March 17, 2026
Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (upper body) will make his long-awaited return on Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks. He has been sidelined since suffering an upper-body injury in the 2026 Winter Classic against the New York Rangers. His return will be a big boost for the team. "He touches all areas. He's a power-play guy, he's a penalty-kill guy, he plays against the other team's best, and he's as good a defender as he is an offensive player," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said about Jones, who has recorded 24 points (six goals, 18 assists), 78 shots, 47 blocks, and 38 hits in 40 appearances this season. He will rejoin the top-four group on defense and quarterback the first power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 17, 2026
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (undisclosed) will return to action on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. He wasn't available for Sunday's matchup with Seattle due to an undisclosed injury. Bennett will rejoin the top six and the first power-play unit. Thanks to averaging a point per game over his last eight appearances, Bennett has come close to his new scoring record. He has accumulated 50 points (24 goals, 26 assists) in 65 games, just one shy of his career-high of 51 points from last season. Vancouver is the worst team in the National Hockey League, so Bennett is in a great spot to set a new career-high on Tuesday night.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 17, 2026
Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach (upper body) will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks. He was injured in Sunday's matchup with the Anaheim Ducks. Dach has had some bad luck with injuries all season, appearing in only 32 of Montreal's 66 games. He has recorded eight goals and six assists. Zachary Bolduc will take Dach's spot in the lineup on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens scratched Bolduc on Sunday after he finished three straight games without a point. Previously, he has seen some success this season, tallying 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 64 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
March 17, 2026
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) is likely to miss at least three games, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. He will be replaced in the lineup by Robby Fabbri on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Eriksson Ek is Minnesota's third-highest scoring forward this season, with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 62 appearances. With Eriksson Ek out, Danila Yurov is set to serve as the top-line center, making him a more attractive fantasy target. In 61 outings this season, Yurov has notched 10 goals and 15 assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michael Russo
March 17, 2026
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (lower body) has been ruled out for the rest of the 2025-26 regular season. Draisaitl sustained a lower-body injury in Sunday's win over Nashville. The early end to his season means that Draisaitl will fall just short of posting a fifth consecutive 100-point campaign. He has tallied 35 goals and 62 assists in 65 outings. Jason Dickinson is expected to assume second-line center duties on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. Since moving to Edmonton, Dickinson has contributed one goal in six games offensively. He will have a better chance to make an impact on the second line.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 17, 2026
Detroit Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat recorded three assists as the team ended a three-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night. DeBrincat earned all his helpers in the second period, setting up Patrick Kane twice in even-strength situations and picking up a power-play assist on a goal from Mortiz Seider. The Red Wings have had a tough time this month, but DeBrincat has remained a consistent offensive threat. He has finished scoreless just once in his last nine appearances, recording three goals and nine assists. The two-time All-Star leads his team with 69 points (33 goals, 36 assists) in 68 outings, sitting among 15 players in the league with at least 30 goals and 30 assists this campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 17, 2026
New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes finished Monday's 4-3 overtime win against the Boston Bruins with three assists. The Devils fell two goals behind in the first period, but Hughes' creativity helped them to tie the game before the second intermission. Hughes then completed his hat trick of assists when Paul Cotter scored deep into overtime. It was a special night for Hughes, as he became the fastest player in franchise history to record 400 career points. He has accumulated 402 points (158 goals, 244 assists) in 414 games with the Devils. This season, the 24-year-old has bagged 51 points (17 goals, 34 assists) in 46 outings. Hughes started to pick up form before the Olympics and has maintained a very high level of play since the tournament finished. In his last 10 appearances, Hughes has tallied five goals and 10 assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 17, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin made a huge impact in his return from suspension on Monday, totaling two goals and an assist in a 7-2 road win over the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Malkin potted two even-strength goals inside the opening 13 minutes and added a power-play assist late in the second period. His second goal of the night went down as the game-winning tally. Malkin had as many as three points in a single game for the third time this season, boosting his total to 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) in 47 games. For the first time since 2022-23, Malkin is averaging at least one point per game, proving he still has plenty of juice left at 39.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 17, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson (upper body) is a game-time decision for Tuesday's meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports. The veteran rearguard missed three games last week due to an upper-body injury, but he has a chance to return on Tuesday night. Egor Zamula will likely make way for Gudbranson if he's ready for action. Although Gudbranson isn't a major offensive contributor for the Blue Jackets, he brings a wealth of experience and is a big presence on defense. The 34-year-old has recorded three points (one goal, two assists), 19 shots, 29 blocks, 27 hits, and a plus-six rating across 21 appearances in 2025-26.
--Taavi PailkSource: Jeff Svoboda
March 17, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body) won't play on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports. Gostisbehere is "trending closer" but will be sidelined for a fifth consecutive game. He should also be considered questionable for Wednesday's matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. With Gostisbehere on the shelf, Alexander Nikishin has taken on more responsibilities, joining the first power-play unit. This situation has also benefited Mike Reilly, who has been a regular in the lineup after sitting out nearly two months as a healthy scratch.
--Taavi PailkSource: Walt Ruff
March 17, 2026
New York Islanders right wing Maxim Shabanov (lower body) is considered day-to-day after missing Monday's practice, Rachel Luscher of the Islanders' official site reports. Shabanov has seen very little action since February and might be unavailable for Tuesday's tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 25-year-old rookie has tallied 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 42 games with the Islanders this season. 10 of his points were scored before the holiday break, so bringing in Shabanov from the KHL, where he was one of the league's top scorers, hasn't proven successful for the Islanders.
--Taavi PailkSource: Rachel Luscher
March 17, 2026
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (lower body) is considered day-to-day, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. He was a late scratch on Monday against the New York Rangers due to a lower-body injury. Impressively, the Kings still recorded a comfortable 4-1 road win without their top scorer. Alex Laferriere led the charge with a goal and two assists, while Kings head coach D.J. Smith picked out Mathieu Joseph for praise. The Kings are now off until Thursday, giving Kempe extra recovery time. In a close playoff race, the team needs him back as soon as possible. Kempe has 26 goals and 58 points through 66 appearances this season, while no other player has managed 20 goals or more than 40 points with the team.
--Taavi PailkSource: Zach Dooley
March 16, 2026
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid finished Sunday's 3-1 win against the Nashville Predators with three assists. Early in the game, McDavid helped Leon Draisaitl net a power-play goal, assisted Matt Savoie at even strength in the second period, and completed his hat trick of assists when Zach Hyman iced the game with an empty-net goal. The Oilers captain recorded his 61st career three-assist game, tying Bryan Trottier for the ninth most in NHL history. Seven of those efforts from McDavid have come this season, keeping him on pace for a 137-point campaign. In 66 appearances, McDavid has notched 37 goals and 77 assists. He's finished with multiple points seven times in his last 10 outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 16, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs center Bo Groulx bagged two goals, including the game-winning tally, in Sunday's 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Playing in only his fourth game of the season, the French forward popped up with a pair of goals within a six-minute span early in the second period. Groulx now boasts three goals in four games since making his Maple Leafs debut on March 10. Before getting the call from the big club, Groulx tallied 27 goals and 50 points in 54 AHL appearances. He clearly has some offensive talent, but it's unlikely Groulx will keep up his production level in the NHL for long, especially with his role being limited to the third line.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 16, 2026
Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson netted two goals in Sunday's 7-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks, recording his seventh multi-goal outing of the campaign. Over the last 15 years, only Brady Tkachuk has had more multi-goal efforts in a single season with the Senators (nine in 2023-24). On Sunday, Batherson produced a power-play goal in the first period and recorded the game-winning tally during an even-strength situation in the third. He's trying to post his first 30-goal campaign and is now just three goals away. Meanwhile, Batherson only needs one more point to reach his fourth straight 60-point season. The 27-year-old is averaging over a point per game this month, so it shouldn't take long.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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