NHL News
Kris Letang Returns To Penguins Lineup
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (lower body) will return to action on Sunday against Carolina. He has shaken off a lower-body injury that kept Letang sidelined for three games. The star defenseman will operate with Marcus Pettersson on the first defensive pairing and rejoin the top power-play unit. Letang hasn't been a factor with the man advantage this season, failing to pick up a single power-play point. He has contributed two goals and 11 assists on the offensive end in 34 appearances.
8 hours ago
William Carrier Misses Sunday's Game With A Lower-Body Injury
Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (lower body) will not play against Pittsburgh on Sunday. He has been ruled out for the contest due to a lower-body injury. With Carrier out of the lineup, the Hurricanes lose a massive physical presence who also occasionally chips in offensively. Carrier has posted nine points (four goals, five assists) in 39 appearances this season. The 30-year-old is ranked eighth in the league with 136 hits. Juha Jaaska will replace Carrier in the lineup, making only his second NHL appearance. He is not expected to be a fantasy factor as a fourth-liner.
8 hours ago
Aaron Ekblad Sits Out Sunday's Practice
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) missed Sunday's practice session. He sat out Sunday's practice after missing the end of regulation and overtime on Friday against Pittsburgh. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters that Ekblad is dealing with "general body malaise." He will be a "morning-skate decision" for Monday's contest against Colorado. Ekblad has been in an offensive slump lately but has played well overall in 2024-25. Following an 18-point effort in 51 appearances last season, the 28-year-old already has 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) across 40 contests this term. Ekblad leads his team with 54 blocks and has recorded 59 hits. Dmitri Kulikov will likely fill in for Ekblad on the first defensive pairing if he can't play on Monday.
8 hours ago
Travis Hamonic To Miss Up To Four Weeks
Ottawa Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic (lower body) will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks. He will begin his absence on Tuesday against Detroit. Hamonic recently had a lengthy spell on the first defensive pairing, but Artem Zub's return has bumped him back to the bottom pairing. The 34-year-old offers very little offensively and has posted only three assists in 37 games, but he averages a hit per game and is ranked third on the team with 58 blocks. Hamonic's exit from the lineup should result in regular playing time for Jacob Bernard-Docker, who sits on four points (one goal, three assists) through 25 outings, with 25 blocks and 21 hits.
9 hours ago
Linus Ullmark Out Week-To-Week
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (back) has been labeled as week-to-week. He hasn't played since Dec. 22 and didn't participate in Sunday's practice. Ullmark put together a seven-game winning streak in December, bringing his record to 12-7-2. He has managed three shutouts with his new club and holds a 2.38 goals-against average with a .915 save percentage. Leevi Merilainen has seen a lot of action during Ullmark's absence, but Anton Forsberg returned to the crease on Friday against St. Louis. He will likely get the bulk of the work going forward as the more experienced netminder.
9 hours ago
Frank Vatrano Signs Three-Year Extension With Ducks
Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano has inked a three-year, $18 million extension. Vatrano, who will turn 31 in March, is coming off a three-year, $10.95 million deal. The new contract will lock him up through the 2027-28 campaign. The American forward has been a late bloomer, posting his career-best year in 2023-24 with 60 points (37 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games. He has tallied 68 goals and 121 points in total with the Ducks across 200 games, with 341 hits. 20 of the points have come this campaign, with Vatrano registering nine goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances. Vatrano isn't a must-have player in fantasy hockey, but he offers plenty of value, combining his offensive ability with physicality.
9 hours ago
Thatcher Demko Joining Team For Five-Game Road Trip
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (back) is expected to travel with the team for its five-game road trip. Demko left Thursday's game against Seattle due to back spasms and was not in the lineup when Vancouver faced Nashville on Friday night. However, it seems Demko will not be out long-term. The American netminder has put together a 2-1-3 record this season, allowing 3.34 goals with a .881 save percentage. We haven't seen the best of Demko after he missed the start of the season because of knee surgery. Kevin Lankinen, who is 15-7-4 for the season, will hold down the fort until Demko is back for the Canucks.
Yesterday
Pyotr Kochetkov Starts Against Wild On Saturday
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov will work in the crease against Minnesota on Saturday. The Hurricanes go with their strongest option in net for the first leg of a back-to-back, with Dustin Tokarski likely getting the nod for Sunday's matchup against Pittsburgh. Kochetkov has been inconsistent since the start of last month, but he still carries a strong 15-7-1 record. The 25-year-old has notched one shutout while producing a 2.46 goals-against average with a .902 save percentage. On Saturday, Kochetkov faces a tough matchup, as the Wild have the third-best record in the Western Conference and have continued to win even with Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) on the shelf.
Yesterday
Joseph Woll In Maple Leafs Net On Saturday
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll will start the first leg of a back-to-back against Boston on Saturday. Woll will try to extend his winning streak to four games. He has allowed only four goals during his recent hot streak, improving his goals-against average to 2.40 and his record to 12-6-0. Through 18 appearances, Woll has registered a .917 save percentage. The Bruins have been mediocre this season and travel to Canada with a four-game road losing streak. Toronto will also have Auston Matthews (upper body) back in the lineup, so Woll has a good chance to continue his winning run.
Yesterday
Scott Wedgewood Unavailable On Saturday
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (lower body) will be out on Saturday against Montreal and faces a multi-game absence. The veteran netminder suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's matchup against Buffalo. "He's still getting evaluated, so I'm guessing it's going to be week to week," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said on Friday. Wedgewood, who was acquired in a trade from Nashville on Nov. 30, has impressed with his new team, going 4-2-0 with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Kevin Mandolese and Trent Miner will be the backup options behind Mackenzie Blackwood while Wedgewood recovers.
Yesterday
Jack Drury Back For Hurricanes Saturday
Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Drury (hand) will return to the lineup on Saturday against Minnesota. Drury hasn't played since breaking his thumb against San Jose on Dec. 10. The 24-year-old has made 28 appearances this season, recording three goals and nine assists. Drury lacks fantasy appeal but is a valuable asset for the Hurricanes. Playing on the fourth line, he occasionally contributes offensively and dominates in the faceoff circle. Drury has won a career-high 56.4 percent of his faceoffs in 2024-25. Juha Jaaska will exit the lineup on Saturday and has been reassigned to the minors.
Yesterday
Auston Matthews Returns To Action On Saturday
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (upper body) will return to the lineup on Saturday against Boston. The Maple Leafs finally get their leading man back after Matthews sat out six games due to a recurrence of an upper-body injury. Matthews is just short of averaging a point per game for the season, sitting on 11 goals and 12 assists through 24 appearances. He was riding a four-game point streak before landing on the shelf. The star forward will take over as the first-line center from John Tavares, with Matthew Knies and Mitchell Marner as his wingers. Tavares drops to the second line while David Kampf lands back on the fourth.
Yesterday
Jordan Binnington Shuts Out Senators
St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington performed admirably against Ottawa on Friday, neutralizing a talented offense in a 4-0 victory with 20 saves. The Blues No. 1 picked up his third shutout of the season, with two coming in his past four starts. Following a five-game losing streak, Binnington has found his feet again, going 3-1-0 in his last four appearances. He carries an 11-14-3 record for the season with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. Binnington will have a chance to record his first three-game winning streak of the season next week. We will see Joel Hofer in the Blues crease on Saturday as the team finishes a back-to-back against Columbus.
Yesterday
Brandon Saad Ends Goal Drought With A Hat Trick
St. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad had his best game of the season in Friday's matchup against Ottawa, scoring his third career hat trick in a 4-0 win. Saad tallied three consecutive goals after Brayden Schenn opened the scoring. He entered the game with a 19-game goal drought. It has been a strange campaign for Saad, as he has increased his goal tally with only multi-goal performances. The 32-year-old has not had much success on the offensive end, picking up seven goals and six assists in 34 appearances. A top-line role next to Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich puts Saad in a good position to get going offensively, but fantasy managers definitely shouldn't bet on it.
Yesterday
Mike Matheson Records Two Assists Friday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson finished Friday's 4-2 defeat to Chicago with two assists. He logged an even-strength helper on a Cole Caufield strike in the first period and picked up a power-play assist on Emil Heineman's goal in the third. Matheson was also eager for a goal himself, registering a whopping eight efforts on the net. He completed his line with one block and three hits in 28:10 of ice time. Matheson reached the 20-point plateau on Friday, having recorded two goals and 18 assists in 36 games. He has also tallied 75 blocks across the campaign. However, Matheson has struggled offensively for a while. Since the start of December, the veteran blue-liner has gone scoreless in 10 of 15 appearances.
Yesterday
Nick Foligno Pots Two Goals In Friday's Win
Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno produced two goals to lead the team to a 4-2 victory over Montreal on Friday. The veteran was highly efficient in front of the net, scoring twice with three shots, and he also registered a pair of hits across 18:22 of ice time. Foligno hadn't scored more than once in a single contest since Dec. 23, 2023. The Blackhawks captain is enjoying a decent season. He boasts 10 goals and 17 points through 38 outings with a team-high 105 hits.
Yesterday
Juuse Saros Logs Fourth Shutout Of The Season
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros backstopped his team to a 3-0 victory against Vancouver on Friday, posting his fourth shutout of the campaign with 27 saves. Two of the shutouts have come in Saros' most recent six starts. Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck (5) is the only goalie with more shutouts this season. Saros has performed well for most of the campaign, but the team's struggles have left him with a 9-16-6 record. He has allowed 2.72 goals with a .906 save percentage. We should see a head-to-head clash between Saros and Hellebuyck on Tuesday. Nashville will likely use Justus Annunen between the sticks when the team concludes a back-to-back on Saturday versus Calgary.
Yesterday
Leon Draisaitl Nets Game-Winner On Friday
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored the game-winning goal as the team defeated Anaheim 3-2 on Friday. Edmonton blew a two-goal lead in the contest but skated away with a victory thanks to Draisaitl's effort at the 18:25 mark in the third period. The German superstar scored in a third consecutive contest, extending his point streak to 13 games. Draisaitl has been in spectacular form and rarely disappoints fantasy managers. He leads the league in goals with 28 and has accumulated 57 points in 38 games, placing him second, behind only Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon. Next up, Draisaitl faces a Seattle team, against whom he averaged two points per game in four appearances a season ago.
Yesterday
Jared Spurgeon To Miss 2-3 Weeks
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower body) is expected to be out for 2-3 weeks. Spurgeon suffered an apparent right leg injury on Tuesday versus Nashville and wasn't in the lineup for Thursday's matchup against Washington. Based on the projected timeline, it looks like the Wild captain will miss at least six more games. Travis Dermott replaced Spurgeon in the lineup on Thursday but logged only 10:32 of ice time. Zach Bogosian filled in for him on the second defensive pairing and notched an assist. However, his offensive game is limited, and fantasy managers should not expect Bogosian to become a regular offensive contributor.
2 days ago
Oskar Sundqvist Unavailable Friday
St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist (illness) will miss Friday's game against Ottawa. He'll be sidelined due to an illness. Sundqvist has struggled significantly for offensive production, registering six points (three goals, three assists) in 28 appearances, but he has recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in his past six outings. Mathieu Joseph will fill in for Sundqvist as the third-line center. Like Sundqvist, Joseph has also been out of form offensively, tallying four points (two goals) in 24 outings. However, he averages close to two hits per game and will add muscle to the lineup.
2 days ago
Kris Letang
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Penguins
