December 22, 2025
Philadelphia Flyers center Christian Dvorak (lower body) will play on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks, returning from a one-game absence. A lower-body injury forced Dvorak to miss Saturday's matchup against the New York Rangers. Luckily for the Flyers, he has made a quick recovery and will rejoin the first line on Monday night. Dvorak also skates on the second power-play unit. Recently, Dvorak enjoyed his best offensive spell of the season, notching seven points (one goal, six assists) over a six-game stretch. He sits third in scoring on his team, boasting 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 33 contests. Monday's matchup is a good one for Dvorak and the Flyers, as Vancouver allows 3.34 goals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 22, 2025
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (upper body) participated in the morning skate but won't play on Monday versus the Philadelphia Flyers, missing an eighth consecutive game. Canucks head coach Adam Foote hopes that Pettersson can return in the first or second game after the holiday break. In 28 appearances, Pettersson has recorded 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists), leading all Canucks forwards in scoring. He has also averaged nearly two blocks per game and one hit. David Kampf has seen time in the top six during Pettersson's absence, though he's having a really difficult time in 2025-26, posting one goal and zero assists in 15 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 22, 2025
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (hand) has been ruled out for four weeks after having surgery. The versatile blue-liner injured his hand last week and will miss a third consecutive game on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks. In 27 outings this season, Montour has registered 16 points (six goals, 10 assists), 68 shots, 35 blocks, and 34 hits. He averages nearly 22 minutes of ice time, so the Kraken have a big gap to fill on the backline. Josh Mahura has entered the lineup during Montour's absence, while Jamie Oleksiak and Adam Larsson have seen their workload increase.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 22, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Miles Wood (lower body) will be available after a one-game absence on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. Due to a lower-body injury, he was a late scratch for Saturday's matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. Wood has contributed eight goals and four assists in 28 outings, delivering 35 hits. However, Wood hasn't produced any offense in six straight appearances. Columbus tries to spark Wood on Monday by pairing him with two creative players, Dimitri Voronkov and Sean Monahan, on the third line.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 22, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (lower body) will miss Monday's matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. The good news is that the team considers Werenski day-to-day. He sustained a lower-body injury while blocking a shot in Saturday's loss to the Anaheim Ducks. After Monday night, Columbus will be off until Sunday, giving Werenski plenty of time to recover. Werenski and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche are the only defensemen this season to reach the 40-point plateau. Only three points separate the two, with Werenski producing 40 points (14 goals, 26 assists) in 35 games. Jake Christiansen is expected to take Werenski's place in the lineup on Monday, while Ivan Provorov will replace him on the first power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 22, 2025
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (lower body) won't play in Monday's contest against the Seattle Kraken and is day-to-day. This will be Anaheim's final contest before the Christmas break, so Carlsson will get a good amount of time to recover from his lower-body injury before the next game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. It has been an incredible season for Carlsson, who has a good chance to surpass his last campaign's scoring total (45 points) before the turn of the year. Across 36 outings, he has produced 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists). Mikael Granlund will move into the top six on Monday and looks like an appealing fantasy option after scoring in three consecutive games.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 22, 2025
Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev produced two assists in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets. Sergachev's passing ability helped the Mammoth race to a 3-0 lead, but the team ultimately needed the fastest overtime goal in franchise history to secure two points. Clayton Keller ended the game just 13 seconds into the extra frame. On Sunday, Sergachev also made significant contributions on the defensive end, logging three blocks and one hit, while leading all skaters in ice time with 25:19. The Russian blue-liner is looking to post his season consecutive 50-point season. Currently, he is on 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) through 38 games, earning 10 points (two goals, eight assists) on the power play.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 22, 2025
Ottawa Senators winger Fabian Zetterlund tallied a season-high three points in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Boston Bruins. He potted a pair of power-play markers and set up Tim Stutzle for a goal. After a couple of poor months to start the season, Zetterlund has finally found some form on the offensive end in December. Nine of his 16 points have come this month. He has notched nine goals and seven assists in 35 games this season. Entering the new week, Zetterlund boasts a three-game point streak, his longest since January. While Zetterlund isn't a very reliable fantasy option, he currently looks like an appealing pickup as a member of Ottawa's first line and second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 22, 2025
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar recorded his third game of the season with at least three points on Sunday, picking up a goal and two assists in an impressive 5-1 road win against the Minnesota Wild. Two of Makar's points, including his goal, came on the power play. Colorado has four more games to go in 2025, and Makar is attempting to become only the second player over the last 25 years to lead defensemen in scoring for two straight calendar years. This season, Makar leads the pack with 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists) in 35 games, putting him on track to join an exclusive list of defensemen with 100-point campaigns. Only six rearguards have achieved it, most recently Erik Karlsson in 2022-23.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 22, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl finished Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers with three points. He notched two points on the power play, including his goal. With Jack Eichel (lower body) out of the lineup, Hertl has recently had more responsibilities, coming alive offensively by posting a three-game point streak (one goal, four assists). The Czech veteran has had only two longer scoring streaks this season. Across the campaign, Hertl has registered 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 34 games. Before the holiday break, he will head out one more time, facing a meeting with his former team, the San Jose Sharks, who allow 3.36 goals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 22, 2025
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid stretched his point streak to 10 games on Sunday, bagging an even-strength goal and two power-play assists in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The Oilers captain recorded his 18th career point streak of at least 10 games, ranking behind only Wayne Gretzky (31) in NHL history. He has been incredible over the last three weeks, amassing 12 goals and 14 assists during his scoring streak. It has put McDavid in the race for his sixth Art Ross Trophy as the league's top scorer. As the new week starts, McDavid leads the standings, with Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon trailing by just one point. McDavid has totaled 62 points (23 goals, 39 assists) in 37 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 22, 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby set the franchise's scoring record in Sunday's 4-3 shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Penguins captain entered the contest one point behind Mario Lemieux. He had a goal and an assist against Montreal, reaching 1,724 points (645 goals, 1,079 assists) in his 1,387th career game. Crosby also moved past Lemieux to eighth on the NHL's all-time scoring list. The top pick of the 2005 draft has aged like fine wine and continues to average over a point per game even during his 21st NHL season. He has notched 20 goals and 17 assists in 35 appearances, giving Crosby a realistic opportunity to post his second 50-goal season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 22, 2025
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry (lower body) will be sidelined for a couple of weeks, head coach Kris Knoblauch said on Sunday. Edmonton's new No. 1 suffered a lower-body injury on Thursday against the Boston Bruins and has missed two games. Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram will work between the pipes until Jarry returns. Ingram made his Oilers debut on Sunday night, recording a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights with 25 saves. Pickard had a rough weekend, suffering a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Neither goalie looks like a great fantasy option and must rely on Edmonton's offense to get wins.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
December 21, 2025
Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (upper body) won't be available until after the Christmas break, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports. The Red Wings have one more game before the break, facing the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. This will mark Kane's fifth consecutive absence. Kane has been sharp when in the lineup this season, posting 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 24 appearances. John Leonard has been doing a great job as his replacement on the second line, scoring in back-to-back games and amassing three points (two goals, one assist) in four outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: Helene St. James
December 21, 2025
Buffalo Sabres center Tyson Kozak (upper body) won't play on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils, Mike Morreale of NHL.com reports. He suffered an upper-body injury during Thursday's win over the Philadelphia Flyers and will be sidelined for a second consecutive game. With Kozak out, Buffalo has lost one of its most physical players, as the 22-year-old ranks third on the team with 62 hits. Offensively, Kozak has contributed two goals and two assists in 24 outings this season. Josh Dunne has taken over fourth-line center duties for the Sabres.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mike Morreale
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