NHL News
Erik Haula Expected To Miss "A Few Weeks"
New Jersey Devils forward Erik Haula (ankle) will not be in the lineup on Monday against Seattle and faces a multi-game absence. Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe has said Haula could miss "a few weeks," Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports. Haula hasn't yet sat out any games this season, notching 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 42 appearances. He's generally busy without the puck as well, boasting 67 hits. Justin Dowling will fill the open spot in the lineup on Monday. He will operate as the third-line center next to Paul Cotter and Dawson Mercer. Dowling has not been a factor in fantasy hockey, with his contributions limited to three points (two goals, one assist) in 25 games this season.
7 hours ago
Patrik Laine Misses Third Consecutive Game
Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine (illness) will remain sidelined for Monday's matchup against Vancouver, missing a third consecutive contest. The Finnish forward exited the lineup last week due to flu-like symptoms. Laine has played well with his new team, recording eight goals and 10 points in 13 appearances. He has notched all his goals with the man advantage, which ties him for the fifth-most power-play goals in the league. Michael Pezzetta has joined the lineup as Laine's replacement, with Joel Armia and Brendan Gallagher also getting action on the second line.
7 hours ago
Adam Larsson Available Monday
Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson (upper body) will play against New Jersey on Monday. An upper-body injury limited Larsson to 12 minutes in his last appearance against Edmonton, but he has shaken off the ailment ahead of Monday. Larsson offers minimal fantasy value on the offensive end but racks up peripheral stats at a good rate. In 40 outings, he has recorded seven points (one goal, six assists), 52 shots, 83 blocks, and 55 hits. The Swedish blue-liner will take his usual spot on the first defensive pairing next to Vince Dunn.
8 hours ago
Dakota Joshua Out Week-To-Week
Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua (leg) is considered week-to-week. The team placed him on Injured Reserve on Monday. Joshua suffered a leg injury in Friday's matchup against Nashville. Following a breakout campaign in 2023-24, Joshua has struggled to meet expectations this term after missing the start of the season due to tumor surgery. The 28-year-old has posted four points (two goals, two assists) in 24 games, along with 83 hits. Jonathan Lekkerimaki has been recalled from the minors and will replace Joshua in the lineup on Monday against Montreal. Lekkerimaki is a highly-rated prospect, but his first stint in the NHL wasn't very productive earlier in the season, as the 20-year-old winger produced one goal with seven shots in five appearances.
8 hours ago
Elias Pettersson Remains Out On Monday
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (undisclosed) will not be available on Monday versus Montreal. The Swedish forward has joined the team for a five-game road trip but isn't yet ready to return against the Canadiens. Pettersson, who has been linked with a trade, will miss a fifth consecutive contest. Pius Suter has worked in a top-six role during Pettersson's absence, but he finds himself with a five-game point drought ahead of Monday's action. The Swiss forward has tallied only six points (three goals, three assists) since the start of last month, meaning Suter has not been a reliable performer for fantasy managers.
8 hours ago
Quinn Hughes A Game-Time Decision For Monday
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (undisclosed) is considered a game-time call for Monday's tilt against Montreal. He has sat out four games with an undisclosed injury, but the chances of Hughes returning on Monday appear high. The star blue-liner practiced on Sunday and worked with the first power-play group. Only two defensemen in the league have recorded more points than Hughes, who boasts eight goals and 42 points through 34 outings. He's finished with multiple points three times in his past four appearances. Guillaume Brisebois will likely exit the lineup to make room for Hughes if he's ready to return.
8 hours ago
Aaron Ekblad Unlikely To Play On Monday
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) is not expected to play in Monday's matchup against Colorado. Ekblad is dealing with a "general body" injury and took the ice after Monday's morning skate. He's set to miss his first game of the season. Fellow blue-liner Niko Mikkola (upper body) participated in the morning skate but is also considered unlikely to play on Monday. He is looking at a fifth consecutive absence. With the Florida defense down a couple of bodies, Dmitry Kulikov is poised to skate on the first defensive pairing on Monday, while Uvis Balinskis will get to work on the second power-play unit. The Avalanche have struggled on the penalty kill, making Uvis Balinskis an interesting DFS target.
8 hours ago
Frank Vatrano Nets Two Goals On Sunday Evening
Anaheim Ducks left wing Frank Vatrano tallied two goals and an assist during their victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning Sunday evening. Vatrano signed a three-year contract with the Ducks earlier on Sunday and enjoyed a strong performance shortly after. Vatrano tallied the secondary assist on Troy Terry's opening goal. Vatrano would go on to score his first goal of the evening later in the first. Then in the final period, Vatrano would tally the empty-netter to seal the victory. Over his past four contests, he has tallied six points, which snapped a five-game scoreless drought prior to this. Vatrano should continue to have ample scoring opportunities playing top minutes in the Anaheim offense.
17 hours ago
Sebastian Aho Leads Carolina To Victory With Three-Point Night
Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho led the Hurricanes to a victory on Sunday evening against the Pittsburgh Penguins by tallying three points, including the overtime winner. Aho tallied two primary assists in the second frame, one on Seth Jarvis' tenth goal of the season and the other on Jalen Chatfield's fourth goal of the campaign. Aho would then score his 13th goal of the season on a rebound which beat Pittsburgh netminder Alex Nedeljkovic in overtime. Aho also tallied three shots on goal in this contest. This outing snapped a two-game scoreless streak for Aho. Since the start of December, Aho has tallied 18 points across 16 games. Overall, he has scored 43 points in 40 games including 15 power-play points. He remains a must-start player in all fantasy formats.
17 hours ago
Bo Horvat Scores Game-Winner On Sunday
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat scored twice, including the game-winning goal in their overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday evening. Horvat tallied his first goal of the evening in the opening frame while shorthanded. Horvat would beat Boston netminder Joonas Korpisalo on a snap shot. Later in overtime, Horvat would strike again to seal the victory on another snapshot. Horvat has now tallied seven points (four goals, three helpers) over his previous seven contests. Overall, he sits with 29 points through 39 games but he has begun to put his slow start behind him. Horvat will look to stay hot on Thursday evening when the Islanders begin their west coast trip in Las Vegas.
17 hours ago
Filip Chytil Scores Twice On Sunday
New York Rangers center Filip Chytil scored twice in their victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon. Chytil scored his first of the afternoon in the opening minutes of the second frame on a wrist shot. Later in the third period, he would score on a deflection to seal the victory for the Rangers. This game extended his current point streak to four games. Over this stretch, he has scored four goals with one helper and averaged a solid 3.75 shots on goal per game. Overall, the 25-year-old has tallied 17 points (ten goals, seven assists) across 32 total games this season. If Chytil continues this hot stretch, he could earn himself a role in the New York top-6 which would significantly improve his fantasy value, as he currently plays in a bottom-6 role.
17 hours ago
Jake McCabe Exits Early On Sunday
According to the team, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (upper body) exited early during Sunday's overtime victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. McCabe appeared to have sustained the injury late in the opening frame. Before exiting, the 31-year-old tallied one hit with seven penalty minutes. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for the time being. McCabe has been typically deployed on the second pairing alongside Chris Tanev. While he has only tallied 11 points through 36 games, he has provided strong value in deeper category formats as he has tallied 32 penalty minutes, 72 hits and 68 blocks. If McCabe were unable to play Tuesday evening, Connor Timmins will likely draw into the starting lineup.
18 hours ago
Philip Tomasino Placed On Injured Reserve
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Philip Tomasino (lower body) was placed on the injured reserve prior to Sunday's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 23-year-old sustained this injury during their overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday evening. After scoring three goals over his first four contests as a Penguin, Tomasino has gotten a bit cold, tallying just three points in his previous 11 contests. However, he has continued to be deployed on the second line alongside Evgeni Malkin. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor who takes Tomasino's spot on the second line while he is injured. Cody Glass was given the nod on Sunday evening but Drew O'Connor and Anthony Beauvillier will likely be given an opportunity as well.
18 hours ago
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
2 days ago
Erik Haula
• LW
•
Devils
