March 29, 2026
Washington Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas (upper body) made an early exit against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night. He suffered an upper-body injury in a collision with Golden Knights forward Nic Dowd, his former teammate in Washington. The Capitals completed a three-game road trip on Saturday and will be back home on Tuesday night against Philadelphia. While Protas will have a few days to recover, it's uncertain whether it will be enough for him to be available on Tuesday. Protas is close to posting his second consecutive 50-point campaign, having amassed 23 goals and 24 assists in 70 contests. In his absence, Anthony Beauvillier, who scored Washington's third goal in Saturday's 5-4 shootout win, could return to the top six next week.
--Taavi PailkSource: Washington Capitals PR
March 29, 2026
Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (illness) exited Saturday's 4-1 road win over the Nashville Predators in the second period. He was battling an illness and logged just 4:53 of ice time. It's unclear whether Anderson will feel well enough to play in Sunday's matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes. The veteran forward has produced 13 goals and nine assists in 64 outings this season. With Alexandre Texier (lower body) also ailing, Montreal might have to use seven defensemen in Sunday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
March 29, 2026
Dallas Stars right wing Nathan Bastian (undisclosed) didn't finish Saturday's 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports reports. The fourth-line grinder logged only 4:02 of ice time and exited the contest after blocking a shot. Bastian should be considered doubtful for Sunday's matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers. If he can't play, Dallas will mainly miss Bastian's physical presence. He has averaged over two hits per game this season. On the offensive end, Bastian has tallied six goals and one assist in 36 games. Adam Erne is expected to take Bastian's place on the fourth line.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sam Nestler
March 28, 2026
Winnipeg Jets center Gabriel Vilardi had one goal and one assist in a 4-2 victory over the best team in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche, on Saturday. He got the scoring started just 3:51 into the first period, and then assisted on Cole Perfetti's goal later in the third period. The Canadian forward is currently riding a four-game point streak and has 28 goals and 62 points this year.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 28, 2026
Montreal Canadiens right winger Ivan Demidov scored and assisted one time each in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday. The rookie had his second multi-point game in his last three games and now has 16 goals and 40 assists in 72 games played this season. Demidov is having a great year and is battling for the Calder trophy with Matthew Schaefer and Beckett Sennecke.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 28, 2026
Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright (undisclosed) won't finish Saturday's tilt against the Buffalo Sabres. The team ruled him out for the rest of the game midway through the second period. Wright was also hurt in Thursday's win over Tampa Bay and may have already been in some discomfort before the puck dropped on Saturday. The 22-year-old had an assist on Thursday, bringing his total to 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 71 games. He hasn't missed any games this season, but Wright may now need to take some time off to heal after being limited in back-to-back games.
--Taavi PailkSource: Seattle Kraken PR
March 28, 2026
Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary (upper body) won't be part of the lineup on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 24-year-old returned to practice on Friday but will miss a fourth consecutive game. Zary's exit from the lineup allowed Tyson Gross to make his NHL debut last weekend. In Saturday's matchup, we will see another new face among the forward group, with Brennan Othmann ready to make his team debut. The Flames acquired Othmann from the New York Rangers on March 6. Although the 23-year-old has found some offensive success in the AHL, Othmann hasn't been productive in the big league, recording one goal and zero assists in 17 outings this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 28, 2026
New York Rangers center Noah Laba (lower body) will be a game-time decision for Sunday's matchup with the Florida Panthers. He has been out for five games due to a lower-body injury but could return to the lineup on Sunday afternoon. Laba has had a fine rookie campaign, with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 65 games. Jonny Brodzinski has played regularly during Laba's absence and seems to have secured his place in the lineup for Sunday after scoring two goals in Friday's 6-1 victory over Chicago. Taylor Raddysh is projected to be a healthy scratch against Florida if Laba returns.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 28, 2026
New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (upper body) will remain sidelined on Sunday against the Florida Panthers. The veteran netminder was injured at practice a week ago, and it's unclear when the Rangers can count on Quick again. As a backup goalie, Quick has been quite busy in 2025-26, making 22 starts. He has posted a 5-16-2 record, a 3.19 goals-against average, a .889 save percentage, and two shutouts. Dylan Garand has replaced Quick on the roster, going 1-0-1 over his first two career appearances. The 23-year-old will be Igor Shesterkin's backup on Sunday.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 28, 2026
Calgary Flames defenseman Joel Hanley (upper body) has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. He suffered an upper-body injury on Thursday against Anaheim and will finish the campaign with seven assists, 90 blocks, 42 hits, and a minus-five rating in 68 outings. Hanley didn't score a single goal this season despite generating 43 SOG. Brayden Pachal will take Hanley's place in the lineup on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks. The 26-year-old will be limited to a third-pairing role on defense and doesn't have any fantasy value.
--Taavi PailkSource: Calgary Flames
March 28, 2026
Washington Capitals center Ethen Frank (lower body) will miss a third consecutive game on Saturday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Capitals lost him to a lower-body injury last weekend. Frank has been productive for the team in the bottom six, recording 12 goals and 24 points in 60 appearances. With Frank out, Ivan Miroshnichenko has come into the lineup. He scored his first two goals of the season in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Utah Mammoth. Saturday's game gives Miroshnichenko a chance to score in consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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
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