NHL News

Stuart Skinner • G • Penguins

Stuart Skinner Starting Game 1 Against Flyers

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner will guard the crease in Saturday's Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers, Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site reports. Skinner had a 2-1-0 record against the Flyers during the regular season and is looking to make a positive start to his fourth postseason campaign. The 27-year-old has 50 NHL playoff games under his belt, but his postseason performances tend to be inconsistent. With the Edmonton Oilers, Skinner gave up nearly three goals per game during the playoffs (2.88) with a .893 save percentage.

5 hours ago

Alexandre Carrier • D • Canadiens

Alexandre Carrier Back at Practice

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier (upper body) practiced on Saturday, Sean Farrell of NHL.com reports. He missed the last nine regular-season games due to an upper-body injury. Montreal ruled Carrier out for 2-4 weeks, and he now appears on the cusp of returning to the action. After being paired with Lane Hutson during Friday's practice session, Carrier worked with his usual partner, Mike Matheson, on Saturday. With Noah Dobson (upper body) out for the start of the postseason, that pairing could play a massive role in the Canadiens' first-round tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning. During the regular season, Carrier made his presence felt on both ends of the ice, recording 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists), 56 SOG, and 155 blocks in 73 games.

5 hours ago

Jared McCann • LW • Kraken

Jared McCann Undergoes Lower-Body Procedure

Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann (lower body) underwent a procedure on Friday to address a nagging injury. He missed the last three regular-season games and battled a lower-body issue throughout the campaign. Despite his ongoing health issues, McCann managed a respectable 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in 52 outings. He has been among Seattle's scoring leaders for several seasons and is likely to remain among the team's top offensive contributors in 2026-27. McCann will enter a career year, potentially increasing his fantasy productivity.

5 hours ago

Andrei Kuzmenko • LW • Kings

Andrei Kuzmenko Activated From Injured Reserve

Los Angeles Kings winger Andrei Kuzmenko (knee) was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The Russian forward underwent meniscus surgery in late February, missing 25 games. However, he will be an option to return to the lineup for Sunday's postseason opener against the Colorado Avalanche. Kuzmenko finished the regular season with 13 goals and 25 points in 52 appearances. He would add scoring punch to a team that averaged the fewest goals per game during the regular season among those who qualified for the playoffs. The Kings are also expected to have Alex Turcotte (undisclosed) and Jeff Malott (undisclosed) available on Sunday, providing additional offensive options.

5 hours ago

Victor Hedman • D • Lightning

Victor Hedman Out for Game 1 on Sunday

Victor Hedman is skating for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The bad news is that the defenseman is not close to ready yet to play. Hedman has been out for basically a month now. First, there was an injury and then Hedman was out for personal reasons. It has been a tough season for the 35-year old. He is a team captain but missed 49 games in 2025-26. The normal point leader from the blueline had a mere 17 points (one goal) in 33 appearances. Right now, Hedman will not play until he is in shape to play. That means, he will be out for Game 1 on Sunday against Montreal. More than likely, the fact that Hedman has been skating appears to signal he is closer to returning than May 3rd potentially.

5 hours ago

William Karlsson • C • Golden Knights

William Karlsson Unavailable for Start of First-Round Series

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (lower body) won't be available for the start of the team's first-round playoff series against the Utah Mammoth, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. It's also unclear whether Karlsson will play at all against Utah after Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said the team must have "some success in the playoffs for him to play again." The Swedish veteran has been out of action since early November due to a lower-body injury. He appeared in only 14 regular-season games, recording four goals and three assists.

5 hours ago

Quinn Hughes • D • Wild

Quinn Hughes Available Saturday

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (illness) will be in action on Saturday against the Dallas Stars, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports. Zach Bogosian (lower body) has also been cleared to play, giving Minnesota's defense a boost. Hughes has been dealing with an illness lately and didn't suit up for the Wild's last two regular-season contests. The Olympic champion had 76 points (seven goals, 69 assists) in 74 games during the regular season, ranking as the league's fifth-highest scoring defenseman. Hughes notched 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 contests, playing an integral role for the team on both ends of the ice.

5 hours ago

Miro Heiskanen • D • Stars

Miro Heiskanen Cleared for Game 1

Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (lower body) will play in Game 1 against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports. The Finnish defensive star was unavailable for the last three regular-season games due to a lower-body injury. Heiskanen finished the campaign as the NHL's ninth-highest scoring defenseman, posting 63 points (nine goals, 54 assists) in 77 contests. He averaged a point per game in four meetings with the Wild. As a member of the first defensive pairing and the top power-play unit, Heiskanen is set to have a huge workload in the playoffs and will be a popular pick among DFS managers.

5 hours ago

Jesper Wallstedt • G • Wild

Jesper Wallstedt to Start in Goal for Minnesota on Saturday

Jesper Wallstedt gets the start in goal for the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening against the Dallas Stars. Wallstedt has been the better of the two Wild goaltenders during the 2025-26 season. In 33 games started, the 23-year-old has a record of 18-9-6. He has four shutouts with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. Wallstedt allowed two goals or fewer in eight of his final nine starts while posting a .930 save percentage since the trade deadline. The goaltender has a solid .830 high danger save percentage and Dallas scores more high danger goals than anyone in the league.

11 hours ago

Logan Stankoven • C • Hurricanes

Logan Stankoven Presumed Ready for Game 1

Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (illness) practiced on Friday. He was situated between his usual linemates, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake. Walt Ruff noted that nothing appeared out of the ordinary with Stankoven during practice. The 23-year-old was missing from Thursday's practice due to a minor illness. The center moved around the middle six a bit but found a home on the second line during the season. Stankoven is one of Carolina's hottest players going into Round 1 with 11 points in his previous eight contests. This means the second line and power play unit will be 100% for Saturday afternoon against the Ottawa Senators.

17 hours ago

Robert Thomas • C • Blues

Robert Thomas Wraps Up Season With a Hat Trick

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas skated into the offseason after scoring a hat trick in Thursday's 5-3 road win over the Utah Mammoth. He had two goals in the second period to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead and then added an empty-net goal with less than a minute left in regulation. The 26-year-old celebrated his second career hat trick. Both of his three-goal games came this month. Unfortunately for Thomas, he can't carry this momentum into the playoffs, as the Blues couldn't overcome a horrible start to the season. But Thomas should be full of confidence entering next season, having secured his third consecutive campaign with a scoring pace of at least one point per game. Despite playing in only 64 games, Thomas finished as St. Louis' leader in all the main offensive categories, notching 64 points with 25 goals and 39 assists.

Yesterday

Macklin Celebrini • C • Sharks

Macklin Celebrini Establishes Sharks' New Scoring Record

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini closed out his sophomore year with a three-point performance in Thursday's 6-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, setting a new franchise record for most points scored in a single season. Celebrini had one goal and two assists in the season finale, finishing the campaign with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 contests. The previous record was established by Joe Thornton in 2006-07, with 114 points. San Jose's young superstar finished the year as the league's fourth-highest scorer. Celebrini has all the tools to become a regular Art Ross Trophy contender, and his name even popped up in MVP talks this season. At just 19 years old, his fantasy stock can only go up.

Yesterday

Scott Wedgewood • G • Avalanche

Scott Wedgewood Keeps Kraken From Scoring Thursday

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood recorded a 22-save shutout in Thursday's regular-season finale against the Seattle Kraken, backstopping the team to a 2-0 victory. The Avalanche did just enough to close out the campaign with a win, while resting some of its key players, such as Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. Colorado dominated the league during the regular season, finishing with the best record, the most goals scored, and the fewest goals allowed. The latter achievement brought Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood the 2025-26 William M. Jennings Trophy. Including six shootout deciders, the Avalanche netminders gave up only 203 goals during the season. Wedgewood finished the campaign with a 31-6-6 record, a 2.02 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and four shutouts.

Yesterday

Nathan MacKinnon • C • Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon Wins Rocket Richard Trophy With 53 Goals

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (rest) has become the second player in franchise history to lead the NHL in goals. He produced 53 goals in 80 games, winning the Rocket Richard Trophy by a two-goal margin over Montreal's Cole Caufield. Milan Hejduk was previously Colorado's lone Rocket Richard Trophy winner, having netted 50 goals in 2002-03. MacKinnon sat out the Avalanche's regular-season finale on Thursday against Seattle, finishing the campaign with 127 points. He will now start a chase for his second Stanley Cup. While Colorado hasn't had much joy in the playoffs since its triumph in 2022, MacKinnon's performance levels have remained high. He has posted 14 goals and 32 points across 25 games in the last three postseasons.

Yesterday

Connor McDavid • C • Oilers

Connor McDavid Secures Sixth Art Ross Trophy With Four-Assist Performance

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid sealed his sixth Art Ross Trophy win in style on Thursday night, tallying four assists in a 6-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. He finished the regular season with 138 points (48 goals, 90 assists) in 82 games, four more than the second-highest scorer, Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. McDavid also beat out Kucherov in the race to finish first in assists. The Oilers captain tied Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux for the second most Art Ross Trophy wins in NHL history, behind Wayne Gretzky (10). It's been another special season for McDavid, but he definitely won't fully enjoy it if he can't get his hands on the Stanley Cup for the first time. McDavid will begin his eighth career postseason campaign against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.

Yesterday

Connor Dewar • C • Penguins

Connor Dewar Ready for Game 1

Pittsburgh Penguins center Connor Dewar (lower body) will rejoin the lineup for Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports. After practicing on Thursday, Lizotte announced he's "ready to go" for the playoffs. The 28-year-old sat out the last four regular-season games due to a lower-body injury. Despite being limited to a fourth-line role, Deward managed a career-high 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 78 games this season. He was also among the team leaders with 144 hits. Dewar's physicality could be a big asset for the Penguins in a playoff series against their state rivals. Blake Lizotte (upper body) has also declared himself available for the postseason, meaning Pittsburgh will have its highly effective fourth line back together for the most important part of the campaign.

Yesterday

Nikita Grebenkin • RW • Flyers

Nikita Grebenkin Unavailable at Start of Playoffs

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Nikita Grebenkin (upper body) is not expected to be game-ready at the start of the playoffs, Bill Meltzer of the Flyers' official site reports. The Russian forward sustained an upper-body injury in late March and wasn't in the lineup for the final 13 regular-season contests. He finished his rookie campaign with 14 points (four goals, 10 assists), 32 SOG, and 86 hits in 55 outings. Grebekin's absence has coincided with the emergence of Porter Martone. The sixth pick of last year's draft heads into the postseason with a six-game point streak and is sure to be a popular selection in DFS competitions.

Yesterday

Aleksander Barkov • C • Panthers

Aleksander Barkov Cleared for World Championship

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (knee) will play for Team Finland in the World Championship, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The Panthers captain missed the entire 2025-26 NHL campaign due to a knee injury, but he was medically cleared to play by team doctors on Wednesday. The World Championship will be played from May 15 to May 31 in Switzerland. Anton Lundell (ribs), who missed Florida's final 14 games, will also suit up for Finland. Lundell's usage will suffer next season with Barkov back in the lineup. Before his knee injury, Barkov was a point-per-game player for five consecutive campaigns. The missed year might affect his productivity in 2026-27.

2 days ago

Pierre-Luc Dubois • C • Capitals

Pierre-Luc Dubois Dealing With Fractured Hand

Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois fractured his hand in Sunday's win over Pittsburgh, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports reports. He didn't play on Tuesday against Columbus and is expected to need 1-2 months to heal up. The playoff door was shut for Washington, so Dubois will have the entire summer to rehab from the injury. Dubois battled health issues all season and made only 29 appearances. He tallied five goals and 19 points. His production dropped significantly compared with his first season with the Capitals, when Dubois recorded a career-high 66 points (20 goals, 46 assists) in 82 games.

2 days ago

Zach Whitecloud • D • Flames

Zach Whitecloud Ready to Rock Thursday

Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud (face) will be in the lineup on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. He took a puck to the face in Tuesday's loss to Colorado, leaving Whitecloud questionable for the season finale. However, he is ready to play with a full shield against the Kings. Since his midseason move from Vegas, Whitecloud has made 30 appearances with the Flames. He has yet to score for the team but does have eight assists. The 29-year-old has been a great addition to the defense, registering 78 blocks and 48 hits. Whitecloud's ice time has jumped to 22:44 per game in Calgary, and it will be interesting to see what he can do next year during his first full season as a Flame.

2 days ago

NHL News

LEGEND