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Nikolas Matinpalo Sustains Upper-Body Injury Monday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo played only a handful of minutes in Monday's win over New Jersey due to an upper-body injury. He exited the action in the first period after absorbing a big hit from Devils forward Anthony Mantha, who received a five-minute major penalty for boarding. This marks another injury blow for Ottawa's defense. The team has been without Jake Sanderson (lower body) and Artem Zub (knee). The two aren't expected back for Tuesday's game against St. Louis, and Matinpalo likely won't play either. As a result, the Senators will be without half of their regular defensive corps. Thomas Chabot and Jordan Spence will continue to play huge minutes, while Carter Yakemchuk also has an expanded role.
Source: Ottawa Senators PR
Source: Ottawa Senators PR
More Recent News
Nico Sturm Doing "OK" After Being Sent to Hospital
Minnesota Wild center Nico Sturm (upper body) is doing "OK" after Monday's scary incident against Vegas, Dylan Loucks of The Hockey News reports. Sturm was hit in the head by a puck in the second period and was taken to the hospital. Fortunately, the veteran forward didn't suffer a serious injury. Recently, the Wild lost defenseman Brock Faber to a fractured skull in a similar incident. Still, Sturm isn't expected to travel with the team for Tuesday's contest against Winnipeg, meaning he'll be out for at least one game. Tyler Pitlick is an option to replace him on the fourth line, though Minnesota may also opt to go with seven defensemen.
Source: Dylan Loucks
Source: Dylan Loucks
Matt Duchene Out for Three Months After Core Surgery
Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene underwent surgery to repair a core injury and will be unavailable for three months, the team announced Monday. Duchene dealt with a lower-body injury at training camp and hasn't seen any action this season. Dallas placed him on long-term Injured Reserve on Oct. 1. Unfortunately, we won't see Duchene back on the ice before 2027. This injury has ruined Duchene's hopes of reaching his 1,000th career point this season. He has produced consistently throughout his career, with 387 goals and 549 assists in 1,195 games. Duchene's long-term absence elevates the fantasy value of Sam Steel and Justin Hryckowian.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
John Tavares Rejoins Practice
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (personal) practiced on Monday and is on track to return for Tuesday's matchup with the Utah Mammoth. Tavares didn't play in Saturday's win over Colorado after the birth of his son. Nicholas Paul moved to the second line and contributed two assists in an impressive 6-3 road triumph. Tavares' return will bump Paul to the third line, but he should still see plenty of ice time. After five appearances, Tavares sits on one goal and two assists.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Connor Bedard Likely to Make His Season Debut Tuesday
Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (knee) is likely to make his season debut in Tuesday's matchup with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The Blackhawks captain fully participated in Sunday's practice, and on Monday, head coach Jeff Blashill said Bedard is "trending toward" playing against Pittsburgh. This is huge news because Bedard wasn't initially expected to play this month after offseason shoulder surgery. Bedard is set to skate alongside Patrick Kane and Roman Kanstserov on Chicago's top line in Tuesday's game. He has recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in five career games against Crosby's crew.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Jake Sanderson Still Sidelined Monday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (lower body) will miss a fifth consecutive game on Monday night against the New Jersey Devils. The 2026 Olympic champion took part in the morning skate, but he isn't ready to return from a lower-body injury. Artem Zub (knee) will also remain out, increasing the fantasy value of Thomas Chabot, Jordan Spence, and Carter Yakemchuk. Chabot has averaged a whopping 27:07 of ice time, recording three points, 15 SOG, and 16 blocks in five games. Yakemchuk has also made a strong impression offensively, landing on the score sheet twice in the last three games.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Luke Evangelista Expected to Play Monday
New Jersey Devils winger Luke Evangelista (illness) missed Monday's morning skate but looks set to play against the Ottawa Senators. The former Predator is feeling under the weather, but Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe was optimistic after the morning skate that Evangelista would be available. In his first four outings with the Devils, Evangelista has contributed two goals and one assist. He has logged time on the second line and the first power-play unit. Compared with his final season in Nashville, Evangelista's average ice time has increased by nearly two minutes. The Devils have Stefan Noesen ready to step in for Evangelista if he doesn't feel well enough to play.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Jacob Markstrom Fine Despite Early Exit
Florida Panthers goaltender Jacob Markstrom did not sustain an injury in Monday's loss to Buffalo, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports. The Panthers' No. 1 unexpectedly departed the game after the first period, finishing with nine saves. "There's no injury there," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said postgame. "There's nothing we can't deal with. Just standard stuff." Since Markstrom played only one period against Buffalo, he might be back between the sticks on Tuesday night against Columbus. The Swedish netminder has been in good early-season form, posting a 2-1-1 record, a 2.03 goals-against average, and a .904 save percentage.
Source: George Richards
Source: George Richards
Rasmus Dahlin Won't Play Tuesday
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (upper body) has been ruled out for Tuesday's contest against the Montreal Canadiens, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports. The Swedish defensive star was injured in Monday's win over Florida and won't travel to Canada with the team. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff labeled Dahlin day-to-day. Dahlin is a huge piece for the Sabres at both ends of the ice and will be sorely missed in Tuesday's matchup. With Dahlin on the shelf, we will likely see Owen Power move to the first power-play unit, while Louis Crevier will be in a position to get more ice time.
Source: Heather Engel
Source: Heather Engel
Alexis Lafreniere Adds Two More Points to His Tally
New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere notched a goal and an assist in Sunday's 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The 25-year-old has been heating up lately, scoring in three straight games, including a hat trick. In seven outings this season, he has produced five goals and three assists. With eight points, Lafreniere leads his team. Since the Rangers shipped Artemi Panarin to Los Angeles, Lafreniere has taken his game to a new level. He's become a point-per-game player, with 17 goals and 16 assists in his last 33 regular-season appearances. The former No. 1 pick probably deserves more fantasy respect than he's getting.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mark Jankowski Extends Goal Streak to Four Games
Carolina Hurricanes center Mark Jankowski scored in a fourth consecutive game as the reigning champions beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Sunday night. Jankowski, who served as the third-line center in Jordan Staal's (lower body) absence, potted the last goal of the game at the 15:09 mark in the third period. The 11-year veteran had never scored in three consecutive games before suddenly turning into a scoring machine. He has five points (four goals, one assist) in seven appearances this season, complementing his defensive reliability with offensive production.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Alex Ovechkin Scores First Goal of the Season
Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin netted his first goal of the season in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Seattle Kraken. He put the Capitals up 2-1 in the first period before the Kraken took over. Ovechkin also produced three SOG and three hits. While Ovechkin has had a slow start to the season, with only two points in five games, the legendary forward is on the cusp of breaking another NHL record. Ovechkin needs 10 more goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky for the highest total of goals scored in league history, including the playoffs. He will look to move a step closer to the record on Tuesday night against the reigning Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cam York Day-to-Day With Upper-Body Injury
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (upper body) was deemed day-to-day on Sunday. The Flyers had a back-to-back against Boston and Carolina over the weekend, but York didn't play in either game due to an upper-body injury. York has had a slow start to the season, going without a point in five outings. Defensively, he has averaged two blocks and one hit per game. With York out, Oliver Bonk made his season debut on Sunday against the Hurricanes and had a night to forget, finishing with a minus-three rating in a 4-1 loss.
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Jordan Staal Nursing Lower-Body Injury
Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal missed Sunday's win over Philadelphia due to a lower-body injury. The 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy winner logged 14:12 of action in Saturday's matchup with Chicago but wasn't available for the second leg of a back-to-back. It's unclear whether Staal's injury occurred this weekend or had been bothering him previously. Nicolas Deslauriers filled in for Staal, registering one SOG and three hits in 8:45 of ice time. Meanwhile, Mark Jankowski moved up to the third line and scored in a fourth consecutive game. Jankowski isn't known for his offensive ability, but he deserves some fantasy attention in current form.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Chris Tanev Moved to Injured Reserve
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev (upper body) was placed on Injured Reserve Sunday, TSN's Mark Masters reports. He sustained a lower-body injury in Saturday's win over Colorado. Tanev must now sit out a minimum of three games, starting with Tuesday's matchup against Utah. He has recorded one assist and 14 blocks in six games this season. The Maple Leafs are filling the open roster spot with Marshall Rifai, who was called up from the minors. While Tanev's absence doesn't mean much in fantasy, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews called him a "heart-and-soul guy" for the team. Toronto will definitely miss Tanev's defensive presence.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Igor Shesterkin Set for Surgery
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (knee) will require surgery and a lengthy rehab, according to The Athletic's Vince Z. Mercogliano. The Russian netminder has already been ruled out for the rest of the season after injuring his right knee Friday night against Washington. On Sunday, the Rangers placed Shesterkin on long-term Injured Reserve. Losing Shesterkin for the entire year is a tough pill to swallow for the Rangers, but Dylan Garand made a winning start to life as the team's de facto starter on Sunday. He recorded 19 saves in a 6-2 victory over Vancouver. While Garand's fantasy stock has skyrocketed, he remains largely unproven at this level.
Source: Vince Z. Mercogliano
Source: Vince Z. Mercogliano
Michael Carcone Out Week-to-Week
Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (upper body) is considered week-to-week, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports. He missed his first game of the season on Saturday night against Buffalo and isn't expected back quickly. Before being hurt, Carcone racked up two points (one goal, one assist), 17 SOG, and 11 hits in five games. Kailer Yamamoto filled in for him against Buffalo and impressed in his season debut. Despite logging only 12:28 of ice time, Yamamoto produced one goal and one assist, along with three hits. This performance should help him keep his spot in the lineup ahead of Liam O'Brien in upcoming games.
Source: Cole Bagley
Source: Cole Bagley
Eetu Luostarinen Fine for Monday
Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen (undisclosed) will be available on Monday against the Buffalo Sabres, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports. Luostarinen took a puck to the leg late in Saturday's loss to Minnesota and didn't finish the game. However, he wasn't seriously hurt. After Sunday's practice, the Finnish forward said he would have returned if the incident had occurred earlier in the game. Luostarinen has recorded two goals, eight SOG, and nine hits in five outings this season. He operates in a middle-six role and on the second power-play unit.
Source: George Richards
Source: George Richards
Flyers Place Travis Konecny on Injured Reserve
Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (lower body) was moved to Injured Reserve on Sunday, retroactive to Oct. 8. He's set to miss a second straight game against Carolina with a lower-body injury. After Sunday night, Konecny will be forced to sit out at least two more contests. In five appearances this season, Konecny has contributed three assists. He's been the most productive player on a struggling team that has scored just seven times in six games. With Konecny unavailable, Garrett Wilson made his season debut in Saturday's loss to Boston, recording five hits in 11:46 of action. He doesn't add anything offensively to the team, making Wilson irrelevant in fantasy leagues.
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Connor Bedard Logs Full Practice Sunday
Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (shoulder) was a full participant in Sunday's practice, Tracey Myers of NHL.com reports. This suggests Bedard may be ready for his season debut soon, though Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said he still has no official return date. The Blackhawks captain was initially expected to be out until November due to offseason shoulder surgery. However, it looks like his season debut could come much sooner, and Bedard hasn't been ruled out for Tuesday's clash against Pittsburgh. In practice, Bedard took line rushes with Patrick Kane and Roman Kantserov.
Source: Tracey Myers
Source: Tracey Myers
Jacob Melanson Out Indefinitely With Pseudo Aneurysm
Seattle Kraken right wing Jacob Melanson will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with an anterior mediastinum hematoma with vascular pseudo aneurysm. He was injured in the team's season opener on Oct. 1 and will miss a fifth consecutive game on Sunday against Washington. "Jacob will continue to be evaluated and monitored closely by the medical staff in Seattle through the healing process for a gradual progression to return to hockey," the Kraken said in a statement. Melanson made his NHL debut a couple of campaigns ago and played in 36 games last season, recording five points (two goals, three assists). He was a fifth-round pick in 2021.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
