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Drew Helleson Won't Play Thursday
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson (undisclosed) won't be in the lineup in Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports. He will miss a third straight game due to an undisclosed injury. With Radko Gudas (lower body) also not expected to play, Olen Zellweger and Ian Moore will continue to operate as the third-pairing defensemen. The two have seen offensive success recently. In Game 4, Moore scored a goal with Zellweger picking up an assist, and Zellweger then lit the lamp himself in Game 5. That said, the Ducks face elimination on Thursday and will likely lean more on their top-four group on defense.
Source: Derek Lee
Source: Derek Lee
Radko Gudas Unlikely to Play Thursday
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (lower body) is set to remain on the shelf Thursday night in Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said Gudas is "not likely" to play. Thursday's contest will mark Gudas' 10th consecutive absence. The team is missing his leadership and physical presence, but at least Olen Zellweger has brought a creative spark as Gudas' replacement on the third defensive pairing. He has notched a goal and an assist in the last two games.
Source: Derek Lee
Source: Derek Lee
Jeremy Lauzon Remains Out Thursday
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (undisclosed) will remain out on Thursday in Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports. Lauzon took a puck to the head in the final game of Vegas' first-round matchup against Utah and hasn't featured in Round 2. Due to his absence, Ben Hutton has played regularly. Unfortunately, he has been a non-factor in fantasy, registering zero points, six SOG, six blocks, and one hit in 14:04 of ice time per game across five appearances.
Source: Jesse Granger
Source: Jesse Granger
Mark Stone Misses Third Consecutive Game
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (lower body) won't play in Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports. The Golden Knights captain continues to deal with a lower-body injury, which he sustained in Game 3 of the series. No changes are planned to Vegas' forward lines, meaning Brandon Saad will continue to fill in for Stone. He has notched one assist in two games since entering the lineup. However, Saad has been limited to 9:29 of ice time per game, making him a tough player to trust in DFS.
Source: Jesse Granger
Source: Jesse Granger
Kris Knoblauch Fired as Oilers Head Coach
The Edmonton Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on Thursday. Edmonton is on the hunt for its 10th head coach in 15 years, even after reaching a three-year contract extension with Knoblauch last October that was intended to begin next season. In his first two years behind the bench, Knoblauch led the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. He couldn't match those heights in 2025-26, as the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in six games by the Anaheim Ducks. The 47-year-old had a 135-77-21 record in 233 regular-season games with Edmonton.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Quinn Hughes Finishes Postseason With 15 Points
Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes recorded one assist in Wednesday's season-ending 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. His work helped Marcus Johanson open the scoring just 34 seconds into the game, and Minnesota entered the first intermission with a 3-0 lead. Yet the Avalanche clawed back from the big hole, winning the series in five games. Hughes became the second-fastest American defenseman in history to reach 15 points in a postseason. He finished the playoffs with four goals and 11 assists in 11 games. During the regular season, Hughes tallied 76 points (seven goals, 69 assists) in 74 games, averaging at least a point per game for a third consecutive campaign. He posted 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 outings after joining the Wild from the Vancouver Canucks in a midseason trade. Hughes proved to be a great fit in Minnesota and could be even more productive next season now that he has fully acclimated to his new surroundings.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Matt Boldy Posts Two Assists in Season-Ending Loss
Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy produced two assists in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. With Boldy providing the creative spark, Minnesota won the first period 3-0, but the team couldn't survive the elimination game, allowing two goals in the final few minutes of regulation. It was a disappointing end to a big year for Boldy, who set new career highs with 42 goals and 85 points in 76 regular-season games. He added 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 11 postseason outings. In February, Boldy became the first player in Wild history to record back-to-back four-point games. As a versatile scorer who turned just 25 in April, Boldy is set to be a top fantasy contributor for years to come.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Scott Wedgewood Perfect in Relief Effort
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood finished with a perfect 1.000 save percentage on seven shots on goal in a relief appearance in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. The Avalanche started Mackenzie Blackwood for a second consecutive game, but he was pulled after the first period. Minnesota grabbed a 3-0 lead early, but Colorado rallied to clinch the series with a 4-3 overtime victory. Wedgewood also had a couple of poor outings in the second-round matchup, but he is likely to return to the crease for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. In general, Wedgewood has been sharp in the playoffs, posting a 7-1 record, a 2.21 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Martin Necas Records Another Multi-Point Game
Colorado Avalanche right wing Martin Necas contributed two assists during the team's 4-3 comeback victory in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. He helped Nathan MacKinnon to tie the game at three with only 1:23 left in regulation and set up Brett Kulak for the series-clinching goal 3:52 into overtime. This was Necas' second consecutive two-assist game and his fourth multi-point outing in five games. Colorado's top line was sleepwalking at the start of the playoffs but made a major impact in the second-round series. Necas leads his team with 10 assists this postseason and has added one goal in nine games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brett Kulak Sends Avalanche Into Conference Finals
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak scored the series-clinching goal in overtime during Wednesday's 4-3 victory against the Minnesota Wild. The visitors shocked Colorado with a sharp start, winning the opening period 3-0, but Kulak led the team's comeback effort. He also registered an assist in the contest. Kulak, a midseason pickup from the Pittsburgh Penguins, has been in impressive form during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In nine appearances, he has recorded five points (one goal, four assists), eight SOG, 20 blocks, and a plus-three rating. The 32-year-old is set to play in the Conference Finals for a third consecutive year, having previously been part of Edmonton's deep playoff runs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brayden McNabb Suspended for One Game
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb has been suspended for one game and will miss Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. McNabb received the suspension for interference against Ducks forward Ryan Poehling (upper body) in Game 5 on Tuesday. Poehling suffered an upper-body injury on the hit and won't play in Game 6. This marks McNabb's first suspension during his 14-year NHL career. Kaedan Korczak is set to draw into the lineup in McNabb's absence. He has been a healthy scratch for the last few games but appeared in all of Vegas' first eight postseason games, logging one assist, three SOG, five blocks, and 18 hits.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Nathan MacKinnon Chasing History Wednesday
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has been in dominant form during another postseason campaign and can match a franchise record in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. He is two points away from recording his fifth playoff series with 10-plus points. Joe Sakic is currently the only player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to achieve that feat. MacKinnon has scored once in all four games against Minnesota, adding four assists. Overall, he is tied for fifth in scoring this postseason, with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in nine games. 11 of his points have come in the past five games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Ryan Poehling Won't Be an Option for Game 6
Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (upper body) won't play in Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune reports. The 27-year-old was injured in Game 5 on a big hit by Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb. With four goals, Poehling is tied for second on his team this postseason and has added one assist in 11 outings. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville is considering using an extra defenseman in Thursday's game, which suggests Radko Gudas (lower body) might finally be ready for his series debut. Among forwards, Jansen Harkins and Frank Vatrano are options to fill in for Poehling.
Source: Zach Cavanagh
Source: Zach Cavanagh
Sam Malinski Set to Miss Second Straight Game
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (upper body) is not expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild. An upper-body injury kept Malinski out of Monday's Game 4, and he didn't participate in Wednesday's optional morning skate. Fortunately for the Avalanche, their defense got Josh Manson back on Monday night. He skated on the third defensive pairing with Jack Ahcan, who figures to remain in the lineup in Malinski's absence. While Ahcan had a big year offensively in the AHL this season, he stood out defensively in Game 4, recording three blocks and two hits in 7:07 of action.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Artturi Lehkonen Unlikely to Play Wednesday
Colorado Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen (upper body) is unlikely to play in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night. He missed Monday's Game 4 with an upper-body injury and wasn't on the ice on Wednesday for an optional morning skate. While Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Lehkonen could "possibly" play, along with defenseman Sam Malinski (upper body), it appears unlikely he will return. With Lehkonen unavailable on Monday night, Gabriel Landeskog joined the first line. The Avalanche captain has averaged a point per game through eight postseason outings and will be an even bigger offensive threat as the running mate of Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
