May 5, 2025
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (upper body) will be re-evaluated on Monday after he was injured in Sunday's Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues. Morrissey was forced to exit the contest after taking a hit from Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist along the boards. He logged only four shifts and 2:09 of ice time. Following Morrissey's exit, Neal Pionk led the blue line and did an incredible job during the team's comeback victory, posting three assists in 46:15 of action. Dylan Samberg also logged over 40 minutes in the double-overtime win. The Jets start their second-round series against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, giving Morrissey some time to recover. However, if he has to miss additional time, Pionk would once again face a heavy workload.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: John Lu
May 4, 2025
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek is scheduled for core muscle surgery next week. The Swedish forward revealed the news during his exit interview on Sunday. Eriksson Ek added that he battled the ailment throughout the campaign. He was limited to only 46 appearances this season, recording 14 goals and 29 points along with 82 hits. In the first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Eriksson Ek was held to three assists. It was a tough year for Eriksson Ek following two consecutive 60-point campaigns. He will look to bounce back in 2025-26, entering the fifth year of an eight-year, $42 million contract.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: TSN
May 4, 2025
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee) is set to rejoin the action during the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has been out of commission since undergoing knee surgery on Feb. 4. Dallas also had to cope with the absence of forward Jason Robertson (knee) during Round 1 against the Colorado Avalanche, but the two are on track to return to the lineup soon. "I believe you're going to see them both play in the second round, but I don't know if it's going to be Game 1 or Game 3 or Game 5," Stars head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters on Saturday. "I consider them both day-to-day now, but there's still some hurdles. It depends on when we start the series, how much time we have between now and Game 1. We'll have a little better idea as we get closer." Heiskanen finished the regular season with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists), 108 shots, 85 blocks, and a plus-seven rating in 50 appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (knee) is expected to return to action in the second round of the playoffs. After suffering a knee injury in the regular-season finale on April 16, Robertson was unavailable for the seven-game battle in the first round against the Colorado Avalanche. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer now anticipates having Robertson back in the fold in Round 2, although he is uncertain about the exact timing of the star forward's return. Robertson led Dallas during the regular season with 35 goals and recorded 80 points in 82 games. Mikael Granlund has filled in on the first line during his absence. In the first round, Granlund was not particularly productive, finishing with one goal and one assist.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (lower body) will miss a third consecutive game on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. Tucker continues to nurse a lower-body ailment that he suffered a week ago in Game 4 of the series. This will end up being his last appearance of the season if the Blues do not win on Sunday night. Due to Tucker's absence, Ryan Suter is set to continue as Nick Leddy's partner on the third defensive pairing. Suter picked up his first point of the postseason with an assist in Friday's 5-2 win. Over four appearances, he has also recorded seven blocks and one shot on goal.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
May 4, 2025
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley (undisclosed) is considered a game-time decision for Sunday's win-or-go-home matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Stanley was unavailable for the morning skate, leaving his status uncertain for Game 7 in the first-round series. The 26-year-old has made five postseason appearances this year, averaging 11:38 of ice time. He has been held scoreless by the Blues but does have 42 penalty minutes, six blocks, and 10 hits. Haydn Fleury, who has had only one outing in the series, is expected to enter the lineup if Stanley cannot play. Fleury finished a 5-1 loss in Game 4 with one hit and a minus-one rating in 12:58 of action.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Murat Ates
May 4, 2025
Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (undisclosed) won't play in Sunday's Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues. He was considered a game-time decision for the clash after missing Game 6. It's a significant setback for the Jets that Scheifele cannot play, given his impressive playoff performance, scoring two goals and six points in five games. Vladislav Namestnikov will continue as the top-line center in Sunday's contest. The Russian forward has performed well as Scheifele's replacement, notching all three of his postseason points this year over the last two games. Adam Lowry is set to remain on the second line, filling in for Namestnikov.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Calgary Flames right wing Matthew Coronato (undisclosed) has signed a long-term extension with the team, agreeing on a seven-year, $45.5 million pact that will carry a $6.5 million cap hit. Coronato is finishing off a three-year, $4.475 million contract and could have been a restricted free agent in July. The 22-year-old finished among Calgary's top scorers this season, posting 24 goals and 47 points in 77 appearances. However, the campaign ended on a sour note for Coronato as he sustained an undisclosed injury, which will prevent him from playing for Team USA in the World Championships. If he is back to 100 percent for the start of next season, expectations for Coronato will be high after he closed out the 2024-25 campaign with a seven-game point streak.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
May 4, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (undisclosed) has signed a one-year, $2.75 million extension. The 35-year-old was heading toward unrestricted free agency but has decided to remain with the Hurricanes for a fifth consecutive season. In recent years, Andersen has seen limited action due to health issues. Nevertheless, he has proven to be highly reliable for Carolina when healthy, recording a 13-8-1 record this season. Andersen finished the campaign with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage, recording one shutout. He suffered a new injury in the first-round series against the New Jersey Devils but is expected to return for the start of Round 2 against the Washington Capitals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund suffered a cut to his wrist while playing for his native Sweden. In a contest against Czechia, it appeared that Eklund was cut on the left wrist by the skate of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek. He was taken to the hospital, and Eklund's agent, Todd Diamond, provided an encouraging update to San Jose Hockey Now. "He's stable," Diamond said. "Looks like it didn't cut key tendons or nerves at the moment." Eklund has been preparing for the World Championships with Team Sweden, but it seems he may be forced to miss the tournament due to the injury. Playing with the Sharks, Eklund enjoyed a career year in 2024-25, accumulating 58 points (17 goals, 41 assists) in 77 games. He is only 22 and is seen as a big part of San Jose's future.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sheng Peng
May 4, 2025
Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston bagged a power-play goal in Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7, recording the series-clinching tally with 3:56 remaining in the third period. He became the first player in league history to score multiple series-clinching goals in Game 7s at age 22 or younger. Furthermore, Johnston is now the first player in franchise history to register multiple series-clinching goals in a Game 7. Johnston has been impressive offensively in the postseason, averaging a point per game over seven contests, with three goals and four assists. However, most of his points (4) have come during the power play, and the 21-year-old holds a league-worst minus-nine rating before the start of Round 2.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene finished Saturday's 4-2 win in Game 7 against the Colorado Avalanche with two assists. Duchene's passing played an important role in Dallas' third-period comeback. His helpers came during the power play, transforming a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. It was a good finish to an otherwise quiet opening round for Duchene, who failed to score against his former team with 10 shots on the net and had three assists across seven games. He has yet to register any even-strength points this postseason, going minus-six. The Stars will definitely want to see an improvement from the veteran in Round 2.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen netted a hat trick and bagged an assist as the team overcame a 2-0 deficit to record a 4-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche in the third period of Game 7 on Saturday night. Rantanen, who became the first player in NHL history to register four-point periods in consecutive games, started the comeback with 7:49 played in the final frame. He capped off the game with an empty-net goal, marking the NHL's first third-period Game 7 hat trick. After witnessing his former team tie the series at two, the Finnish superstar elevated his performance significantly, recording five goals and 11 points over the final three contests. Rantanen now leads all skaters in the postseason with 12 points (five goals, seven assists).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 3, 2025
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed) will remain out for Round 2 of the playoffs. The Swedish veteran has participated in just one game since March 26, missing the entire first round against the Los Angeles Kings. He will need the Oilers to get back to the Western Conference Finals to have a chance to return to game action this season. Edmonton's defense has struggled without Ekholm in the postseason, as the team has allowed four goals per game. Improvements are necessary in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights. Evan Bouchard has once again been the standout performer at the back for the Oilers, recording seven points (four goals, three assists) in six games. He is one of three defensemen averaging over 21 minutes of ice time for Edmonton, along with Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
May 3, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (undisclosed) sat out Saturday's practice and remains day-to-day. He is nursing an undisclosed injury suffered during Tuesday's Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild. The team was able to finish off Minnesota in Game 6 without Dorofeyev, but he is a significant loss for the Golden Knights. The Russian forward scored a team-high 35 goals and collected 52 points in 82 regular-season games. In five playoff appearances, he has contributed one goal and one assist. With Dorofeyev sidelined for Thursday's Game 6, Victor Olofsson entered the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two contests. He registered his first postseason point with a power-play assist. Olofsson will maintain a spot on the first power-play unit until Dorofeyev returns.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Vince Sapienza
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