Igor Shesterkin Shuts Out Lightning With 27 Saves
Apr 18, 2025, 8:30 AM ET
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin ended the season on a high note, stopping all 27 shots he faced in Thursday's 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner collected his sixth shutout of the season, matching his career high. Shesterkin will have at least something to celebrate from a frustrating season, which he concluded with a 27-29-5 record. He posted a career-worst 2.86 goals-against average and had a .905 save percentage, also his worst-ever mark in the NHL. The Rangers must build a better team around Shesterkin to fully benefit from his talents.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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Jake DeBrusk Remains Out Sunday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 4, 2026, 6:56 PM ET
Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (illness) will miss a second consecutive game on Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights, Kevin Woodley of NHL.com reports. DeBrusk dropped out of the lineup on Saturday against Calgary due to illness. Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra labeled DeBrusk day-to-day. Vancouver won't start next week's action until Thursday, giving DeBrusk time to recover. He is expected to travel on a six-game road trip. Linus Karlsson moved to the first line on Saturday and produced two assists, providing good value for money to DFS managers.--Taavi PailkSource: Kevin Woodley
Gustav Forsling a Game-Time Call Sunday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 4, 2026, 6:46 PM ET
Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (upper body) is a game-time decision for Sunday's matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. The Swedish rearguard is dealing with an upper-body injury and was a late scratch on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. Forsling had a good start to the campaign, recording a goal, two SOG, two blocks, and three hits in Florida's season opener versus Carolina. Uvis Balinskis entered the lineup on Thursday night and is likely to retain his spot if Forsling isn't cleared to play against Anaheim.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Brad Marchand Set for Season Debut Sunday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 4, 2026, 6:37 PM ET
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (lower body) will make his season debut on Sunday night against the Anaheim Ducks, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports. The veteran star was initially expected to miss significant time at the start of the season, but the Panthers are already bringing him back into the fold. It's a welcome boost for the team after losing Aleksander Barkov (leg). Marchand hasn't played for the Panthers since March 6. He tallied 54 points (27 goals, 27 assists) in 52 games. Maintaining a point-per-game pace may be a challenge for Marchand, but his scoring track record makes him worthy of fantasy consideration.--Taavi PailkSource: Jameson Olive
Oliver Kapanen Remains Out Saturday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 5:26 PM ET
Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (lower body) won't play on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will miss a second straight game. As a rookie, Kapanen played in all 82 games last season, registering 37 points (22 goals, 15 assists). He was Montreal's fourth-highest goal-scorer. Kapanen's next chance to make his season debut comes Tuesday night against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Benjamin Kindel Ready to Face Canadiens
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 5:16 PM ET
Pittsburgh Penguins center Benjamin Kindel (lower body) will be available Saturday against Montreal after being removed from Injured Reserve. Last Sunday, Kindel was deemed week-to-week. Fortunately for the Penguins, he missed only one game. Following a dominant 7-0 victory over Philadelphia, the Penguins don't want to tinker much with the lineup, so Kindel is set to fill a fourth-line spot Saturday. He will be in contention for a middle-six role once he has found his footing. In his rookie season last year, Kindel recorded 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 77 games.--Taavi PailkSource: Pittsburgh Penguins
Mackie Samoskevich Activated From Injured Reserve
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 5:08 PM ET
Seattle Kraken right wing Mackie Samoskevich (upper body) has come off Injured Reserve and will be available Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers. He missed Seattle's season opener against Calgary but has been cleared to return to the lineup. Big things are expected of Samoskevich as a top-six regular in Seattle, and he should also see power-play time. The former Panther will make his debut in a great spot, facing an Oilers team that has allowed 13 goals in two games. To make room for Samoskevich on the roster, the Kraken moved Jacob Melanson (upper body) to Injured Reserve.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Jake DeBrusk Unavailable Saturday Due to Illness
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 5:02 PM ET
Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (illness) will miss Saturday's contest against the Calgary Flames. On Saturday morning, Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra revealed that DeBrusk was dealing with an illness. DeBrusk registered one assist and four SOG in the first two games of the season. Aatu Raty will enter the lineup as his replacement. With DeBrusk absent, Linus Karlsson is expected to move to the first line. Karlsson averaged only 13:42 of ice time in the first two games of the season, but he will have a significantly more important role on Saturday night.--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
Bowen Byram Won't Play Saturday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 4:56 PM ET
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram (personal) won't play in Saturday's clash against the Buffalo Sabres. Byram was supposed to meet his former team, but he is attending to a family matter and will skip the game. The Blackhawks acquired Byram from the Sabres this offseason and signed him to a whopping six-year, $75 million extension. Byram hasn't found his footing in Chicago yet, failing to register any points and posting a minus-four rating through his first two games. After allowing 11 goals in two games, the Blackhawks are planning several defensive changes, with Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro expected to enter the lineup.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Jake Sanderson Officially Available Saturday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 4:49 PM ET
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (undisclosed) will be in the lineup Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sanderson has been trending in the right direction and has now been officially cleared to play in Ottawa's season opener. This is great news for the Senators, whose backline will be without Artem Zub (knee) at the start of the season. Sanderson is expected to carry a heavy workload, partnering with Nikolas Matinpalo on the first defensive pairing. He will look to build on a strong year, having amassed 54 points (14 goals, 40 assists) in 67 games. --Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Panthers Place Aleksander Barkov on Long-Term Injured Reserve
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 4:44 PM ET
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (leg) was placed on long-term Injured Reserve on Saturday. The Panthers captain suffered an apparent left leg injury on Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks. Barkov remains under evaluation after undergoing an MRI. The Panthers are reportedly optimistic that Barkov's injury is not season-ending. Still, he's facing a spell on the sidelines and must miss at least 10 games and 24 days after landing on long-term injured Reserve. With Barkov out, the Panthers will lean more on Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell at center.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Alex Tuch Starts Life in Washington With Two-Goal Outing
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:59 AM ET
Washington Capitals winger Alex Tuch lit the lamp twice in Friday's impressive 5-2 road win over the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. In his official Capitals debut, Tuch became the fifth player in franchise history to open his tenure with a multi-goal outing, providing two of Washington's three first-period goals. He started the season on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson. Across the previous four campaigns, Tuch has scored at least 30 goals three times. As a member of Washington's talented forward group, Tuch is in a prime spot for another prolific year in 2026-27.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Leo Carlsson Opens Season With Multi-Point Effort
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:52 AM ET
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson contributed a goal and an assist in Friday's season-opening 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. This was Carlsson's first outing since becoming the NHL's highest-paid player with a five-year, $90 million contract. He certainly proved his worth, helping the Ducks to a 4-0 lead before Vegas made the score respectable with three third-period goals. Carlsson logged 17:43 of ice time, including 2:58 on the power play. The Ducks went with Cutter Gauthier and A.J. Greer as Carlsson's running mates on the first line. By racking up four points together, the trio showed off good chemistry.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
JJ Peterka Pots Game-Winner in Overtime Friday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:42 AM ET
Boston Bruins winger JJ Peterka potted the game-winning goal on Friday night as the team beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in overtime. The Bruins narrowly escaped defeat in regulation on a goal from Elias Lindholm, and Peterka popped up with the winner in the extra frame. David Pastrnak assisted both goals. Peterka has become the first player in eight years to score in each of his first two outings for Boston. He plays with Lindholm and Pastrnak on the top line, and the trio has found good chemistry early in the season. They'll head back to work on Saturday night against Minnesota.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Dylan Garand Posts First Career Shutout
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:33 AM ET
New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand had a special night on Friday, recording his first career shutout in a 2-0 road victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Rangers wrapped up a back-to-back and went with Garand in the crease after Igor Shesterkin was between the sticks in Thursday's matchup with Tampa Bay. Garand has earned a backup role due to Joonas Korpisalo's (lower body) absence. This was only Garand's fourth career appearance, and he collected his first shutout with 22 saves. With Korpisalo out week-to-week, we might see Garand again soon.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Joel Hofer Blanks Stars in Season-Opening Win
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:27 AM ET
St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer was in top form during Friday's season opener against the Dallas Stars, registering a 25-save shutout in a 4-0 win. The Stars had won six straight season-opening games, but they couldn't find a way past Hofer on Friday night. Hofer became the second goaltender in franchise history to record a shutout in a season opener, joining Jaroslav Halak. Although Hofer tends to be solid on most nights he plays, he must compete for playing time with Jordan Binnington, limiting his fantasy appeal. Binnington is expected to make his season debut on Saturday against Colorado.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Alexey Toropchenko Sustains Upper-Body Injury in Season Opener
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:20 AM ET
St. Louis Blues winger Alexey Toropchenko left Friday's season opener against Dallas due to an upper-body injury. He saw only 5:08 of action before his premature exit. The Russian forward will likely be forced to sit out Saturday's matchup with Colorado after Blues head coach Jim Montgomery said Toropchenko was "more than day-to-day." Toropchenko's absence won't have significant fantasy implications, as he has a limited fourth-line role in St. Louis. Zach Dean and Dillion Dube are the options to fill in for him on Saturday.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Roope Hintz "Fine" After Knee-on-Knee Collision
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 3, 2026, 9:06 AM ET
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz escaped injury in Friday's season-opening loss to the St. Louis Blues, Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News reports. In the game, Hintz was involved in a knee-on-knee collision with Blues defenseman Brandon Carlo. Hintz needed help getting off the ice, while Carlo was ejected from the game. Fortunately, Hintz returned to action and felt "fine" after the game. Injuries are never far from Hintz, who suited up for just 53 games last season. This time, he was lucky and looks set to remain in the lineup for Saturday's clash against Nashville.--Taavi PailkSource: Lia Assimakopoulos
Seamus Casey to Sit Out 6-8 Weeks
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 2, 2026, 7:29 PM ET
New Jersey Devils defenseman Seamus Casey (knee) has been ruled out for 6-8 weeks. The 22-year-old suffered a knee injury in a preseason game on Sept. 24 and underwent surgery. Casey impressed with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 14 outings during the 2024-25 campaign, but the Devils used him only twice last season. The knee injury is a significant setback to his attempt to break into the team. A minimum six-week absence means Casey won't be an option for the Devils' blue line until at least mid-November.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
A.J. Greer Available for Ducks Debut Friday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 2, 2026, 7:19 PM ET
Anaheim Ducks winger A.J. Greer (upper body) will make his team debut on Friday night against Vegas, Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune reports. Greer has been iffy for the contest due to an upper-body injury sustained during the preseason, but he has been cleared for action. Not only that, but the former Panther will also get an opportunity to impress in a first-line role. With elite talents like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier next to him, Greer is in a great spot to make a positive first impression. Anaheim also plans to use Greer on the second power-play unit.--Taavi PailkSource: Zach Cavanagh
Andrei Kuzmenko Returns to Practice
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 2, 2026, 7:13 PM ET
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Andrei Kuzmenko (personal) rejoined practice on Friday. He was away from the team for a week to be with his family following his father's passing. The Penguins have removed Kuzmenko from the non-roster list ahead of Saturday's clash against Montreal, signaling he may enter the lineup. On Friday, Kuzmenko skated on the fourth line. Kuzmenko has had an up-and-down NHL career but can heat up in the right circumstances. He has averaged nearly 0.7 points per game in his career.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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