March 18, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov was unstoppable on Tuesday night against the Seattle Kraken, scoring a hat trick and adding two assists in a 6-2 road win. Playing alongside him on the top line, Brandon Hagel finished with four points (one goal, three assists), and Anthony Cirelli had three points (one goal, two assists). This was Kucherov's second five-point effort of the season and the ninth of his career. Jari Kurri (16) and Peter Stastny (12) are the only players born outside North America to record more five-point games in NHL history. At the same time, Kucherov became only the seventh player to post four straight 110-point seasons. The former MVP has totaled 111 points (37 goals, 74 assists) in 62 appearances as he continues to chase his third consecutive Art Ross Trophy.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins center Blake Lizotte (upper body) will be re-evaluated in four weeks, the team announced. He was unavailable for Monday's matchup with Colorado, and it looks like Lizotte will miss the rest of the regular season. Lizotte has played well in a bottom-six role for the Penguins, recording 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists), 49 shots, 35 blocks, 49 hits, and a plus-six rating in 55 appearances. After recovering from an upper-body injury, Justin Brazeau took Lizotte's spot in the lineup on Monday.
--Taavi PailkSource: Pittsburgh Penguins PR
March 18, 2026
Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen (knee) will be sidelined for six weeks due to meniscus surgery, Post Media's Bruce Garrioch reports. The 10-year veteran has been out for two games, and unfortunately, he might not get a chance to return to the ice this campaign. His six-week recovery timeline means that the regular season is certainly over for Jensen. He finishes his second year as a Senator with 17 points (four goals, 13 assists), 36 shots, 66 blocks, 38 hits, and a minus-two rating in 61 games. Dennis Gilbert has played instead of Jensen in recent games, but he may be bumped out of the lineup when Jake Sanderson (upper body) returns. Sanderson is expected to resume skating next week.
--Taavi PailkSource: Bruce Garrioch
March 17, 2026
Montreal Canadiens right winger Cole Caufield had an assist and then the game-winning goal in Tuesday night's 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. This was a big divisional matchup, and Caufield was able to help his team win it with 22 seconds left in overtime. The American winger now has a career-high 40 goals through 66 games played.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 17, 2026
Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha provided all the scoring for his team on Tuesday night as they lost 3-2 in overtime to the Canadiens. The Czech native set a new career high in the process with his 21st and 22nd goals of the season. Zacha is now third on his team in goals for a Boston club that is fighting for a wild-card spot over the final few weeks of the season.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 17, 2026
Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (illness) is considered a game-time call for Tuesday night's action against the Vegas Golden Knights. He could be forced to miss a matchup with his former team due to illness. Tuch has played a major role in Buffalo's rise to the top of the Atlantic Division, producing 28 goals and 29 assists in 65 games. Tyson Kozak (undisclosed) has been cleared to play and might be Tuch's replacement in the lineup. Meanwhile, Josh Doan could land a spot on a scoring line if Tuch isn't available. While Doan has been held off the score sheet for three straight games, he has generally played well and is on track for a 50-point campaign.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 17, 2026
Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen (undisclosed) is a game-time decision for Tuesday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Finnish forward is dealing with an undisclosed injury and might be unavailable for only the second time this season. Tolvanen has improved his form in 2025-26 and only needs two more points to surpass his scoring total from last season. He has registered 12 goals, 22 assists, 119 shots, and 164 hits in 65 outings. If Tolvanen is unable to play, Frederick Gaudreau is expected to take his place on the second line, while Jacob Melanson is ready to step into the lineup.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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
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