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Anthony Cirelli, Yanni Gourde Out Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) and Yanni Gourde (undisclosed) won't play in Thursday's contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Cirelli was banged up in Wednesday's blowout win over Buffalo and will miss at least one game. Gourde's absence may be related to the fact that he only recently made his season debut, and the team doesn't want to overwork him in a back-to-back situation. With two centers out of the lineup, the Lightning will use Jake Guentzel in the middle on the first line. There's also a chance for Zemgus Girgensons and Conor Geekie to see extra ice time.
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
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Linus Ullmark Returns to Action Thursday
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (lower body) will return to the crease on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche. The Senators get their No. 1 netminder back for a very difficult matchup after losing Ullmark to a lower-body injury on Oct. 21. Ullmark kicked off the season in phenomenal form, posting a 7-1-0 record, 1.33 goals-against average, and a .945 save percentage. He has allowed two or fewer goals in all of his eight starts. The Avalanche are tied with Carolina for the highest goals-for average, so Ullmark can't show any signs of rust Thursday night.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Alex Lyon Returns From Shoulder Injury Thursday
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (shoulder) will start Thursday's clash against the Chicago Blackhawks, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports. The 33-year-old is finally ready for his season debut after missing the first eight weeks with a shoulder injury. Initially, Lyon was expected to make his season debut in mid-October, but he suffered a setback in his recovery. Expectations are high for Lyon, who posted a 20-10-4 record in 2025-26. He has three shutouts, a 2.77 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage. Thursday's matchup is the perfect spot for Lyon to ease back into action, as the Blackhawks are averaging a league-low 2.17 goals per game.
Source: Mike Harrington
Source: Mike Harrington
Mike Matheson Back in Action Thursday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (lower body) will rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. He has been cleared for action after sitting out six games due to a lower-body injury. Matheson has battled health issues all season, making just eight appearances. Matheson has recorded four points (one goal, three assists), 15 SOG, and 13 blocks. These are decent numbers for Matheson, who will soon be 33, but he's been rarely used on the power play this season, limiting his fantasy appeal. Matheson will take Adam Engstrom's spot in the lineup.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Patrick Kane Probable for Thursday's Game
Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (upper body) is considered probable for Thursday's matchup with the Buffalo Sabres, Jack Bushman of Chicago Hockey Now reports. The former MVP has missed three games with an upper-body injury. At Wednesday's practice, Kane skated alongside Anton Frondell and Andrew Mangiapane on the second line. After a slow start, Kane has picked up pace with four assists in six games. In total, he has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 15 games.
Source: Jack Bushman
Source: Jack Bushman
Kevin Fiala Makes Season Debut Thursday
Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (lower leg) will make his season debut on Thursday against the New York Islanders, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The 30-year-old hasn't taken the ice for an NHL regular-season game since early February. He fractured his lower leg while playing for Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics. He had a follow-up procedure in September. Fiala finished last season with 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games. Although he might be rusty at first, Fiala is a proven scorer in the NHL, and fantasy managers should keep an eye on him.
Source: Zach Dooley
Source: Zach Dooley
Shane Wright Enjoys Three-Point Night Against Ducks
Nashville Predators center Shane Wright had a key role in Wednesday's 4-2 road victory over the Anaheim Ducks, finishing the contest with one goal and two assists. These are Wright's first points for his new club since he was acquired from the Seattle Kraken on Nov. 1. Wright has been an effective player for Nashville, posting a plus-five rating in five games. He's centering the second line, meaning Wright is now in a much better position to make a fantasy impact. The 22-year-old is also on the second power-play unit.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Macklin Celebrini Reaches 200 Career Points
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini recorded a goal and an assist in Wednesday's 3-2 shootout loss to Pittsburgh, becoming the fifth-youngest player in NHL history to reach 200 career points. Celebrini reached the milestone midway through the third period when he sparked San Jose's comeback effort with his eighth goal of the season. The 20-year-old also has 15 assists in 23 games this season. Even with his team struggling, Celebrini has racked up points for fun. Wednesday night marked his seventh multi-point performance of the campaign.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
John Carlson Racks Up Career-High Five Points Against Sabres
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman John Carlson showed age is just a number on Wednesday against Buffalo, posting a career-high five points in an 8-3 road victory. Carlson, who will be 37 in January, became the third-oldest defenseman in NHL history to record as many as five points in a single game. He's only the fourth blue-liner to do it with Tampa Bay. Carlson finished the game with one goal and four assists, reaching his 800th career point with his final helper in the third period. While Carlson hasn't been a consistent offensive force in his first year in Tampa, his overall contribution is impressive. In 18 contests, Carlson has tallied 15 points (six goals, nine assists). He's also chipped in 18 blocks and 13 hits on defense.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Erik Cernak Likely Out Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (undisclosed) isn't expected to play on Thursday against Columbus, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports. He sustained an undisclosed injury in Wednesday's win over Buffalo, leaving the contest in the middle frame. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said after the game that Cernak was "probably" out for Thursday's action. Due to his hard-nosed style of play, Cernak often runs into injuries and has never played more than 76 games in an NHL season. In 2026-27, he has recorded seven assists, 20 SOG, 24 blocks, 30 hits, and a plus-11 rating. The Lightning have Max Crozier and Emil Lilleberg as options to fill in for Cernak, but they aren't viable fantasy targets.
Source: Benjamin Pierce
Source: Benjamin Pierce
Nick Schmaltz Suffers Lower-Body Injury Against Vegas
Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz (lower body) made an early exit against the Vegas Golden Knights, Chase Beardsley of The Hockey News reports. He was hurt when he took a hard hit along the boards. Schmaltz was able to return to the game but lasted only a couple of shifts. The Mammoth initially announced that Schmaltz was questionable to return, so he may have avoided a serious injury. However, it's uncertain whether the prolific forward will be available for Thursday's tilt against St. Louis. Schmaltz has contributed nine goals and 11 assists in 19 games, doing most of his damage on the power play. Utah was already without Logan Cooley (upper body) and Dylan Guenther (upper body) for Wednesday's action, leaving head coach Andre Tourigny facing an injury crisis up front.
Source: Chase Beardsley
Source: Chase Beardsley
Logan Cooley Day-to-Day With Upper-Body Injury
Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (upper body) missed his first game of the season on Wednesday against Vegas and is considered day-to-day, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports. While Cooley isn't expected to miss much time, he could still be unavailable for multiple games, as Utah returns to action Thursday night against St. Louis. Cooley leads the Mammoth with 11 goals and has totaled 21 points in 18 games. The team's forward group has taken several injury hits in quick succession, making players like Anders Lee and Jack McBain more appealing in fantasy.
Source: Cole Bagley
Source: Cole Bagley
Dylan Guenther to Miss 2-4 Weeks
Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther (upper body) will be out of action for 2-4 weeks, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports. He missed his first game of the season Wednesday against Vegas. Guenther had sat out a couple of practices before the game, so his exit from the lineup wasn't really a surprise. The 23-year-old has notched six goals and six assists in 18 games this season. However, he's been off form for a while, managing only three points (two goals, one assist) in his last 10 outings. Logan Cooley (upper body) also didn't play Wednesday, and Nick Schmaltz (lower body) exited early, leaving Utah's frontline riddled with holes.
Source: Cole Bagley
Source: Cole Bagley
Drew Doughty Misses Wednesday's Practice
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (lower body) didn't practice on Wednesday, Alexander Legget of MayorsManor.com reports. The Kings captain sustained a lower-body injury late in Tuesday's loss to Nashville. He was able to finish the game, but Doughty might still miss some action after skipping practice. The Kings return to work on Thursday night against the New York Islanders. Doughty has produced modest numbers this season, with eight points (one goal, seven assists), 14 SOG, 21 blocks, and 20 hits in 15 games. Erik Gustafsson (undisclosed) is also dealing with an injury, potentially leaving the Kings without two key defensive contributors on Thursday.
Source: Alexander Legget
Source: Alexander Legget
Parker Wotherspoon Set to Return Wednesday
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (upper body) was activated from Injured Reserve and is expected to play on Wednesday against Utah, SinBin.vegas reports. He's missed a month of action due to an upper-body injury. Wotherspoon makes a timely return for Vegas, as the team has just lost Noah Hanifin (undisclosed) from defense. Still, fantasy managers shouldn't expect much from Wotherspoon. He's scoreless in six appearances this term, failing to match last season's production, when Wotherspoon earned 30 points (three goals, 27 assists) in 80 games.
Source: SinBin.vegas
Source: SinBin.vegas
Nick Cousins to Miss 7-10 Days
Ottawa Senators left wing Nick Cousins (upper body) will be out of action for 7-10 days. The 33-year-old couldn't finish Tuesday's overtime loss to Washington after taking a hard hit from Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Senators head coach Travis Green revealed Cousins was unconscious for a bit after the incident. While the Senators took exception to the hit, the NHL's Department of Player Safety ruled it a legal hit, and there was no supplementary discipline for Chychrun. Cousins has three points (two goals, one assist) in 19 outings this season. Philip Tomasino could get a new look in the top six during Cousins' absence.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Miro Heiskanen to Remain Out Thursday
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (upper body) has been ruled out for Thursday's meeting with the Winnipeg Jets. The Finnish rearguard suffered an upper-body injury last week, and while there was initial hope he would sit out only one game, Thursday's contest will mark his third straight absence. Heiskanen has enjoyed a productive start to the season, registering 11 points (three goals, eight assists), 26 SOG, and 17 blocks in 15 games. Trey Taylor has taken Heiskanen's spot in the lineup, but he's seen very little ice time. His absence has given Thomas Harley the biggest fantasy boost, as he has moved to the first defensive pairing and the first power-play unit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Brock Faber Planning to Return Saturday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber (skull) is targeting a return to action on Saturday against Boston, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. Faber fractured his skull in a preseason game and hasn't yet been on the ice this campaign. On Thursday, he skated with his teammates for the first time since the incident. Faber eats up major minutes on the blue line and will strengthen Minnesota at both ends of the ice. He finished last season with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists), 173 SOG, 148 blocks, and a plus-18 rating in 80 games. Faber's return will end Jonas Brodin's spell on the first defensive pairing.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
Rasmus Ristolainen Activated From Injured Reserve
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (hand) is poised to re-enter the lineup on Wednesday against Edmonton after being activated from Injured Reserve. He's had a stop-and-start season due to injuries, making only four appearances. Ristolainen has recorded one goal, seven blocks, and seven hits. He will join Nick Seeler on the third defensive pairing, bumping David Jiricek out of the lineup. Ristolainen's return will boost Philadelphia's defense, but he has no significant fantasy value.
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Not Interested in Trading Matvei Michkov
Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov is not available for a trade, according to general manager Daniel Briere. On Tuesday, it was reported that Michkov was unhappy in Philadelphia and was looking for a move elsewhere. "This is all news to me," Briere said Wednesday. "No, that's not the plan at all. We've never discussed that." Michkov has struggled for regular ice time with the Flyers, but Briere said he was "happy" with how the 21-year-old has played this season. Michkov leads the team with 10 goals and is tied for first with 14 points in 20 games. He's done a decent job but hasn't played quite to his full potential, and a trade could boost his fantasy value.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Evander Kane Signs With KHL Team
Left wing Evander Kane has taken his talents to the KHL for the rest of the season, signing a one-year contract with HC Sibir Novosibirsk. Despite a decent 31-point campaign with the Vancouver Canucks in 2025-26, Kane couldn't secure a new NHL deal this offseason. In total, he's played for five NHL franchises, posting 648 points (339 goals, 309 assists) in 1,001 career games. We may see Kane back in the NHL if he performs well in Russia. At 35, he should still have something left in the tank.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
