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Miro Heiskanen Unlikely to Play Saturday
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (upper body) is considered doubtful for Saturday's matchup against the San Jose Sharks. Heiskanen sustained an upper-body injury in Tuesday's win over Washington and sat out Thursday's game against Columbus. Although there were signs his absence might be limited to one game, he is likely to miss at least one more contest. Heiskanen's injury has created a spot in the lineup for Trey Taylor, while Thomas Harley has moved into the No. 1 defenseman role. Harley logged 28:31 of ice time against Columbus and should have a busy night on Saturday.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
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Conor Timmins Makes Season Debut Friday
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins will suit up for the first time this season when the team hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. The 28-year-old missed the start of the season due to a lower-body injury. He was cleared to play earlier this week, but Timmins sat out Wednesday's contest against Ottawa as a healthy scratch. Last season, Timmins had eight assists, 44 SOG, and 81 blocks in 39 games with the Sabres. Although he doesn't contribute much to fantasy teams, the Sabres rate him highly as a penalty-killer. Timmins will work with Zach Metsa on the third defensive pairing.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
John Tavares Set to Return Saturday
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (lower body) is expected to play Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, Dave McCarthy of NHL.com reports. Tavares has missed nine games with a lower-body injury. Nicholas Paul has filled in for Tavares as the second-line center, but it looks like the two will be linemates in Saturday's game. Paul and Tavares skated alongside William Nylander on the second line during Friday's practice. Before injury struck, Tavares was enjoying a fruitful spell, picking up seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games.
Source: Dave McCarthy
Source: Dave McCarthy
Haydn Fleury Injures Hand in Thursday's Win
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury (hand) exited Thursday's 6-2 win over Vancouver in the third period. He couldn't finish the contest after blocking a shot with his left hand. Fleury recorded a power-play assist when Alex Iafallo opened the scoring in the first period. Typically, Fleury doesn't contribute on offense. This was his second assist of the season, and he has no goals in 12 games. The Jets hope to get Josh Morrissey (wrist) back for Sunday's contest against Tampa Bay, and he may replace Fleury in the lineup.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
James Hagens Suffers Apparent Back Injury
Boston Bruins forward James Hagens (lower back) was forced to leave early against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, Jack Studley of Boston Hockey Now reports. After receiving a hit from Penguins defenseman Samuel Girard, Hagens was holding his lower back and left the ice. Hagens has been one of the best-performing rookies this season in the NHL, boasting 12 points (six goals, six assists) through 17 games. The 20-year-old hasn't shied away from the dirty work either, recording 19 blocks. Boston also lost Matthew Poitras (nose) this week, so the team could have several fresh faces in the lineup on Sunday against Florida.
Source: Jack Studley
Source: Jack Studley
Nate Schmidt Sustains Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt (upper body) didn't finish Thursday's contest against the Montreal Canadiens. Schmidt logged an assist just 1:42 into the game, but an upper-body injury limited him to 3:59 of ice time. The 35-year-old has been ever-present in the Mammoth lineup, recording four points (one goal, three assists), 17 SOG, 14 blocks, and 20 hits in 17 games. He must recover by Saturday to avoid missing his first game of the season. Utah must turn to Artem Duda if Schmidt isn't available. In his previous two appearances this season, Duda hasn't done anything to warrant fantasy consideration.
Source: Utah Mammoth PR
Source: Utah Mammoth PR
Devin Cooley Activated From Injured Reserve
Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (lower body) has been activated from Injured Reserve ahead of Friday's contest against the Anaheim Ducks. He has missed the last four games while nursing an upper-body injury. Dustin Wolf has played well in Cooley's absence, so he may remain between the sticks on Friday night. But the Flames will be delighted to have Cooley back in the mix. The 29-year-old has won four of his last five starts, posting a 4-3-0 record for the season. He has a 2.69 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Filip Gustavsson Set to Join Wild for Road Trip
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (hip) is expected to travel with the team on its three-game road trip next week. The Swedish netminder appears to be nearing his season debut. He's been out of action so far because of an offseason hip injury. Gustavsson racked up more than 100 wins in the Wild crease over the past four seasons, making him highly valuable in fantasy. However, he may struggle to earn playing time in 2026-27, with Jesper Wallstedt ahead of him on the depth chart and looking sensational. Wallstedt is tied for the league lead in wins (10), helping Minnesota post the best defensive record (2.24 GAA).
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brock Faber Returns to Practice
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber (skull) returned to practice on Thursday, joining his team on the ice for the first time since fracturing his skull in a preseason game. He has been ruled out for the next two games, but Faber is scheduled to join the Wild for next week's three-game road trip. While any team would miss a player of Faber's quality, the Wild have enjoyed a great start to the season, sharing the top spot in the Western Conference and allowing a league-low 2.24 goals per game. Their run of form is even more impressive given that the defense has also been without Jared Spurgeon (lower body) for three games. The Wild captain is also expected to travel next week..
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Sean Durzi Misses Third Straight Game Thursday
New York Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi (undisclosed) will sit out a third straight contest on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. Before the game, the Rangers placed Durzi on Injured Reserve, retroactive to Oct. 26, when he last played. Durzi's absence is felt all over the ice, as he has five points (two goals, three assists), 12 SOG, 21 blocks, and nine hits in 14 games this season. Scott Morrow has done a solid job filling in, recording one assist, five SOG, one block, and a plus-three rating in two appearances. With the Flyers struggling this season, he has some fantasy appeal Thursday.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Colton Parayko Cleared to Return Thursday
St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (upper body) will re-enter the lineup Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. The Blues have been without him for two games. Theo Lindstein will head to the press box as a healthy scratch to make room for Parayko. Last season, Parayko's offensive numbers dipped sharply, and they haven't improved in 2026-27. In 13 games, he has no goals and four assists. Defensively, Parayko has averaged two blocks per game while delivering nine hits. The 33-year-old will join Justin Barron on the second defensive pairing. With no power-play duty, Parayko isn't expected to be a major fantasy factor in the matchup against New Jersey.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
John Gibson Unavailable Thursday
Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson (lower body) won't dress for Thursday's contest against the Vegas Golden Knights. The oft-injured netminder was hurt in Tuesday's loss to Tampa Bay. Detroit considers him day-to-day. Given Daniil Tarasov's early-season form, Gibson's absence might not be bad news for the Red Wings. Tarasov has a 2-1-2 record, a 1.74 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and one shutout. On Thursday, Tarasov faces a tough matchup against a team that has averaged 3.35 goals per game and boasts a 29.4 power-play percentage.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Sam Steel Misses Thursday's Game for Personal Reasons
Dallas Stars forward Sam Steel (personal) will miss his third game of the season on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After skipping a pair of games last month with an undisclosed injury, Steel will be absent on Thursday for personal reasons. The 28-year-old had a strong start to the season, but his form faded quickly. In 13 games, Steel has recorded one goal and two assists. Colin Blackwell will replace Steel in the lineup, joining David Perron and Radek Faksa on the fourth line. While this is a strong-looking line, the trio is unlikely to make a significant impact against Columbus.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Miro Heiskanen Officially Out Thursday
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (upper body) has been officially ruled out for Thursday's meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets. On Wednesday, the Stars announced Heiskanen was day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said Heiskanen is "truly day-to-day," so might be ready to return for the next matchup on Saturday against San Jose. Trey Taylor is expected to replace Heiskanen in the lineup, but he has no fantasy value. Instead, managers should focus on Thomas Harley, who will move to the first defensive pairing and the top power-play unit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Evgeni Malkin Good to Go Versus Bruins
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (lower body) will return from a one-game absence on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. He didn't play in Tuesday's loss to Vegas due to a lower-body injury. Even at 40, Malkin has continued to perform well in 2026-27, registering 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 13 games. He has two multi-point games in his last three outings. Malkin will skate alongside Egor Chinakhov and Benjamin Kindel on the second line and bolster the second power-play unit. Andrei Kuzmenko will be scratched to make room for his compatriot.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Nick Suzuki Returns to Action Thursday
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (hand) will rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth. He has missed six games with a hand injury. The reigning Norris Trophy winner has started the season strongly, recording 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in nine outings. Only two teams have kept Suzuki off the score sheet. The Canadiens will also have Kirby Dach (illness) back after a two-game absence. The offensive reinforcements mean Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen have less fantasy appeal.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Connor Bedard Delivers Two Assists in Losing Effort
Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard recorded his third multi-point game of the season in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, finishing with two assists. He set up Roman Kantserov in the second period and Frank Nazar in the third. Bedard has been held scoreless just once this season, notching four goals and eight assists in 10 appearances. Chicago is the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL, making Bedard's numbers even more impressive. He'll go up against an underperforming Tampa Bay defense when the Blackhawks complete a back-to-back on Thursday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Sandis Vilmanis Racks Up Four Points Versus Blackhawks
Florida Panthers left wing Sandis Vilmanis recorded a career-high four points in Wednesday's 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished with two goals and two assists. Vilmanis matched Sandis Ozoliņs' Latvian single-game scoring record. While this was a special night for the 22-year-old Riga native, Vilmanis doesn't make an offensive impact very often. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 15 games. Vilmanis will be bumped out of the top six in a few weeks when Aleksander Barkov (knee) and Brad Marchand (knee) rejoin the lineup.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Artemi Panarin Dishes Out Four Assists in Big Win
Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin demonstrated world-class playmaking against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, racking up four assists in a 7-2 victory. Three of his helpers came on the power play. Panarin's offensive production has been inconsistent in 2026-27, but fantasy managers won't complain about his run of five multi-point performances in eight games. The veteran star leads the Kings with 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 14 games. If he maintains his current form, Panarin would celebrate his second career 100-point campaign in spring.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Adrian Kempe Erupts for Four Points Wednesday
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe scored a hat trick and added an assist as the team tore apart the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Wednesday night. Kempe returned to the lineup after a one-game absence and already had three points in the first period. He finished the contest with two power-play points. Although the Kings have struggled offensively this season, Kempe still averages nearly a point per game. He's produced six goals and six assists in 13 appearances. The Swedish forward has been a consistent 70-point scorer in recent campaigns and should do the same in 2026-27.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Isac Lundestrom Nearing Season Debut
Columbus Blue Jackets center Isac Lundestrom (Achilles) is close to making his season debut, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports. He has resumed skating after undergoing Achilles surgery in the summer. Columbus has just waived a couple of players, a potential sign that it's opening up a roster spot for the Swedish forward. Lundestrom operates as an effective bottom-six forward but offers little to fantasy teams. In 2025-26, he recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 68 outings.
Source: Mark Scheig
Source: Mark Scheig
