March 28, 2026
St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (upper body) will return to the lineup on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He suffered an upper-body injury earlier this week, but luckily for the Blues, Thomas was out for only one game. The 2024 All-Star will reclaim his spot on the first line, forcing Dalibor Dvorsky to move down to the third. Thomas has been very impressive in March, recording five goals and eight assists in 11 games. If he can maintain his improved scoring rate, Thomas might still average a point per game for a third consecutive season. He currently sits on 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) in 53 outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 28, 2026
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak will enter this weekend holding the NHL's longest active point streak. He has found his way on the score sheet in 11 consecutive appearances, amassing seven goals and 11 assists. Pastrnak has lit the lamp in three of the last four games, and his streak includes six multi-point efforts. The Bruins superstar has jumped to sixth on the league's scoring charts, sitting on 90 points (29 goals, 61 assists) in 67 games. Over the weekend, Pastrnak's form faces a stern test. Boston will meet Minnesota and Columbus, two teams with top-10 defensive records since the Olympic break.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 28, 2026
Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson had 28 saves in Friday's impressive 5-2 road win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Red Wings' offense exploded for three first-period goals, and Gibson did an impressive job protecting the lead, improving to 27-17-3. Gibson now boasts the third-most wins by a Red Wings goalie in their first season with the franchise. He has registered a 2.54 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage with four shutouts. Following a three-game losing streak, Gibson has won three of his last four starts. He could be thrown into action again on Saturday night against Philadelphia, as Cam Talbot (undisclosed) is banged up. Michal Postava served as Gibson's backup on Friday.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 28, 2026
New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller delivered one of his best performances of the season on Friday, leading his squad to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks with one goal and two assists. Miller recorded more than two points for only the second time in 2025-26, netting the game-tying goal late in the first period and helping Matthew Robertson and Alexis Lafreniere score. Miller's second assist came on the power play. While the Rangers captain produced a standout performance on Friday night, his return to Broadway has been disappointing overall. Miller has been limited to 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 59 games and holds a team-worst minus-27 rating.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 28, 2026
Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson registered his 400th career point in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. He scored Buffalo's first goal early in the second period. Thompson now boasts 213 goals and 187 assists through 521 career games. He is closing in on his third 40-goal campaign, having lit the lamp 37 times. In 73 outings this season, Thompson has also recorded 38 assists. Only three players have managed at least 40 goals and 40 assists, highlighting how special Thompson's campaign has been. Next, he will be let loose against a Seattle Kraken defense that has allowed 4.2 goals per game over the last five contests.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 28, 2026
Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane had two points against his hometown Buffalo Sabres in Friday's 5-2 road win. The veteran forward assisted Jacob Bernard-Docker on Detroit's fourth goal and iced the game with an empty-netter. Kane has been playing great recently, bagging four goals and seven assists across his last 10 outings. Detroit has struggled to generate offense for much of the campaign, so keeping Kane hot will be crucial for the team's playoff hopes. Kane is fourth among the Red Wings' forwards with 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) in 57 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 28, 2026
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Nick Lardis scored the team's only goal in Friday's 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers. He opened the scoring in the contest late in the first period, but the Blackhawks were overrun at Madison Square Garden. Chicago has struggled during the second half of the season, yet Lardis has recently enjoyed the best stretch of his rookie campaign. The 20-year-old has scored in three of the last four games, adding two assists. Overall, he has totaled 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 32 games. Lardis has experienced quite a bit of frustration during his first NHL campaign, but he's finishing the year strongly and will look to keep his form going on Sunday against New Jersey.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 28, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body) might return to the lineup on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports. The veteran rearguard practiced on Friday after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. Gostisbehere worked with the first power-play unit in practice, which is usually a strong indication that the player is ready to return to the lineup. He is expected to skate on the third defensive pairing in even-strength situations. In 45 outings this season, Gostisbehere has produced 15 power-play points and 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists) overall. Gostisbehere's return will bump Mike Reilly out of the lineup, while Alexander Nikishin will get less power-play time.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ryan Henkel
March 27, 2026
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider added two more assists in a 5-2 win over the first-place Sabres on Friday. Both his assists came in the first period and on the power play, with Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat scoring the goals. Seider remains one of the NHL's best defenseman, not just due to his defensive abilities, but also because he can rack up the points. He has 51 points in 72 games this year.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 27, 2026
Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. He extended his point streak to nine straight games and now has 13 points over that stretch. On the season, DeBrincat has 36 goals and 41 assists in 72 games played and leads the Red Wings in goals and points.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 27, 2026
New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand will be in the net against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports. The 23-year-old will make his second career appearance. Garand has gotten his opportunity with Jonathan Quick (upper body) unavailable for a third straight game. He enjoyed a solid debut on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets, finishing a 3-2 shootout loss with 35 saves. Garand has a favorable matchup on Friday against the third-worst offense in the NHL. Chicago has averaged only 2.57 goals per game this season, while generating a league-low 1,759 SOG.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mollie Walker
March 27, 2026
Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (upper body) won't play on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic reports. He hasn't joined the team for pregame warmups after being regarded as a game-time decision. Ostlund is nursing an upper-body injury and didn't practice on Thursday. The 22-year-old Swedish native has had a good rookie campaign, with 11 goals and 27 points in 60 appearances. Tanner Pearson will replace Ostlund in the lineup, making only his second appearance for the team since being acquired from Winnipeg at the trade deadline.
--Taavi PailkSource: Matthew Fairburn
March 27, 2026
Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary (upper body) was back at practice on Friday, Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 The Fan reports. This was his first practice session since suffering an upper-body injury last week. Zary has missed three games since being hurt. He remains day-to-day, but the fact that he's practicing again indicates that Zary could soon be ready to return to the lineup. The Flames head out next against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. Zary has notched 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 67 games during his third NHL campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: Pat Steinberg
March 27, 2026
Calgary Flames left wing Samuel Honzek (upper body) will not return to action this season, Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 The Fan reports. The 21-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in November, which required surgery. On Friday, he practiced with the team for the first time since getting hurt. However, Calgary won't bring Honzek back into the lineup this season. Honzek is expected to fully recover in time for the 2026-27 campaign. He made 18 appearances in 2025-26, recording four points (two goals, two assists) and 35 hits. The 2023 first-round pick has great potential as a power forward, but he needs to stay away from injuries.
--Taavi PailkSource: Pat Steinberg
March 27, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson (upper body) is considered week-to-week after he was injured on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens. Severson was hurt late in the game from a hit by Canadiens forward Zachary Bolduc. His absence leaves the Blue Jackets without a defenseman who has been effective on both ends of the ice. With 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 71 games, Severson has enjoyed one of the best offensive campaigns of his career, and the 31-year-old is third on the Columbus roster with 86 blocks. Jake Christiansen or Egor Zamula will compete for a spot in the lineup during Severson's absence. Meanwhile, Denton Mateychuk and Dante Fabbro are candidates for increased ice time.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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