NHL News
Stuart Skinner Available On Saturday
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (concussion) is available for Saturday's tilt against the Seattle Kraken. He was pulled by the concussion spotter on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets, but Skinner is considered "fine." Skinner's recent performances have not been up to par, so he may still sit out Saturday's game as Calvin Pickard's backup. Since the beginning of February, Skinner has collected only four victories. He owns a 23-17-4 record for the year, allowing 2.85 goals with a .896 save percentage and two shutouts. Pickard has gone 3-1-1 over his past five appearances.
3 hours ago
Jonas Brodin Could Return To Action Saturday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower body) is nearing a return to action and could be an option for Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres. "I think it's a strong possibility, not a guarantee," Wild head coach John Hynes said Friday after practice. Brodin took part in the practice session, skating with Jared Spurgeon. Minnesota has been without Brodin for nine games. This isn't an uncommon situation for the team, as Brodin has faced health issues all season, missing time due to three separate injuries. He has picked up 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 38 games while blocking 81 shots from the opposition.
3 hours ago
Marco Rossi Likely To Play Saturday
Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (lower body) is expected to be available on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. In Wednesday's clash against the Seattle Kraken, he logged just 3:00 of ice time before exiting the game after being hit by a puck. Rossi returned to practice on Friday, which strongly suggests he will be in the lineup against Buffalo. The 23-year-old serves as Minnesota's first-line center but has been offensively quiet lately. In nine March appearances, Rossi has recorded only two assists. He has posted a career-high 53 points (21 goals, 32 assists) in 69 games during the season.
3 hours ago
Marcus Johansson On Track To Return Saturday
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (illness) seems set to rejoin the lineup on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. He missed Wednesday's game against the Seattle Kraken due to an illness. The Swedish veteran was back in practice on Friday. Johansson found the back of the net in his last appearance against the Los Angeles Kings and has been productive lately, racking up seven points (two goals, five assists) in nine games. Overall, he has accumulated 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 59 games this season. Minnesota is expected to use Johansson on the second line against Buffalo, with Frederick Gaudreau and Gustav Nyquist skating alongside him.
3 hours ago
Elvis Merzlikins Set To Face Penguins
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins will start between the sticks on Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He will try to end a five-game losing streak. Merzlikins' recent dip in form has left a negative mark on his record, as the Latvian netminder is now 22-18-5 for the season. He has allowed 3.00 goals with a .897 save percentage and one shutout. Recent weeks have been difficult for Merzlikins, but he has had the Penguins' number this season, winning both of his previous two starts against them, with only five goals allowed. Jet Greaves will serve as Merzlikins's backup on Friday, as Daniil Tarasov (illness) did not travel to the game.
4 hours ago
Alex Nedeljkovic Starts For Penguins Friday
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic will be in the crease for Friday's matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be his first opportunity to play since suffering a 4-0 defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 7. Nedeljkovic has gone winless in each of his last three starts, allowing eight total goals. He holds a 12-14-5 record for the season and has allowed 3.17 goals with a .891 save percentage. It's been a tough campaign for Nedeljkovic, and things could turn out to be complicated again for him on Friday night against a Columbus squad that averages 3.15 goals per game, marking the 11th-highest average in the league.
4 hours ago
Erik Gustafsson Facing Long-Term Absence
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson (undisclosed) will face an extended absence, according to the team. Gustafsson was not practicing on Thursday after suffering this injury during Tuesday's contest against the Washington Capitals. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but he currently carries an unknown timetable. The Red Wings also promoted Brogan Rafferty from Grand Rapids to operate as a depth defenseman. Over his previous 12 games, Gustafsson has tallied five points (all helpers) with 14 shots on goal, eight hits, and nine blocked shots. Through 60 games this season, the 33-year-old has found the back of the net twice and added 16 helpers with a -19 rating. While he remains out, fantasy managers should expect either Rafferty or William Lagesson to enter the starting lineup.
7 hours ago
Marcus Foligno Not Playing On Saturday
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (upper body) will remain sidelined on Saturday when the Wild face the Buffalo Sabres. Foligno has missed the previous two contests due to this injury. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next game on Monday evening against the Dallas Stars. Before his injury, Foligno was riding a 10-game scoreless skid. During this stretch, Foligno logged an impressive 37 hits with nine blocked shots and a -7 rating. Through 67 games this season, Foligno has found the back of the net 11 times and added 11 helpers. While Foligno carries modest scoring upside, he does hold value in leagues that reward hits, as he has tallied 219 (3.3 hits per game). While Foligno remains out, Marcus Johansson (illness) could re-enter the starting lineup.
7 hours ago
Emil Bemstrom Sitting Out On Friday
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Emil Bemstrom (undisclosed) will remain out of the starting lineup on Friday evening when the Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bemstrom was unable to suit up during their previous contest against the New York Islanders due to this injury. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Joona Koppanen to continue to be deployed as the left wing on the third offensive line. Before his injury, Bemstrom tallied one point (a helper) with nine hits and two blocked shots across his previous eight games. When Benstromg does return to the starting lineup, he will likely continue to have a role in the bottom six and carry minimal fantasy value, given his lack of scoring upside.
7 hours ago
Leon Draisaitl Ruled Out For Saturday
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) will remain sidelined on Saturday evening when the Oilers face the Seattle Kraken. Draisaitl was unable to suit up in their previous contest on Thursday evening with this same injury. Before Thursday's contest, head coach Kris Knoblauch noted that the team is taking a "cautious" approach. In addition, Connor McDavid (lower body) will also miss Saturday's contest and will leave the Edmonton offense shorthanded. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Draisaitl's status, as the team has yet to provide a definitive timetable. Since the start of the month (nine games), Draisaitl has tallied 13 points with five goals. While Draisaitl and McDavid remain sidelined, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Henrique will operate as the top centers in the offense.
7 hours ago
Connor McDavid Undergoing MRI, Not Playing On Saturday
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (lower body) is undergoing an MRI on Friday and will not suit up on Saturday evening when the Oilers face the Seattle Kraken. McDavid sustained this injury during their contest on Thursday evening. Before departing the game, McDavid tallied one helper, which extended his point streak to 13 games. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could be in danger of facing an extended absence. During this 13-game stretch, the 28-year-old has found the back of the net four times and added 15 helpers. In addition, No. 2 center Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) will also not suit up. As a result, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will likely be deployed as the top center for the time being and play alongside Zach Hyman and Jeff Skinner on the top forward line.
8 hours ago
Bo Horvat Strikes Twice In Victory
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat found the back of the net twice and powered the Islanders to their overtime victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday evening. Horvat would score his first goal of the evening in the third period. Then in overtime, Horvat would find the back of the net for the second time to seal the victory. During this contest, Horvat logged an impressive five shots on goal and added three hits with a plus-two rating. Since the start of March (10 games), Horvat has scored four goals and added two helpers. During this stretch, Horvat has averaged 3.5 shots on goal per game with 14 hits and four blocked shots. Through 67 games this season, the 29-year-old has scored 23 goals and added 24 helpers. He will look to stay productive on Saturday afternoon when the Islanders host the Calgary Flames.
14 hours ago
John Tavares Tallies Three Points In Victory
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares tallied three points during their 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday evening. Tavares would open the scoring as he found the back of the net for the 28th time this season on a snapshot. Later in the frame, Tavares would add the secondary assist on Bobby McMann's 19th goal of the campaign. In the second, Tavares would score his second goal of the evening, this time on a slap shot. This performance earned him his 1,100 career point. He is the eighth active player to achieve this feat. Over his previous 10 contests, the 34-year-old has found the back of the net seven times and added four helpers. Through 62 games, Tavares has scored 29 goals and added 31 helpers with a +5 rating. He will look to stay hot on Saturday evening against the Nashville Predators.
14 hours ago
Colton Dach Sustains Injury On Thursday
Chicago Blackhawks rookie center Colton Dach (arm) exited Thursday's contest early with an apparent arm injury and is set to undergo further evaluation. He logged just over 11 minutes of ice time against the Los Angeles Kings before exiting. During this time, Dach held a -1 rating and added two hits and two blocked shots. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next contest against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon. If Dach were to miss this game, Philipp Kurashev and Patrick Maroon could re-enter the starting lineup. Over his last 10 games entering Thursday, Dach tallied three points (two helpers) with 39 hits and 13 penalty minutes. Through his first 21 NHL contests, Dach has tallied an impressive 89 hits and is a viable source for this category in deeper formats.
14 hours ago
Ryan McDonagh Exits Early On Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (head) exited Thursday's contest early after being struck in the head by a puck. He logged 21 minutes of ice time before exiting the contest. He tallied one blocked shot and held a +2 rating. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as he could be in danger of missing Saturday's contest against the Utah Hockey Club and potentially Sunday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Over his previous six games entering Thursday, McDonagh tallied three points (all helpers) with eight shots on goal and 13 blocked shots. Through 68 games this season, McDonagh has found the back of the net twice and added 20 helpers with an impressive 133 blocked shots. If McDonagh were to miss time, the Lightning would likely promote a defenseman from the AHL roster.
15 hours ago
Stuart Skinner Exits Early On Thursday
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (concussion) was removed from Thursday's contest by a concussion spotter. The 26-year-old only missed the final five minutes of the contest. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status leading up to their next game on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. Before exiting, Skinner stopped 13 of the 16 shots he saw. He was replaced by Calvin Pickard. If Skinner were to miss any significant period of time, Pickard would operate as the clear top goaltender in the Edmonton crease. Over his past eight games before Thursday, Skinner carried a 3.01 GAA with an .889 save percentage. During this stretch, he held a 3-4 record. Pickard has held a modest .900 save percentage with a 3.13 GAA over his last six appearances.
15 hours ago
Connor McDavid Departs With Lower-Body Injury
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (lower body) exited Thursday's contest with a lower-body injury. McDavid departed during the second period in clear pain. Before exiting, he tallied one helper and held a +1 rating. Fantasy managers should closely monitor his status heading into their next contest on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. No. 2 center Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) was also unable to play on Thursday, which could leave Edmonton quite undermanned for Saturday's game. Entering Thursday, McDavid was riding a 12-game point streak and was able to extend it to 13 before exiting. During these 12 games, McDavid found the back of the net four times and added 14 helpers. Through 63 games, McDavid has tallied 90 points. If he were to miss Saturday's game, Draisaitl will take his spot on the top line or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will shift to the center position.
15 hours ago
Marc-Edouard Vlasic Unavailable Against Hurricanes
San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper body) will sit out Thursday's matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. After making 10 consecutive appearances, Vlasic will drop out of the lineup due to an upper-body injury. Due to health issues, Vlasic has made only 17 appearances for the Sharks this season, recording two assists and 29 blocks. Vlasic's exit from the lineup will give Luca Cagnoni a chance to make his NHL debut. The 20-year-old gets an opportunity to impress after flashing some good upside in the minors. Cagnoni has recorded 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 56 AHL appearances with the San Jose Barracuda.
Yesterday
Zach Benson Unlikely To Play Thursday
Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (illness) will likely exit the lineup on Thursday against the Utah Hockey Club. He is not feeling well and is set to sit out his seventh game of the season. The 19-year-old has notched 10 goals and 23 points in 60 appearances this term. In his absence, Jack Quinn may skate in a top-six role against Utah. Quinn broke out of a slump with two assists in Monday's victory over the Boston Bruins. He will now aim to log points in back-to-back games for only the fifth time this season. Quinn boasts similar numbers to Benson, sitting on 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) through 59 outings.
Yesterday
JJ Peterka Cleared To Return Thursday
Buffalo Sabres winger JJ Peterka (lower body) is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday against the Utah Hockey Club. He has missed the past three games due to a lower-body injury. The 23-year-old will head back to the first line, teaming up with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. These three have been Buffalo's most prolific forwards all season. Peterka has contributed 19 goals and 32 assists across 61 games. Before exiting the lineup, Peterka went scoreless in back-to-back games. However, he has improved his scoring rate recently and was riding a season-best seven-game point streak only a couple of weeks ago.
Yesterday
Stuart Skinner
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