body) will remain out for Monday's contest against Anaheim. Both players are unavailable for a third consecutive game. Pavel Dorofeyev has enjoyed first-line usage during Barbashev's absence but will skate on the third line on Monday, with Victor Olofsson elevated to the top line. On Monday, a line shakeup will also see Keegan Kolesar join the top six. Kolesar is fresh off a two-point game, while Olofsson has also recently enjoyed a good offensive spell, averaging a point per game across his last five appearances.
4 days ago
Leo Carlsson Not Expected To Play On Monday
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (undisclosed) will likely skip Monday's contest against Vegas. He was injured in Sunday's 5-4 shootout win against Utah, leaving him questionable for Monday's action. According to Derek Lee of The Hockey News, the expectation is that Carlsson will not be able to play against the Golden Knights. If that's the case, we should see Mason McTavish take on a second-line job. McTavish is having a down year, with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 26 games, but he made an impact in Sunday's game with an assist and the shootout winner.
4 days ago
Aliaksei Protas Scores Twice On Sunday
Washington Capitals right wing Aliaksei Protas scored twice to lead Washington to a victory on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Kings. Protas opened the scoring in the first period on a snap shot which beat Los Angeles netminder David Rittich. His linemates, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Conner McMichael tallied the assists. Protas would then put the game out of reach by scoring the empty-netter. This goal was unassisted. This performance snapped a three-game scoreless drought for the 23-year-old. Through 23 total games this season, Protas has tallied 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) with 63 shots on goal, nine hits, and 13 total blocked shots. He should be expected to remain on the second line and is a viable play DFS in favorable matchups.
4 days ago
Clayton Keller Tallies Four Points On Sunday
Utah Hockey Club right wing Clayton Keller tallied two goals and two assists during their shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday evening. Keller opened the scoring with a deflection goal to give Utah an early lead. Later in the period, he would tally the secondary assist on Barrett Hayton's six goal of the season. In the opening minutes of the second frame, Keller would tally the primary assist on Logan Cooley's power-play goal. Later in the frame, Keller would score his second goal of the game, on a snap shot. This performance extended Keller's point streak to four games. During this span, he has posted three multi-point showings and tallied nine total points. Since the start of December (nine games) the 26-year-old has tallied 13 points with eight of them coming on the power-play.
4 days ago
Linus Ullmark Leaves Sunday's Game With Upper-Body Injury
According to the Ottawa Senators, goaltender Linus Ullmark (upper body) left Sunday's game early with an upper body injury and was replaced by Leevi Merilainen at the start of the second period. Before exiting, Ullmark stopped six of the seven shots he faced. His lone blemish came on a Viktor Arvidsson snap shot. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Ullmark's status throughout the week as his next start would be on Saturday evening against the Winnipeg Jets. Coming into this game, Ullmark was carrying an impressive seven-game winning streak. During this stretch, he held a stellar .967% SV with a 0.99 GAA. Ullmark remains a must-start goaltender in all formats when he returns to the crease.
4 days ago
Zach Hyman Extends Goal Streak To Six Games
Edmonton Oilers right wing Zach Hyman scored in his sixth-straight game on Sunday evening during their victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Hyman would score his 13th goal of the campaign on the power-play in the second period. He beat goaltender Leevi Merilainen on a wrist shot with assists from Viktor Arvidsson and Leon Draisaitl. During this six-game goal streak, Hyman has posted one multi-goal game and two multi-point nights. He has averaged three shots on goal per game during this span. Since returning from an undisclosed injury on December 5, Hyman has scored ten goals across nine games and has only been kept off the scoresheet in one outing during this entire stretch. Hyman remains a must-start forward while he continues this hot streak.
4 days ago
Mikko Rantanen Tallies Two Helpers, Extends Point Streak To Nine Games
Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen tallied two helpers during their victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday evening, which extended his point streak to nine games. Rantanen tallied his first helper of the evening on a primary assist on Cale Makar's power-play goal to open the scoring. This was Makar's 11th goal of the season. Rantanen would then tally another primary assist, this time on Joel Kiviranta's eventual game-winning goal in the second frame. Rantanen would also log one shot, hit, and block during this contest. Rantanen has now tallied an impressive 17 points over this nine game stretch. He has posted four multi-point outings during this stretch, with his highest being a five-point night on December 10. Rantanen remain a high-end winger in all formats and one of the safest lineup anchors in DFS.
4 days ago
Auston Matthews
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Maple Leafs
