NHL News
Kevin Fiala Scores Twice On Thursday
Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala scored twice during their 6-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday evening. Fiala scored both of his goals on the power play. These two strikes put Fiala over the 30-goal mark for the second time in his career. The 28-year-old is not just one goal away from matching his previous career-high (33) he scored during the 2021 campaign with the Minnesota Wild. Over his past four games, Fiala has scored four goals. However, before this recent surge, Fiala was riding a four-game scoreless streak. Fantasy managers should continue to view him as a must-start option in all formats as he continues this impressive stretch. He will look to stay hot on Saturday afternoon against the Colorado Avalanche.
6 hours ago
Adin Hill Stops 24 Shots In Victory
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill stopped 24 of the 25 shots he saw en route to defeating the Seattle Kraken on Thursday evening. The shot total remained even throughout the contest, but Hill was able to step up when called on. His lone blemish came in the second frame when Seattle center Jared McCann beat him with a wrist shot for his 22nd goal of the season. After taking a loss on Thursday, April 3, to the Winnipeg Jets, Hill has won each of his previous two starts. During this stretch, he has held a strong 1.50 GAA with a .935 save percentage. Over his last nine contests, the 28-year-old has held a 7-2 record with a 2.08 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Hill remains a must-start option in all formats over the final week of the campaign.
6 hours ago
Kiefer Sherwood Tallies Two Points On Thursday
Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood tallied two points during their 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday evening. Sherwood did all of his damage in the second period. He first tallied the primary helper on Jake DeBrusk's 26th goal of the season. Later in the frame, he would find the back of the net, which served as the eventual game-winner. Sherwood has now tallied at least one point in each of his previous four games and a goal in each of his past two. Over his last 14 contests, Sherwood has enjoyed a strong stretch of performances, tallying 15 points with five goals over this stretch. Through a career-high 75 games, Sherwood has enjoyed a strong campaign, scoring 19 goals and adding 21 helpers. He will look to stay hot against the Wild on Saturday evening.
6 hours ago
Kyle Connor Scores Twice In Victory Over Dallas
Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor scored twice during their 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday evening. Connor did all of his damage in the final frame. He scored both goals during 5-on-5 play. This was a critical victory for the Jets as they look to clinch the top spot in the Central Division. These two goals put him at the 40-goal mark for just the second time in his career. The other time he achieved this was in 2021 when he scored a career-high 47 goals. Over his last seven contests, Connor has tallied eight points, with three of them being goals. Through 79 total games this season, the 28-year-old has found the back of the net 40 times and added 54 helpers. He remains a must-start option and a top play in DFS tomorrow, facing the Chicago Blackhawks.
6 hours ago
Artemi Panarin Tallies Three Points In Demanding Victory
New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin tallied three points during their demanding 9-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday evening. In the opening frame, Panarin tallied the primary assist on Vincent Trocheck's power-play goal. Later in the frame, he would find the back of the net on a snapshot. Then, in the third period, Panarin would score his second goal of the contest with another snapshot. Over his last seven contests, Panarin has been quite busy on the scoresheet, scoring six goals and adding six helpers. Panarin has tallied three of these helpers on the power play and logged 24 shots on goal over this stretch. Through 77 games, Panarin has tallied 87 points. He remains a must-start player as the Rangers look to keep their playoff hopes alive on Saturday against the Hurricanes.
6 hours ago
Tom Wilson Nets Game-Winner On Thursday
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson scored the game-winner during Thursday's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes. This victory clinched Washington as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Wilson found the back of the net in the second period on a wrist shot. This outing extended Wilson's point streak to two games. Over his last 12 games, Wilson has tallied nine points (four goals) and added 23 penalty minutes, 36 hits, and 19 shots on goal. Through 77 games this season, the 31-year-old has enjoyed another productive campaign, scoring 33 goals and adding 30 helpers. Wilson has also logged 224 hits, 163 shots on goal, and added 64 blocked shots, which gives him value in category formats. Fantasy managers should expect Wilson to remain in a top-six role.
6 hours ago
Rutger McGroarty Out For The Season
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (lower body) has been ruled out for the rest of the season. He suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks and will not be available for the final three regular-season games. This is an unfortunate blow for the young winger, as McGroarty had started to see time with Sidney Crosby on the top line. He made his first eight NHL outings in 2024-25, producing one goal and two assists. There is a possibility that McGroarty can recover in time to help the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the AHL playoffs. On Thursday, the Penguins announced that four other forwards -- Tommy Novak (lower body), Blake Lizotte (undisclosed), Noel Acciari (undisclosed), and Matt Nieto (undisclosed) -- are also out for the remainder of the season.
18 hours ago
Charlie McAvoy Not Returning This Season
Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (shoulder) will not return to the lineup this season. He has been out of action since hurting his shoulder during the 4 Nations Face-Off, and Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said on Thursday that there is just not enough time for McAvoy to be cleared by the medical staff. The same applies to forward Mark Kastelic (upper body), who last suited up on March 20. It was a disappointing campaign for McAvoy, who did not reach the heights he had attained in previous years, posting 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 50 games. Henri Jokiharju has stepped into the first defensive pairing in McAvoy's absence, with Mason Lohrei seeing increased power-play usage.
18 hours ago
Nikita Zadorov Available Thursday
Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (personal) will be active on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. His status was initially uncertain for the contest after Zadorov missed Wednesday's practice to deal with a family matter. The Russian blue-liner will work with his regular partner Henri Jokiharju on the first defensive pairing. While Zadorov's offensive efforts have resulted in only 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 78 games this season, he has managed a plus-21 rating on a struggling team. Zadorov boasts 104 blocks and a whopping 210 hits for the season.
19 hours ago
Mario Ferraro Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (lower body) will sit out the final four regular-season games. He sustained a lower-body injury during Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Wild. The 26-year-old wraps up his sixth NHL season with 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 78 games. Furthermore, he recorded 79 shots, 125 blocks, 150 hits, and a minus-25 rating. San Jose has also lost Shakir Mukhamadullin (upper body) for the season and is missing Vincent Desharnais (upper body) and Jan Rutta (lower body), leaving the team's defense severely depleted.
19 hours ago
Elvis Merzlikins Sits Out Thursday's Game
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (undisclosed) will not dress for Thursday's matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. He was initially expected to be the starter for the contest after being the first goalie to leave the morning skate. However, it has now come to light that Merzlikins, who holds a 26-21-5 record for the season, is dealing with an undisclosed injury. As a result, the Blue Jackets are expected to turn to Daniil Tarasov on Thursday, while Jet Greaves has been summoned from the minors on an emergency basis to fill the gap in the lineup.
19 hours ago
Carter Verhaeghe Resting Against Red Wings
Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (rest) will sit out Thursday's action against the Detroit Red Wings. After ending a 13-game goal drought on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Verhaeghe will be rested for Thursday's contest. Jesper Boqvist will re-enter the lineup, while Mackie Samoskevich is poised to replace Verhaeghe on the first line. Samoskevich has had a strong second half of the season during his rookie campaign and sits on 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 69 games. Joining Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart on the first line will significantly enhance his fantasy value.
19 hours ago
Ilya Sorokin Will Not Play Against Rangers
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (lower body) will be unavailable for Thursday's Battle of New York against the Rangers. The Islanders lost Sorokin to a lower-body injury on Tuesday against the Nashville Predators, and the team may have to finish the regular season without him. Sorokin has been extremely busy all year, posting a 29-23-6 record with 62 starts. He has allowed 2.77 goals while logging a .905 save percentage and three shutouts. Marcus Hogberg, who is 2-4-2 for the campaign, will hold down the fort in Sorokin's absence, with Tristan Lennox filling backup duties.
19 hours ago
Adrian Kempe Ready To Go Thursday
Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe (personal) will play on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks. Kempe missed a significant portion of Monday's loss to the Seattle Kraken to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's first child. He is expected to return to his usual spot on the first line alongside Andrei Kuzmenko and Anze Kopitar. The trio has developed good chemistry, and both Kempe and Kuzmenko were on a four-game point streak heading into Monday's matchup. Meanwhile, Kopitar has averaged a point per game over the last five contests. With 77 games played, Kempe leads the Kings in goals (33) and points (64) this season.
19 hours ago
Drew Doughty Remains Out Thursday
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (ankle) will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks. The former Norris Trophy winner is managing an ankle injury, and it seems the Kings want him to be as fresh as possible for the postseason. Doughty's season debut was delayed for months due to a broken ankle, resulting in only 28 appearances in 2024-25, during which he has produced 17 points (three goals, 14 assists). Brandt Clarke has moved to the first defensive pairing and is getting time with the top power-play unit, which has increased his fantasy value.
19 hours ago
Alex Pietrangelo Unavailable Thursday
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (illness) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Seattle Kraken. An illness bug is circulating in the Golden Knights' locker room, and Pietrangelo is among its victims. He will sit out a second consecutive game. Pietrangelo has posted identical numbers to last year, boasting four goals and 33 points through 70 games. His next chance for a comeback will be on Saturday against the Nashville Predators. Losing Pietrangelo is a blow for Vegas, but the team will receive some help in defense on Thursday night, with Nicolas Hague (illness) on track to return. Ben Hutton will likely be a healthy scratch for the contest.
20 hours ago
Tomas Hertl Set To Return Thursday
Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl (shoulder) is expected to return to the lineup for Thursday's matchup against the Seattle Kraken. He has been unavailable for eight games due to a shoulder injury. Hertl is having a strong campaign during his first full year in Vegas, with 31 goals and 59 points over 70 outings. With Jack Eichel (upper body) sidelined, Hertl could see increased usage on Thursday night. He will start the game on the second line alongside Brandon Saad and Pavel Dorofeyev. The Czech forward will also grab a spot on the top power-play unit. Hertl is among the league's leading goal-scorers with the man advantage, having netted 14 power-play goals.
20 hours ago
Jack Eichel Sits Out Second Consecutive Game
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (upper body) will remain sidelined for Thursday's contest against the Seattle Kraken. Vegas' leading scorer, who has amassed 93 points (27 goals, 66 assists) in 76 appearances, will miss a second consecutive game due to an upper-body injury. He is considered day-to-day, with Eichel's next opportunity to return coming on Saturday against the Nashville Predators. Brett Howden replaced Eichel on the first line but had a quiet game on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche, finishing scoreless in nearly 15 minutes of action.
20 hours ago
Martin Necas Returns To Action Against Canucks
Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas (upper body) will return from a three-game absence on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. Colorado will get some much-needed help up front after losing several forwards to injury, including leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon (undisclosed). Necas is projected to slot into the second line next to Joel Kiviranta and Charlie Coyle, with Brock Nelson moving up to the top line to take MacKinnon's spot. Since moving to Denver, Necas has registered 11 goals and 26 points in 27 games with 80 shots on goal. The Czech forward has not had much success against the Canucks, going scoreless in five consecutive matchups.
20 hours ago
Nathan MacKinnon Out On Thursday
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (undisclosed) will not be in the lineup on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. Reports suggest he may even miss the rest of the regular-season schedule. Following Thursday night, Colorado will have two more games remaining. MacKinnon has made 209 consecutive regular-season appearances. He shares the league's scoring lead with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov, totaling 116 points (32 goals, 84 assists) in 79 contests. Jonathan Drouin (lower body) and Ross Colton (undisclosed) are also out against Vancouver, increasing the fantasy values of players like Brock Nelson and Joel Kiviranta.
20 hours ago
Kevin Fiala
• LW
•
Kings
