NHL News

Will Smith • C • Sharks

Sharks Place Will Smith on Injured Reserve

San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith (undisclosed) was placed on Injured Reserve on Monday, along with fellow forward Philipp Kurashev (upper body). Both players were hurt during Saturday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Losing Smith is a bigger blow for the Sharks, as the 20-year-old has been the team's second-highest scorer in 2025-26. Across 33 outings, Smith has produced 12 goals and 29 points. Smith and Kurashev skated alongside teenage phenom Macklin Celebrini on the top line against Pittsburgh. With both sidelined, players such as William Eklund and Jeff Skinner may now have an opportunity to step into the top six.

14 hours ago

Andrei Vasilevskiy • G • Lightning

Andrei Vasilevskiy Expected to Return Before Christmas

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) will remain out on Monday against the Florida Panthers but is nearing his return. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told reporters on Monday morning that he's hopeful Vasilevskiy will return to action before Christmas. After Monday night, Tampa Bay has three more games scheduled before the holiday break. Jonas Johansson will remain between the sticks on Monday. Although Johansson has gone 2-3-1 over his last six starts, he has posted a strong 2.19 goals-against average with a .916 save percentage. The Swedish netminder will face a sharp offense on Monday, as the Panthers are averaging 3.13 goals per game this season.

14 hours ago

Dylan Holloway • LW • Blues

Dylan Holloway to Miss Six Weeks

St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway (ankle) has been ruled out for six weeks. He injured his right ankle at Sunday's practice. The injury is set to keep Holloway sidelined until at least late January. Very few things have gone right for Holloway in 2025-26, as he has totaled only 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 33 games. Alexey Toropchenko (leg) will replace Holloway in the lineup on Monday against the Nashville Predators, returning to action after a seven-game absence. Robby Fabbri will move into the top six. Since signing with the Blues earlier this month, Fabbri has posted assists in back-to-back games, and a spot on a scoring line elevates his fantasy value.

14 hours ago

Patrick Kane • RW • Red Wings

Patrick Kane Expected to Miss at Least Two Games

Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (upper body) is expected to miss at least the next two games. The former MVP is considered day-to-day after he sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Kane had a goal and an assist against his former team, boosting his tally for the season to 23 points. He has registered six goals and 17 helpers in 24 appearances. Chicago plays a back-to-back next, facing the New York Islanders on Tuesday and the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. John Leonard was recalled from the minors on Monday and is set to take Kane's spot on the second line. While Leonard has never made a significant impact in the NHL, he leads the AHL with 19 goals this season and should draw some interest among DFS managers until Kane returns.

14 hours ago

Quinton Byfield • RW • Kings

Quinton Byfield Ruled Out for Monday

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (illness) will miss his first game of the season on Monday night against the Dallas Stars. The Kings camp is currently dealing with an illness bug, and Byfield will join Phillip Danault (illness) on the shelf. The latter will be unavailable for a second consecutive game. Sitting out some action might do good for Byfield, as he hasn't scored a single point in six games. Despite the December slump, Byfield remains on track for a third straight 50-point year. On the Kings squad, Byfield ranks second with 15 assists and has amassed 19 points in 31 games. Andrei Kuzmenko is expected to re-enter the lineup in a first-line role on Monday, while Alex Turcotte will operate as the second-line center.

14 hours ago

Mika Zibanejad • C • Rangers

Mika Zibanejad Won't Play on Monday

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad won't be in the lineup on Monday against the Anaheim Ducks after missing a team meeting. He will likely rejoin the action on Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks. With Zibanejad missing from the lineup against Anaheim, the Rangers will head out without their third-highest scorer. It took a while to get going for Zibanejad this season, but he is now on track for another 60-point campaign. In 33 contests, the veteran forward has tallied 11 goals and 25 points. Jonny Brodzinski is expected to fill in for Zibanejad on Monday. At the same time, the Rangers will welcome Matt Rempe (upper body) back into the lineup.

14 hours ago

Connor Bedard • C • Blackhawks

Connor Bedard Out Until 2026

Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (upper body) won't return to action until January. The team placed him on Injured Reserve and plans to re-evaluate Bedard in early January. Due to an upper-body injury, Bedard missed his first game of the season on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. The injury had paused Bedard's sensational campaign, in which he has recorded 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) over 31 games. With Bedard unavailable, Frank Nazar will work as the first-line center, flanked by Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky. Meanwhile, Jason Dickinson has joined the second line.

15 hours ago

Lane Hutson • D • Canadiens

Lane Hutson Sends Out Two Power-Play Assists

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson registered two power-play assists in Sunday's 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers. Impressively, this was Hutson's third consecutive outing with multiple assists, making him only the 10th rearguard in NHL history with at least three straight multi-assist games at age 21 or younger. For the season, Hutson has managed 23 assists, tying him for third among defensemen. Additionally, he has scored five goals on 54 shots in 32 games. The 21-year-old also offers some defensive stats for fantasy teams, recording 49 blocks.

23 hours ago

Kirill Kaprizov • LW • Wild

Kirill Kaprizov Nearing Wild Goals Record

Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov had a three-point night against the Boston Bruins on Sunday, logging two goals and an assist in a 6-2 home win. He did all of his work in even-strength situations, tying Mikko Koivu for the second-most goals in franchise history. Sitting on 205 markers, Kaprizov now needs only 15 more goals to break Marian Gaborik's Wild record. Currently, Kaprizov is on pace for a 50-goal campaign, so he should move past Gaborik at some point in 2025-26. Just two players have scored more goals in the league this season, and Kaprizov's 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) in 33 games have him tied for 15th in overall scoring.

23 hours ago

Benjamin Kindel • RW • Penguins

Benjamin Kindel Posts Three Points in Sunday's Loss

Pittsburgh Penguins center Benjamin Kindel had the best outing of his young career on Sunday, finishing a 5-4 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth with three points. He scored Pittsburgh's third goal and recorded two assists. After a slow start to the month, Kindel has shown signs of life, posting points in back-to-back games. He ranks second in goals among rookies with eight tallies and has picked up 14 points in 28 outings. Half (7) of Kindel's points have come on the power play, although he scored all of his points during even-strength play on Sunday. While he hasn't been a consistent offensive threat, Kindel has shown great promise as an 18-year-old, and his fantasy stock will only keep increasing.

23 hours ago

Alex Tuch • RW • Sabres

Alex Tuch Delivers Two Assists in Sunday's Win

Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (illness) returned to the lineup with a two-assist performance in Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Tuch missed one game due to illness. It was a small bump on the road for the versatile forward who has had a great month so far. In six December appearances, Tuch has notched three goals and six points. Going forward, Tuch's production may improve even more, as the Sabres are currently playing their best hockey of the year. They are riding a season-best three-game winning streak. Tuch is Buffalo's second-leading scorer, putting up 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 31 appearances.

23 hours ago

Quinn Hughes • D • Wild

Quinn Hughes Scores in Wild Debut

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes enjoyed a good debut for his new club on Sunday, scoring the team's fourth goal in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Hughes fired in a wrist shot inside the first minute of the third period. The 2024 Norris Trophy winner jumped on the top power-play unit and skated with Brock Faber on the first defensive pairing, eating up 26:55 of ice time. In the game, Hughes had three shots on goal but didn't register any defensive stats. Hughes has previously shown the ability to average over a point per game, and his production is bound to improve in Minnesota, with better players surrounding him. Currently, he sits on 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) through 27 appearances.

23 hours ago

David Jiricek • D • Wild

David Jiricek Hurt Against Bruins

Minnesota Wild defenseman David Jiricek (lower body) was unable to finish Sunday's 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. He had a fine outing, recording a plus-two rating, but a lower-body injury limited Jiricek to 12:52 of ice time. The Czechia blue-liner made his 14th appearance of the season. He has been a non-factor in fantasy hockey, going scoreless so far. Matt Kiersted is likely to fill Jiricek's spot in the lineup if he isn't available for Tuesday's tilt against the Washington Capitals. Kiersted only recently made his season debut and doesn't offer anything from a fantasy perspective.

23 hours ago

Marcus Johansson • LW • Wild

Marcus Johansson Exits With Injury Sunday

Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (undisclosed) was injured during Sunday's 6-2 win over the Boston Bruins. He collected a power-play assist in the game before leaving the action in the second period. The injury comes at a bad time for the Swedish veteran, as he has heated up in recent games. Over the last four contests, Johansson has contributed three goals and three assists. Across the season, he has posted 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 33 games. Johansson skates on the second line and the second power-play unit. The team currently has an extra forward in Hunter Haight, who may enter the lineup on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.

Yesterday

Zeev Buium • D • Canucks

Zeev Buium Has Two Points in Canucks Debut

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium made his team debut in Sunday's 2-1 victory against the New Jersey Devils, contributing a goal and an assist. He left a strong impression on Canucks fans, helping Vancouver get a couple of power-play goals in the first period. With this performance, Buium became the first defenseman in franchise history to notch multiple points in the opening period of his debut. Buium logged 2:33 of action with the man advantage and played a total of 19:50. He had two shots on goal, blocked one shot, and handed out one hit. All season, the bulk of Buium's offensive output has come on the power play, with 10 of his 16 points scored in those situations. The 20-year-old currently shares the rookie lead in power-play points with Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders.

Yesterday

Dylan Holloway • LW • Blues

Dylan Holloway Injured at Sunday's Practice

St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway (lower body) could be forced to miss time after getting hurt at Sunday's practice. He suffered a lower-body injury and needed to be helped off the ice. The Blues will continue their season on Monday against the Nashville Predators. Holloway has so far featured in all 33 games this season, posting 17 points (eight goals, nine assists). He has been a disappointment in fantasy hockey for most of the campaign, finishing five of his last seven appearances pointless. Alexei Toropchenko (leg) is expected to return to the lineup on Monday and might replace Holloway against Nashville.

Yesterday

Filip Gustavsson • G • Wild

Filip Gustavsson Takes on Bruins Sunday

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson will guard the crease in Sunday's matchup against the Boston Bruins, Jessi Pierce of NHL.com reports. He gets a chance to log his third start in four games after Jesper Wallstedt beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Saturday. Gustavsson seems to have established himself as the clear No. 1 in Minnesota again. He carries a 9-8-3 record for the season and has posted a 2.64 goals-against average with a .907 save percentage and two shutouts. Beating the Bruins won't be easy, as David Pastrnak's crew ranks seventh in the league with a scoring average of 3.28 goals per game.

Yesterday

Brandon Bussi • G • Hurricanes

Brandon Bussi Looks to Stretch Winning Streak to Nine Games

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi will start Sunday's matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 27-year-old rookie will look to continue his excellent season with another win on Sunday. In his most recent start against the Washington Capitals, Bussi became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 10 career wins, accomplishing this in just his 11th appearance. He has won each of his last eight starts. Bussi has recorded one shutout while allowing 2.07 goals with a .910 save percentage. The Flyers have one of the league's weakest offenses, averaging 2.83 goals per game, making this a very favorable matchup for Bussi.

Yesterday

Cam York • D • Flyers

Cam York Returns From Four-Game Absence

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (upper body) has been cleared to return to the lineup on Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He has been out for four games due to an upper-body injury. York will take Ty Murchison's spot in the lineup. For the season, York has averaged two blocks per game, while posting one goal and 11 assists in 23 outings on the offensive end. The 24-year-old ranks second on his team with an average ice time of 23:31. On Sunday, York is expected to play a major role again as the Flyers seek revenge for Saturday's shootout loss against Carolina.

Yesterday

Jaccob Slavin • D • Hurricanes

Jaccob Slavin Returns to Action Sunday

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (lower body) will rejoin the lineup on Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports. Following a 29-game absence due to a lower-body injury, the team activated Slavin from Injured Reserve. Slavin has made only two appearances this season and didn't register a point in either of the outings. Joel Nystrom will make way in the lineup for Slavin after he was reassigned to the minors on Sunday. While Slavin's return is big news for the Hurricanes, he is not expected to make a significant impact in fantasy hockey.

Yesterday

NHL News

LEGEND