NHL News
Connor Murphy Misses First Game Of The Season
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (groin) will be sidelined on Friday versus Montreal. He has sustained a groin injury and will be out for the first time this season. Murphy's campaign has gone reasonably well on a struggling team, and he is on pace for a career year offensively. In 38 appearances, Murphy has totaled 13 points (one goal, 12 assists). Murphy always puts in a shift defensively and has logged a team-high 93 blocks along with 70 hits. Wyatt Kaiser will replace Murphy in the lineup as Seth Jones' partner on the first defensive pairing. Kaiser's offensive contributions have been limited to one assist in 28 games, while he has amassed 54 blocks and 33 hits.
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David Savard A Game-Time Call Friday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard (undisclosed) is a game-time decision for Friday's meeting with Chicago. The veteran is in danger of missing his third game of the season. Savard recently scored his first goal of the campaign and has amassed 10 points in 35 contests. He's been more valuable on the defensive end, where Savard has registered a team-high 90 blocks. Jayden Struble will play if Savard sits out the contest. Struble has posted five points in 22 appearances, with 24 blocks and 41 hits. The 23-year-old went six games without any points before exiting the lineup.
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Jack Eichel Tallies Two Helpers On Thursday
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel tallied two helpers in their victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday evening. Eichel tallied his first point with the primary assist on Mark Stone's ninth goal of the season in the second period. Then, later in the third, Eichel would tack on the secondary assist on Tanner Pearson's empty-netter to put the game out of reach. The 28-year-old also added three shots on goal with a +2 rating in this contest. This game continued Jack Eichel's recent string of productive outings. Over his past nine games, the center has tallied 11 total points. During this stretch, he has only been held off the scoresheet twice and has posted four multi-point outings. Eichel remains a must-start player in all fantasy formats and a safe lineup anchor in DFS competitions.
9 hours ago
Alex DeBrincat Tallies Three Points On Thursday
Detroit Red Wings left wing Alex DeBrincat tallied a goal and an assist in their victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday evening. DeBrincat tallied his first assist on Patrick Kane's snap shot in the opening frame. Later in the period, DeBrincat would score on the power-play. Then, in the final period, DeBrincat would tally his second point on the power-play, this time on a primary assist on Dylan Larkin's goal. The 27-year-old is now riding a three-game point streak. He has tallied six points during this span, including three goals and three power-play points. Before this hot stretch, he tallied only two points over his previous seven contests. Fantasy managers should expect his scoring to continue to heat up, playing top minutes in the Detroit offense.
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Jonathan Quick Leads The Way On Thursday
New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced en route to defeating the Boston Bruins on Thursday evening. This was a much-needed victory for the Rangers, who came into this contest riding a four-game skid. The Rangers got out to a two-goal lead in the opening frame, and Quick was able to hold the lead throughout. His lone blemish came in the second frame when Bruins forward Elias Lindholm beat him on a wrist shot. With Igor Shesterkin (upper body) on the injured reserve, Quick should continue to see the vast majority of starts in the crease. The veteran has now allowed just one goal in each of his past two starts. He will look to stay hot on Saturday afternoon against the Washington Capitals.
9 hours ago
Scott Wedgewood Leaves Thursday's Game Early
According to Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (lower body) departed Thursday's game early. When Wedgewood left in the third period, he was unable to put any weight on his right leg and needed assistance to leave the ice. Before exiting, he stopped 14 of the 18 shots he faced against the Buffalo Sabres. Fantasy managers should continue to closely monitor his status, as he may have to miss a significant amount of time given how serious the injury looked during the game. In the short term, fantasy managers should expect Mackenzie Blackwood to receive the vast majority of the starts. Entering Thursday, Wedgewood was carrying a strong 3-1 record with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage over his previous four starts.
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Thatcher Demko Dealing With Back Spasms
According to Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet650, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (back) left Thursday's game with back spasms. Demko was involved in a collision in the opening frame but was able to remain in the game through most of the second frame. Before exiting, he stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced against the Seattle Kraken. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the weekend. Demko was likely not going to start on the second-half of the back-to-back on Friday evening before the injury so his next start could come on Monday evening against the Montreal Canadiens depending on his health. In the meantime, Kevin Lankinen will take the starter's crease.
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Victor Hedman Departs Thursday's Game Early
According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (head) left Thursday's game early. The star defenseman was struck in the head by a puck in the final frame. After the injury he did not return. Following the game, head coach Jon Cooper did not provide any update on his status. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to his status leading up to their next game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. Before departing, the 34-year-old tallied one shot on goal with two blocks. If Hedman were to miss time, Ryan McDonagh would likely move up to the top pairing and play alongside Darren Raddysh.
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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.
23 hours ago
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.
23 hours ago
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.
23 hours ago
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
Connor Murphy
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