December 29, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body) is "probably out for the year," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said Monday. He is set to undergo lower-body surgery, and Carolina placed Kochetkov on Injured Reserve ahead of Monday's clash against the New York Rangers. The Russian netminder also missed time at the start of the campaign due to a lower-body injury and has made only eight starts in 2025-26, going 6-2-0 with a 2.33 goals-against average, a .899 save percentage, and one shutout. Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen will share the Hurricanes' crease for the rest of the way. Recently, Bussi has operated as the primary starter, posting the second-longest single-season point streak in franchise history with a 10-0-1 run.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 29, 2025
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (undisclosed) is expected to be in the lineup when the team hosts Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. He was listed as day-to-day after missing Sunday's practice. Officially, Morrissey is regarded as a game-time decision on Monday. Winnipeg's No. 1 defenseman is currently tied for sixth in scoring among blue-liners, boasting 30 points (six goals, 24 assists) in 36 games. Assuming he plays on Monday, Morrissey will look to record his second three-game point streak of the month. If he suffers a setback, either Haydn Fleury or Connor Miller will take Morrissey's place.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 29, 2025
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (upper body) was moved to Injured Reserve and will remain out on Monday against the Nashville Predators. The move is retroactive to Dec. 23, so Vejmelka will be eligible to return to the lineup for Utah's next game on Thursday against the New York Islanders. This season, Vejmelka has registered a lowly .896 save percentage. Yet, he carries a solid 16-10-2 record with a 2.70 goals-against average. Vitek Vanecek, who is 2-8-1 for the year, will start in Monday's favorable matchup against the 24th-ranked offense in the league.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 29, 2025
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (personal) is back with the team and is expected to play on Monday against the St. Louis Blues. The Sabres captain spent the holidays in Sweden to be with his fiancée, who is recovering from a heart procedure. He missed Saturday's 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Jacob Bryson entered the lineup at the weekend, and Bowen Byram took Dahlin's spot on the first power-play unit. On Monday night, Dahlin will likely resume his regular duties with the man advantage and as Mattias Samuelsson's partner on the first defensive pairing. The Swedish blue-liner has amassed 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 33 games during the 2025-26 campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 29, 2025
Winger Yegor Chinakhov will continue the 2025-26 campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins after he was traded on Monday. The Columbus Blue Jackets gave up Chinakhov for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick. Heinen cleared waivers on Monday and has been assigned to the AHL. Chinakhov is a former first-round draft pick who struggled to establish himself in Columbus. This season, the 24-year-old has been limited to 10:16 of ice time across 29 appearances, producing just six points (three goals, three assists). Only a couple of years ago, Chinakhov flirted with a 20-goal campaign and had 29 points in 53 outings. Pittsburgh will be counting on him to rediscover that form, making him a player to watch for fantasy managers.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 29, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko scored two goals in Sunday's 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. He had the opening goal of the game eight minutes into the contest and registered the game-winning marker with 16:41 played in the third period. Marchenko lit the lamp for a second consecutive game, producing his third multi-goal performance of the season. While Marchenko had one of the longest point streaks in franchise history earlier in the campaign with a 12-game run, he has struggled for consistency since it ended. Over the last six weeks, the Russian winger has scored points in back-to-back games just three times and hasn't produced offense in more than two consecutive games. Still, it has been a big season for Marchenko, who is Columbus' highest-scoring forward with 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 33 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 29, 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Justin Brazeau had a big outing on Sunday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, erupting for his first career hat trick in a 7-3 win. He scored Pittsburgh's third goal during a dominant four-goal first period and added two more in the second, including a power-play marker. Brazeau had a red-hot start to the season with 12 points in October, but he has struggled to regain momentum after missing several weeks with an upper-body injury. Since returning in early December, the 27-year-old has managed only six points (five goals, one assist) in 11 appearances. He has finished eight of those games without producing any offense. Despite his recent struggles, Brazeau is fourth on his team with 11 goals and has totaled 18 points in 23 games this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 29, 2025
Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovský had his best outing of the season in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, bagging three points. The Slovakian talent did all of his scoring in the third period, helping Montreal rescue a point from a 3-0 deficit. Slafkovsky recorded two goals and one assist, scoring a dramatic game-tying goal with only four seconds left in regulation. With the end of the year approaching, Slafkovsky has heated up. He is on a four-game point streak and has registered three consecutive multi-point games. Following back-to-back 50-point years, Slafkovsky has elevated his game and can record 60 points for the first time in his career. Across 38 contests, he has contributed 13 goals and 15 assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 29, 2025
Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen contributed to three goals in Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He set up Chandler Stephenson for the game-winning tally and iced the game with a pair of empty-net goals. The Finnish forward has now found the score sheet in six consecutive outings, matching his career-best scoring streak from March 2021. He has had multiple points in three of the games, including each of the last two. There isn't any time for Tolvanen to cool off, as the Kraken head out again on Monday night against the Vancouver Canucks. Through 36 games this season, he has tallied 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) and leads his team with 95 hits.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 29, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (lower body) will sit out a sixth straight game on Monday against the Minnesota Wild. Two weeks ago, the American scoring machine was sidelined due to illness, and he is currently nursing a lower-body injury. It's unclear when Eichel will rejoin the lineup, but Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy has not ruled him out for Wednesday's clash against the Nashville Predators on New Year's Eve. With Eichel out of the lineup, the fantasy value of the team's other centers has increased. Thomas Hertl is taking a five-game point streak into Monday's matchup, while Brett Howden has scored in back-to-back contests.
--Taavi PailkSource: Reuters
December 29, 2025
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (upper body) is considered day-to-day, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports. This is a positive development, as the star blue-liner has been out of the lineup for 13 games due to an upper-body injury. On Sunday, Fox was a full participant at practice, indicating that he is nearing his return to action. The Rangers begin a three-game week on Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes and wrap it up with the 2026 Winter Classic versus the Florida Panthers on Friday night. Fox, who has notched 26 points (three goals, 23 assists) in 27 games this season, will undoubtedly be desperate to play in the special Winter Classic matchup.
--Taavi PailkSource: Peter Baugh
December 29, 2025
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (undisclosed) didn't practice on Sunday and is considered day-to-day. He was hurt late in Saturday's matchup against the Minnesota Wild on a hit from Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek. If Morrissey can't shake off the injury prior to Monday's meeting with the Edmonton Oilers, he would miss his first game of the season. Despite the team's struggles, it has been a good year for Morrissey, who has amassed 30 points (six goals, 24 assists), 67 shots, and 68 blocks in 36 games, while logging a plus-nine rating. He averages a team-high 24:20 of ice time, so Morrissey's exit from the lineup would leave a big gap in Winnipeg's defense.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
December 28, 2025
Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (groin) practiced with the team for the first time this season on Sunday. The star forward skated in a non-contact jersey. This is a significant step in his recovery from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia. While Tkachuk appears to be nearing his season debut, it's unclear if he will be available for next week's Winter Classic against the New York Rangers on Friday. "There's a whole bunch of things he's got to get through. The question is, is there enough time," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "As much as we like the spectacle of it and we'd love for him to be a part of it -- it would be great for the game to see him out there -- the Florida Panthers need him healthy for the rest of the year." A healthy Tkachuk will be a great asset for the Panthers and fantasy managers alike.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 28, 2025
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark has taken a leave of absence for personal reasons, general manager Steve Staios announced Sunday. Ottawa will return to action on Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and it's unclear how long Ullmark will be away from his team. The former Vezina Trophy winner has posted a 14-8-5 record this season, allowing 2.95 goals with a .881 save percentage and one shutout. Ottawa's backup Leevi Merilainen, who is 4-6-0 for the campaign, may see an increased workload in the coming games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 28, 2025
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (head) practiced fully on Saturday and will play on Sunday night against the Seattle Kraken. He missed the end of Tuesday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks after being removed from the contest by a concussion spotter. Sanheim has many responsibilities on the Flyers' defense, leading the team in ice time at 24:53 per game. He has registered 16 points (three goals, 13 assists), 47 shots, 65 blocks, and 23 hits in 36 games. Forward Denver Barkey (undisclosed) is also expected to play despite his early exit from Tuesday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
RADIO
