March 23, 2026
Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt left Sunday's 4-3 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings early due to illness. The veteran had 10 shifts in the first frame but only five in the second and didn't come out for the third period. Schmidt has bagged a modest 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 71 games, but he is tied with Colorado's Cale Makar for sixth among defensemen with a plus-32 rating. On the Utah roster, Schmidt sits third with 88 blocks and sixth with 75 hits. He will be a big miss for the Mammoth on Tuesday night against Edmonton if he can't shake off his illness.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 23, 2026
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (upper body) won't join the team for an upcoming four-game road trip, The Athletic's Mark Lazerus reports. The 32-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in Sunday's loss to the Nashville Predators. Grzelcyk is in danger of finishing the season without scoring a goal, but he has contributed 12 assists in 69 games. Ethan Del Mastro, who was a healthy scratch on Sunday, will get a chance to re-enter the lineup with Grzelcyk on the shelf. While Del Mastro has averaged 0.4 points per game in his AHL career, he has gone scoreless in eight NHL outings this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mark Lazerus
March 23, 2026
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (lower body) will return to full practice and travel with the team during an upcoming four-game road trip, Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine reports. The Stars will begin their trip on Thursday against the New York Islanders and finish it next Tuesday in Boston. Rantanen suffered a lower-body injury at the Olympics and has been sidelined for 13 games. The Finnish star has totaled 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists) in 54 games, averaging the eighth-most points in the league. With Roope Hintz (lower body) also on the shelf and Tyler Seguin (knee) done for the season, Mavrik Bourque and Sam Steel have played larger roles in the Stars' attack.
--Taavi PailkSource: Bruce LeVine
March 23, 2026
Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer has been suspended for four games for boarding Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary in Friday's loss. Greer was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for the incident. Before being tossed, Greer scored his 13th goal of the season. He has found the back of the net in back-to-back outings, taking advantage of increased ice time. Greer has also produced 11 assists in 68 games. He will be eligible to return to action on March 29 against the New York Rangers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 22, 2026
Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry scored a pair of goals in Sunday night's 6-5 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres, with the second one being the game-winner. He has played well in four games since coming back from injury, with three goals and three assists over that stretch. On the season, Terry is producing at a point-per-game pace for the first time in his career with 51 points in 50 games.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 22, 2026
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped all 26 shots he faced in a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in a key metropolitan matchup on Sunday. After Saturday night's tough loss in Montreal, it was a great bounce-back game for Sorokin and his club to earn a big two points as they fight for the playoffs. Ilya remains in the hunt for the Vezina trophy with a 25-17-2 record, a 2.53 goals against average, and a .913 save percentage.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 22, 2026
Washington Capitals center Ethen Frank (lower body) left Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche after logging only 1:22 of ice time. He suffered a lower-body injury in a collision with a goal post. On Sunday, Frank had his sixth consecutive outing without points, but he has chipped in offensively in a bottom-six role this season. The 28-year-old has totaled 12 goals and 12 assists in 60 outings. The Capitals open a three-game road swing on Tuesday in St. Louis, and it remains to be seen whether Frank will be healthy enough to make the trip.
--Taavi PailkSource: Washington Capitals PR
March 22, 2026
New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce (lower body) may have played his final game of the 2025-26 season, Marc Ciampa of the Devils' official site reports. "Pesce is progressing," Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said Sunday. "I don't have a timeline. He hasn't skated, so it's not imminent. I would call his ability to return questionable for the rest of the season." The 31-year-old has been on the shelf for eight games with a lower-body injury. Pesce is set to finish the season with a career-low seven points (one goal, six assists). He has also logged 45 shots, 80 blocks, and a minus-11 rating in 37 games. In Pesce's absence, Johnathan Kovacevic has played regularly, but he has not been a fantasy factor.
--Taavi PailkSource: Marc Ciampa
March 22, 2026
New Jersey Devils winger Stefan Noesen (knee) has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, Marc Ciampa of the Devils' official site reports. The veteran forward had knee surgery in January, and there was a possibility he would return before the season ended. However, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe ruled Noesen out for the rest of the campaign on Sunday, as his recovery required an additional procedure. After a career-high 41 points last season, Noesen managed only seven points (three goals, four assists) in 38 appearances this term. The 33-year-old has one season left on a contract that carries a $2.75 million cap hit.
--Taavi PailkSource: Marc Ciampa
March 22, 2026
Calgary Flames defenseman Yan Kuznetsov (upper body) won't be in action on Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He will sit out a fourth consecutive game due to an upper-body injury. The Russian rookie is reportedly close to returning, so it's possible we will see him in Tuesday's matchup with the Los Angeles Kings. Kuznetsov has recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists), 58 shots, 89 blocks, and 75 hits across 52 games this season. In three games filling in for Kuznetsov, Hunter Brzustewicz has amassed three shots, three blocks, and one hit, but hasn't registered any points.
--Taavi PailkSource: Calgary Flames
March 22, 2026
Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary (upper body) will miss Sunday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He suffered an upper-body injury in Friday's win over Florida and wasn't on the ice during the morning skate on Sunday. Zary has picked up 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) while delivering 44 hits in 67 games. Tyson Gross is projected to be his replacement in the lineup. The Calgary-born forward will make his NHL debut after signing a two-year entry-level contract out of St. Cloud State University earlier this month. Goss captained the St. Cloud State Huskies this season, posting 18 goals and 41 points in 36 games. He will make his first pro appearance as a member of the fourth line, skating with Martin Pospisil and Adam Klapka.
--Taavi PailkSource: Calgary Flames
March 22, 2026
New York Islanders left wing Anthony Duclair (lower body) won't be available on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He will sit out a meeting with his former team due to a lower-body injury. Duclair has often been a healthy scratch lately, but he has played in four consecutive games. While he has improved his performance compared to last year, Duclair has still struggled to be effective on a consistent basis. In 60 appearances, he has recorded 12 goals and 15 assists. Kyle MacLean is set to take Duclair's place in the lineup, forcing the Islanders to reshuffle both their second line and second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: New York Islanders
March 22, 2026
New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (lower body) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Islanders will be without Pulock for the fourth time this season. He's made an impact on both ends of the ice, totaling 25 points (three goals, 22 assists), 80 shots, 124 blocks, and 47 hits with a plus-14 rating in 67 games. Adam Boqvist is in line to replace Pulock on Sunday. In 21 outings, Boqvist has recorded zero goals and one assist, making him a non-factor in fantasy hockey. Tony DeAngelo and Scott Mayfield will see increased usage on the right side of the Islanders' defense.
--Taavi PailkSource: New York Islanders
March 22, 2026
Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie produced three assists as the team earned a 4-2 road win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. Geekie has become more known as a goal-scorer, but he showed off his playmaking ability in a key Atlantic Division matchup, helping David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, and Nikita Zadorov to score. His first assist came on the power play. Geekie has started to recover from an offensive slump, notching four assists in two games after being scoreless for five straight contests. The 27-year-old leads Boston with 34 goals and has tallied a career-high 61 points in 69 appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 22, 2026
Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos had his fifth three-point outing of the campaign on Saturday, tallying two goals and one assist in a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The veteran star earned two points on the power play. Stamkos was very slow out of the gate this season, but only three players have scored more goals than him since December. He has already recorded more points than last season, with 33 goals and 22 assists in 69 games. The Predators are in desperate mode to make the playoffs, which should keep Stamkos performing at a high level for the rest of the way.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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