NHL News
Jake Middleton Available Tuesday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton (hand) is poised to rejoin the lineup on Tuesday against St. Louis. The team has activated him from long-term Injured Reserve ahead of the contest. A hand injury has kept Middleton sidelined for 11 games. Despite missing nearly a month of action, Middleton leads the Wild in blocked shots with 76. He has also contributed offensively, posting five goals and eight assists in 29 games. Middleton's return will bump Travis Dermott out of the lineup. He is expected to link up with Brock Faber on the first defensive pairing, with Jonas Brodin dropping to the second.
0 hour ago
Troy Terry Uncertain For Tuesday's Action
Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Terry (personal) may sit out Tuesday's game against Calgary. His wife has gone into labor, and Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said Tuesday morning that he is unsure if Terry will be available. Terry has crushed it lately, totaling five goals and eight points in his past six appearances. If he is out on Tuesday, Brett Leason is expected to grab Terry's spot on the first line. Leason has not contributed much offensively in 2024-25, scoring five goals and 12 points with 49 shots in 32 outings. Terry's absence would also allow enforcer Ross Johnston to enter the lineup on the fourth line.
0 hour ago
Jacob Markstrom Snaps Losing Skid On Monday
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced en route to defeating the Seattle Kraken. Markstrom was beat by an Adam Larsson wrist shot in the second and a Shane Wright power-play goal in the final frame. Entering this contest, Markstrom lost his previous two starts and held a poor .880% SV during this stretch. This victory helped him get back on track as he was riding a stellar six-game winning streak with a near-perfect 0.83 GAA prior to his losing skid. Overall, Markstrom has performed very well in his first season in New Jersey posting a 20-8-2 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .911% SV. Fantasy managers should continue to view the 34-year-old as a must-start option in all formats.
9 hours ago
Devon Toews Busy In Monday's Victory
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews scored twice and added an assist during Monday's victory over the Florida Panthers. Toews scored his first goal of the evening in the second period on a wrist shot. In the third frame, he opened the scoring which eventually served as the game-winner. Later in the period, Toews would tally a primary assist on Mikko Rantanen's empty-netter. In this contest, Toews also logged four shots, three blocks, and one hit. This is Toews' second three-point outing over his past two games. Prior to this recent offensive surge, the 30-year-old has not been as productive as he sits with 20 points across 37 total games. However, he has logged 49 blocked shots with a +11 rating. Toews remains a high source of blocked shots in category formats with occasional offensive upside playing alongside Cale Makar on the top pairing.
10 hours ago
Nick Suzuki Tallies Three Points In Monday's Victory
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki tallied three points in their overtime victory on Monday evening against the Vancouver Canucks. Suzuki tallied the secondary assist on Cole Caufield's opening goal. In the third, Suzuki tallied another primary assist, time on the power-play on Kirby Dach's strike. Then, in overtime, the captain led the way as he beat Vancouver netminder Kevin Lankinen on a wrist shot. This performance extended Suzuki's point streak to four games. Over his past 19 contests, the 25-year-old tallied 22 points (five goals, 17 helpers), with eight of those points coming on the power-play. Suzuki remains a must-start player in all formats and is worth playing in favorable matchups in DFS.
10 hours ago
Alex Tuch Scores Twice On Monday
Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch scored twice during their overtime victory against the Washington Capitals. Tuch opened the scoring in the first period with a deflection goal, on an assist from JJ Peterka. Later in the second, Tuch would find the back of the net again, this time on an unassisted goal. The 28-year-old also logged two blocks and one hit in this contest. This outing snapped a four-game scoreless drought. Since the start of December (17 games) Tuch has had trouble remaining consistent in the scoring department as he has tallied just seven points (five goals, two helpers) over this stretch. However, he tallied 13 points in 14 games in November. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his production as he could be on the verge of another hot stretch.
10 hours ago
Jared Spurgeon Placed On Injured Reserve
According to the team, Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower body) was placed on the injured reserve on Monday evening. The 35-year-old defenseman was initially expected to miss at least two weeks of time so moving to the injured reserve does not effect that timetable. In a corresponding move, the Wild promoted Carson Lambos from the AHL. However, over the recent games, Travis Dermott has entered the starting lineup and should be expected to remain there until Spurgeon returns. Overall, Spurgeon tallied 13 points (four goals, nine helpers) with three of them coming on the power-play, across 32 games. He also logged 52 total blocks. When he returns he should reclaim his role as a top-4 defenseman and should continue to see ample power-play time.
10 hours ago
Jiri Kulich Exits Early On Monday
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (lower body) was injured during Monday's overtime victory against the Washington Capitals. The 20-year-old logged just over five minutes of ice time before sustaining the injury. He tallied one hit, one shot on goal, and two penalty minutes. Head coach Lindy Ruff said Kulich will be evaluated on Tuesday. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor his status leading up to Thursday's game against the Ottawa Senators. After playing in just one NHL contest last season, Kulich has found himself a full-time role in Buffalo this season. Across 31 contests, he has tallied nine points with 64 shots on goal while playing on the third line. Sam Lafferty or Jack Quinn may be candidates to move up to the third line if Kulich misses a period of time.
10 hours ago
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
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.
Yesterday
Jacob Middleton
• D
•
Wild
