NHL News
Samuel Girard Misses Second Consecutive Game
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (lower body) will be absent for a second consecutive game on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. A lower-body injury has taken Girard out of the lineup, though he is expected to make a quick return, as the team considers him day-to-day. Keaton Middleton has hopped into the lineup as Girard's replacement. He is not a recommended fantasy target due to his offensive shortcomings. In 30 appearances this season, Middleton has recorded just two assists, and he hasn't yet found the back of the net a single time in 33 career NHL games.
1 hour ago
Ondrej Palat Remains Out Against Senators
New Jersey Devils left wing Ondrej Palat (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Ottawa Senators. The two-time Stanley Cup champion will be unavailable for a second consecutive contest. In his absence, Nolan Foote has a chance to fill a middle-six role on Saturday. Foote has gone scoreless in two NHL appearances this season but has found success in the minors. Over 53 AHL appearances, he has produced 18 goals and 39 points. Palat's next opportunity to return will come on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks.
2 hours ago
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins To Center First Line Versus Kraken
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will take over first-line center duties on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. Edmonton has lost Connor McDavid (lower body) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) this week, resulting in significant lineup changes. Adam Henrique is set to play center on the second line, while Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner will join the first power-play unit. Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin will accompany Nugent-Hopkins on the first line. Nugent-Hopkins recently demonstrated impressive form with back-to-back three-point games, although he has been inconsistent throughout the season. In 68 games, Nugent-Hopkins has tallied 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists).
2 hours ago
Stuart Skinner Starts On Saturday
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (concussion) will play against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. A concussion spotter pulled Skinner from Thursday's matchup against the Winnipeg Jets, but he has since been cleared to play in Saturday's contest. Skinner owns a 23-17-4 record for the season with two shutouts. He has allowed 2.85 goals while recording a .896 save percentage. During his last five appearances, Skinner has given up three or more goals in four games, resulting in three losses. With Connor McDavid (lower body) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) out on Saturday, the Oilers may struggle to provide Skinner with adequate goal support.
2 hours ago
Pavel Buchnevich Out On Saturday
St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich (illness) will miss Saturday's contest against the Chicago Blackhawks. Lou Korac of NHL.com reports that Buchnevich is battling an illness. Alexandre Texier will take his spot in the lineup, while Zack Bolduc gets a chance to ride on the first line. Bolduc has been hot lately, and the move to the top line will give him even more fantasy value. Since the start of March, Bolduc has registered five goals and seven points in nine games, firing 20 shots on goal. The 22-year-old boasts 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 60 games for his rookie season.
2 hours ago
Marcus Hogberg Starts Against Flames
New York Islanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg will guard the cage against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. This will be only his second start since February, as the Islanders have leaned heavily on Ilya Sorokin. Overall, Hogberg has made six starts this season, posting a 2-3-0 record with a 1.70 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. Hogberg has been solid for the Islanders, but he struggled in his last outing, allowing three goals on 27 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on March 9. Saturday's matchup is a favorable bounce-back spot for Hogberg, as the Flames have had a tough time on the road all year, going 14-14-6.
2 hours ago
Joel Hofer In Blues Net Saturday
St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer has been named the starter for Saturday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Hofer will make his 25th start of the season, looking to register a third consecutive win. Throughout the season, Hofer has put in strong performances as Jordan Binnington's backup, posting a 13-7-3 record. He holds a 2.71 goals-against average and has recorded a .903 save percentage with one shutout. On Saturday, Hofer is an outstanding fantasy option, as the Blues face one of the weakest teams in the league and have been on a roll lately with four consecutive wins.
2 hours ago
Boone Jenner Scores First Goal Of The Season
Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner found the back of the net for the first time this season on Friday evening against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jenner beat Pittsburgh netminder Alex Nedeljkovic in the opening frame on a tip-in. The 31-year-old has appeared in just 13 contests this season after missing the first half of the campaign due to a shoulder injury he suffered during training camp. During these 13 games, Jenner has tallied a solid 10 points (nine helpers). He has logged 32 shots on goal with 26 hits and 11 blocked shots. Jenner has typically been deployed on the second offensive line and No. 2 power-play unit. Jenner remains a solid option in deeper formats, as he should provide a solid amount of hits and blocks along with his scoring production. He will look to stay productive on Monday against the New York Islanders.
8 hours ago
Elvis Merzlikins Stumbles On Friday
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins allowed five goals on 34 shots during their loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday evening. The Blue Jackets dominated the shot total in this contest, but Merzlikins was unable to keep them in the game. He allowed three goals during the opening frame and two goals in the second frame. This poor showing extended his losing streak to six contests. During this stretch, Merzlikins held a 0-5-1 record with a hefty 3.55 GAA and a .890 save percentage. Merzlikins allowed at least five goals during three of these games. However, before this skid, Merzlikins held a modest 5-3-1 record with a 2.88 GAA and a .910 save percentage. The 30-year-old will likely get the starting nod in their next game on Monday evening against the New York Islanders.
8 hours ago
Kent Johnson Snaps Skid On Friday
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Kent Johnson found the back of the net during their loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday evening. Johnson would beat Pittsburgh netminder Alex Nedeljkovic in the third period with a wrist shot. Entering Friday, Johnson was in the midst of a scoring slump as he tallied just two points (one goal) over his last seven contests. However, before this brief slump, the 22-year-old tallied an impressive 19 points (nine goals) over his last 18 contests. During this stretch, he logged 37 shots on goal with a +6 rating. Through 55 games this season, the former fifth-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft has enjoyed a career season, scoring 22 goals with 24 helpers. He will look to kickstart another impressive stretch on Monday evening against the New York Islanders.
8 hours ago
Rickard Rakell Scores Goal No. 32
Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Rickard Rakell scored his 32nd goal of the season during their victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday evening. In the opening frame, Rakell found the back of the net on a wrist shot. He would then tack on the primary assist on Bryan Rust's empty-netter in the final minutes. Rakell is now just eight points away from matching his previous career-high in points (69). This is also his third campaign in which he scored at least 30 goals. Since the start of the month, Rakell has scored seven goals and added five helpers across 10 games. During this stretch, he has logged 19 shots on goal and held a solid +4 rating. Fantasy managers should continue to view Rakell as a high-upside option when looking for goals. He will look to stay busy on the scoresheet on Sunday evening against the Florida Panthers.
8 hours ago
Sidney Crosby Tallies Goal, Assist On Friday
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby tallied two points during their victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday evening. In the opening frame, Crosby tallied the secondary assist on Rickard Rakell's 32nd goal of the season. Later in the second period, Crosby found the back of the net for his 25th goal of the campaign. This outing extended his current point streak to six games. During this stretch, Crosby has found the back of the net six times and added four helpers. Over his previous 14 games, the 37-year-old has tallied 18 points (eight goals), with three of them coming on the power play. Despite Pittsburgh's struggles, Crosby has remained a high-end scoring option in all standard leagues. He will look to stay hot on Sunday evening against the Florida Panthers.
8 hours ago
Alex Nedeljkovic Stops 44 Shots On Friday
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 44 of the 47 shots he saw on Friday evening en route to defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets dominated the shot total, but Nedeljkovic was able to lead the way. He allowed one goal in the opening frame to Boone Jenner. In the second, Columbus forward Justin Danforth found the back of the net on a backhand. Later in the third, Kent Johnson would beat Nedeljkovic on a wrist shot for his 22nd goal of the campaign. This was Nedeljkovic's third outing of the campaign in which he stopped at least 40 shots. Entering Friday, Nedeljkovic carried a poor 0-5 record over his last six outings. During this stretch, he held a 4.43 GAA with an .843 save percentage. Fantasy managers should expect him and Tristan Jarry to continue to share the Pittsburgh crease.
8 hours ago
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.
23 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.
23 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.
23 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.
23 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.
23 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.
23 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.
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Samuel Girard
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Avalanche
