May 28, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker (undisclosed) will remain absent for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Florida Panthers, missing a third consecutive contest. On Tuesday, there was optimism that either Walker or Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) could return for Wednesday's elimination game, but both are still unavailable for the Hurricanes. Rookies Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow will continue to play, with the former looking like the better option for DFS competitions. Alexander Nikishin finished Monday's 3-0 win in Game 4 against the Panthers with one assist, one block, and five hits across 18:53 of ice time.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
May 28, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) will miss a sixth straight game on Wednesday against the Florida Panthers. He has yet to feature in the Eastern Conference Finals due to an undisclosed ailment. Before departing the lineup, Chatfield registered one goal, eight shots, 11 blocks, and nine hits in nine playoff appearances with a plus-six rating. Scott Morrow will continue to fill in for him on Wednesday, although he received minimal usage in Monday's Game 4. The 22-year-old led the Hurricanes blue line with 2:15 of power-play time in a 3-0 win but logged only 6:18 of ice time during even-strength play.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
May 28, 2025
Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (upper body) is poised to re-enter the lineup for Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. Due to an upper-body injury, he was unavailable for Monday's Game 4. Skating alongside Seth Jones on the second defensive pairing, Mikkola has been exceptional in the Eastern Conference Finals, recording four points (two goals, two assists) in three appearances. In his prior 12 playoff outings, the Finnish rearguard had picked up only one point. Additionally, Mikkola has racked up 33 penalty minutes and 40 hits in 15 games. His return will send Uvis Balinskis back to the press box on Wednesday.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
May 28, 2025
Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (undisclosed) is ready to return from a one-game absence on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was banged up late in Game 3 of the series on Saturday and sat out Monday's Game 4 as a result. Greer is expected to replace Nico Sturm on the fourth line. While he averages only 8:05 of ice time, Greer has chipped in with two goals and one assist in this year's playoffs. He has formed an effective fourth line with Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich, averaging one shot on goal and four hits per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
May 28, 2025
Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart (lower body) is expected to rejoin the lineup on Wednesday for Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. He has been out for two games while nursing a lower-body injury. Reinhart's return will likely push Jesper Boqvist off the first line, and he looks set to exit the lineup altogether, with A.J. Greer (undisclosed) also returning on Wednesday. Reinhart has contributed four goals and seven assists in 14 games during Florida's postseason campaign. On Wednesday, he will aim to avoid going three consecutive appearances without a point for the first time since January.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
May 28, 2025
Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (upper body) is expected to miss the rest of the postseason. "Zach's season is most likely done," Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said on Wednesday. "He's having surgery today. We're not expecting him back." Hyman was injured in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars, exiting the game after taking a hit to his right shoulder from Stars forward Mason Marchment. The 32-year-old has been Edmonton's fourth-highest scoring forward in the playoffs, recording 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 outings. The Oilers will also miss Hyman's physical presence, as he leads the league with 111 hits this postseason. Corey Perry stepped into a first-line role following Hyman's departure on Tuesday and is expected to continue seeing increased usage for the rest of the way, especially with Connor Brown (undisclosed) also sidelined.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 28, 2025
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored a power-play goal in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The 25-year-old tied the game at one with just under seven minutes played in the second period. However, the Stars continued to struggle to find ways to beat Stuart Skinner in the Oilers crease. Dallas has now managed to score only two goals in the past three games of the Western Conference Finals. Both goals have come from Robertson, who has finally regained some form after a quiet start to the playoffs. He has tallied three points (two goals, one assist) in four games after recording only one point in six contests.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 28, 2025
Edmonton Oilers right wing Corey Perry ended a five-game scoring drought on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars, contributing a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory. The veteran forward assisted Leon Draisaitl during a power-play opportunity in the first period, and he scored his own power-play goal in the second, which ultimately became the game-winning marker. Although Perry has struggled offensively in recent games, he has had a solid postseason overall. In 15 games, Perry has scored six goals and nine points. He might move to the top line for Thursday's Game 5 if Zach Hyman (upper body) cannot play, boosting Perry's fantasy appeal.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 28, 2025
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid recorded two assists, including a power-play helper, in Tuesday's 4-1 win against the Dallas Stars. His playmaking helped Corey Perry score the game-winning goal in the second period, and McDavid's second assist came in the final minute of play when Adam Henrique wrapped up the scoring with an empty-netter. McDavid has struggled to score goals in these playoffs, but he has continued to post silly numbers on the offensive end. The Oilers captain is averaging 1.53 points per game, marking his fifth postseason campaign with a scoring average of at least 1.5 points. He is up to 24 points (five goals, 19 assists) through 15 games. During the Conference Finals, McDavid has registered two goals and seven assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 28, 2025
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl posted a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars, extending his point streak to five games. He scored a power-play goal in the first period to get the scoring started in the contest and picked up an assist late in the third when Kasperi Kapanen potted Edmonton's third goal of the night during an empty-net situation. Draisaitl, who became the fourth player in franchise history with 20 power-play goals in the playoffs, has enjoyed another highly productive postseason campaign in 2025. He ranks second only to his teammate Connor McDavid among all scorers, having accumulated 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 15 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 28, 2025
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continued his scoring tear in Tuesday's 4-1 victory in Game 4 against the Dallas Stars. He finished the contest with two power-play assists, becoming the seventh player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to register multiple points during each of the first four games of the round before the Final. He already has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the series; only Wayne Gretzky has managed more with the Oilers through the first four games of a Conference Finals. Nugent-Hopkins rides shotgun with Connor McDavid on the first line, so the chances are high that he will continue to appear on the score sheet regularly. The 32-year-old has notched 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 15 games this postseason campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 28, 2025
Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman appeared to have suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday's Game 4 against the Dallas Stars. He took only five shifts and logged 3:11 of ice time before exiting the action following a collision with Stars forward Mason Marchment. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters postgame that he would provide an update on Hyman on Wednesday. Despite losing Hyman early into Tuesday's game, the Oilers still won 4-1. However, he is an important piece for the team, as Hyman has recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 playoff outings with a plus-10 rating. Jeff Skinner, who has featured in only one postseason game, may get an opportunity to rejoin the lineup if Hyman has to miss time.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 27, 2025
Veteran winger Tomas Tatar has signed a two-year deal with Swiss club EV Zug. The 34-year-old spent the 2024-25 campaign with the New Jersey Devils after signing a one-year, $1.8 million contract last offseason. His return to Europe is not a big loss for New Jersey, considering Tatar managed only 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 74 appearances this season, marking his lowest scoring total over his 12 full NHL campaigns. Tatar started out his career with the Detroit Red Wings and suited up for six teams, making 927 regular-season appearances. He ranks 11th among all Slovakian players in league history with 496 points (227 goals, 269 assists).
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
May 27, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) may return to the lineup for Game 5 against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night. According to Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer, either Chatfield or Sean Walker (undisclosed) could be ready to rejoin the action. Chatfield has not played since Game 4 against the Washington Capitals in Round 2, missing five games. In his absence, Scott Morrow has received an extended look in the lineup, but has not made a significant impact. Morrow has accumulated a minus-five rating in four postseason appearances, averaging 11:11 of ice time. He played under nine minutes (8:33) in Monday's elimination game, which indicates that Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour does not have much confidence in the rookie in these situations.
--Taavi PailkSource: Chip Alexander
May 27, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker (undisclosed) could be ready to return to action in Wednesday's Game 5 against the Florida Panthers. Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports that either Walker or Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) could be back on the Hurricanes blue line as the team attempts to fight off elimination for the second time. Walker has missed two games, while Chatfield has not seen any action in the series so far. Youngsters Scott Morrow and Alexander Nikishin have filled the vacant spots in defense. Morrow recorded a mere 8:33 of ice time during Monday's 3-0 victory against Florida and is likely the first candidate to exit from the lineup should Carolina receive defensive reinforcements.
--Taavi PailkSource: Chip Alexander
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