2 days agoWashington Capitals defensemen Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen are both on track to return for Game 4 of the team's first-round series versus the New York Rangers on Sunday. Both defensemen have been sidelined by upper-body injuries and have yet to appear in the series. "On track to play tonight, so we'll see how the rest of the day goes. Looking optimistic," Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said after Sunday's morning skate. "It should help us a bunch. Two guys that have been in our lineup the majority of the year." Sandin hasn't played since April 7 while Jensen has been out since April 13. The Capitals need a win on Sunday to avoid elimination.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 days agoVancouver Canucks goaltender Casey DeSmith is not dressing for Game 4 of the team's first-round series against the Nashville Predators. The netminder's specific ailment hasn't been revealed but he was perhaps injured when Predators forward Michael McCarron hit him behind the net while he was playing the puck in the second period of Game 3. McCarron received a two-minute minor for interference on the play and was also fined 2K by the league. The 32-year-old turned aside 29 of 30 shots to earn the Game 3 win but it will be 23-year-old Arturs Silovs getting the nod in Game 4 on Sunday. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoThe Winnipeg Jets have recalled forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby from AHL Manitoba and he appeared in the team's morning skate on Saturday. No corresponding move was announced. The 26-year-old flew in immediately to Colorado from Texas where he had been taking on the Texas Stars in the AHL playoffs. Jonsson-Fjallby skated in 26 games with the Jets this season, tallying two goals and five points in that time. He was far from productive with Manitoba where he recorded 12 goals and 30 points across 41 contests. The Jets trail the Avalanche 2-1 in their best-of-seven first-round series after dropping a 6-2 decision Friday.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Murat Ates
3 days agoToronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann is processing well with his lower-body injury and the team hopes to see him back on the ice soon, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. McMann hasn't appeared in a game since April 13 when he left a contest against the Detroit Red Wings early after getting hurt while clearing the puck shorthanded. Following a sluggish start, McMann enjoyed a nice season half to his season, tallying 13 goals over his final 33 games after recording just two goals through his first 23 contests. All told, the 27-year-old recorded 15 goals and 24 points across 56 games as part of his 11:34 of average ice time per game.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: David Alter
3 days agoNew York Islanders center Mathew Barzal scored in double overtime in Game 4 on Saturday, helping his team avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. The 26-year-old tipped a Robert Bortuzzo shot to beat Frederik Andersen just 1:24 into the second overtime frame, notching his second goal of the game after tying the tilt at one apiece midway through the second period. Barzal had tallied just one assist through the first three games of the series but came up big when his team needed it the most on Saturday. Game 5 of the series goes Tuesday as the series switches back to Carolina.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson is moving down to the fourth line for Saturday's Game 4 versus the Boston Bruins. With William Nylander returning, Robertson is moving from the third line to the fourth line while Connor Dewar will come out of the lineup. While the 22-year-old has been held off the scoresheet through three postseason games, he was a very efficient goal-scorer during the regular season. Robertson tallied 14 goals and 27 points, nice totals not only because they were in just 56 games but in only 11:23 of average ice time per game. He has skated less than 10 minutes in each of the last two games of this series.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Mark Masters
3 days agoVegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson didn't participate in Saturday's morning skate but head coach Bruce Cassidy is anticipating that the Swede will still suit up for Game 3 against the Dallas Stars Saturday night. The nature of any ailment is unknown but Karlsson skated just 13:31 in the team's 3-1 Game 2 win on Wednesday. The 31-year-old enjoyed a productive regular season, notching 30 goals and 60 points on 175 shots across 70 games, going plus-15 in the process. It was his second-highest goal and point total of his career behind his 43-goal, 78-point campaign in the 2017-18 campaign, the first season of Vegas' existence.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Elliotte Friedman
3 days agoToronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was on the ice for Saturday's morning skate ahead of Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. The superstar didn't practice Friday due to maintenance but will play in a pivot Game 4 on Saturday. Matthews led the charge with a game-winning goal and two assists in a Game 2 win on Monday but has been held off the scoresheet in two of the first three games of this series. The 26-year-old enjoyed a historical regular season that included 69 goals and 107 points on 369 shots on goal across 81 games. The Maple Leafs trail the Bruins 2-1 in the series entering Saturday's action.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: David Alter
3 days agoNashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has been fined 2K for interference on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Casey DeSmith. The 29-year-old put a shoulder into the netminder behind the net while DeSmith was playing the puck at 12:25 of the first period on Friday. McCarron was handed a two-minute minor for interference on the play. McCarron enjoyed by far the best season of his career in the 2023-24 campaign, setting career highs across the board with 12 goals, 10 assists, 94 shots, 142 hits, and 100 penalty minutes. If he can continue to ascend while providing that type of physicality, there's a chance he could become fantasy-relevant for leagues that count hits next season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoWashington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk has been ruled out for Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers on Sunday. The blueliner took a questionable hit from Rangers tough guy Matt Rempe during the first period of Friday's 3-1 Game 3 loss and did not return to the game. Rempe was issued a two-minute minor for interference on the play. The veteran has averaged 15:53 of ice time so far in these playoff games but also played just 3:27 on Friday while skating at least 20:25 across the first two games of the series. The Capitals are also without defensemen Rasmus Sandin, Nick Jensen, and Vincent Lorio but all three haven't been ruled out for Sunday. The Capitals will need a win to avoid a four-game sweep.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoDallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque could make his NHL postseason debut on Saturday when the Stars travel to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights. The 22-year-old could be a replacement for either Mason Marchment or Radek Faksa who are both listed as game-time decisions on Saturday. The Stars selected Bourque with the 30th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft but he has appeared in just one NHL game so far. His lone NHL contest came this season but Bourque notched 26 goals and 77 points across 71 games with the AHL's Texas Stars this season, pacing the league in scoring in the process.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNashville Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney is out week to week due to an upper-body injury suffered during the second period of Friday's Game 3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The 24-year-old has appeared in all three postseason games for the Preds so far and has averaged 10:59 of ice time but it appears he is done for at least the first round of the postseason. Stastney appeared in 20 regular-season games for the Preds, notching two goals and four points while he also appeared in 44 games with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, tallying five goals and 20 points in that time. Dante Fabbro and Tyson Barrie are options to replace the blueliner for Sunday's Game 4 in Nashville.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNew York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin shut down the Washington Capitals again in Game 3 on Friday, leading the team to a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series. Shesterkin has won all three games so far, posting a .933 SV% and 1.67 GAA. The Rangers haven't needed much help from Shesterkin to dispose of the Capitals, but he's been steady anyway. If he continues his solid play, the Rangers could be in for a long playoff run.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad continued his strong start to the postseason on Friday, posting two more assists in Game 3 against the Washington Capitals, helping the team take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Zibanejad had a bit of a down year, by his standards, with 72 points (26 goals, 46 assists) in 81 games, which was his lowest points-per-game since 2017-18. He looks fine now though, with five points in just three playoff games. He will be a key part of the Rangers playoff run and will need to continue producing at a high rate, especially once the competition stiffens.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoWashington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body) left Game 3 against the New York Rangers on Friday after taking a massive hit from Matt Rempe. The hit was called for interference but was only given a two-minute penalty. It seemed to be a grey area hit, with fans of the Rangers arguing that it was clean while Capitals fans thought it deserved more than just a two-minute call. Either way, van Riemsdyk appears to be in danger of missing Game 4, which could be the last game of the Capitals season if things don't turn around.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Sammi Silber
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