March 26, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha (lower body) will play on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. He skipped Wednesday's practice due to a lower-body injury but won't have to miss his first game of the season. With Evgeni Malkin (upper body) sidelined, Mantha currently plays a more important role for the Penguins. He's had a great year in Pittsburgh, with a career-high 53 points (26 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games. Ottawa's injury-ravaged blue line makes Thursday's game an appealing matchup for Mantha.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 26, 2026
Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (forearm) will miss the rest of the 2025-26 regular season. He had surgery on Thursday and has been ruled out for 4-8 weeks. Chabot injured his right forearm in Monday's matchup with the New York Rangers. He will finish the season with 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in 55 games. Carter Yakemchuk has taken Chabot's spot in the lineup and will make his second career appearance on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 20-year-old had an impressive debut on Tuesday against Detroit, notching a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win.
--Taavi PailkSource: TSN
March 26, 2026
St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (upper body) will miss Thursday's clash against the San Jose Sharks. St. Louis' No. 1 center was injured in Tuesday's loss to Washington and will be forced to sit out at least one game. His first chance to return will be on Saturday when the Blues host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dalibor Dvorsky is expected to take over first-line center duties from Thomas, boosting his fantasy value. Recently, Dvorsky has struggled to make an impact offensively, finishing scoreless in 12 of his last 14 outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 26, 2026
San Jose Sharks winger Tyler Toffoli (lower body) is a game-time decision on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports. The veteran has missed two games due to a lower-body injury. Toffoli has played an important role in the top six and on the power play for the Sharks, amassing 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in 67 outings this season. On Thursday, San Jose will face a tough matchup against St. Louis's strong defense, which has allowed two or fewer goals in nine of its last 11 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sheng Peng
March 26, 2026
Colorado Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen (upper body) will rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets, Ken Wiebe of The Winnipeg Free Press reports. The Finnish forward has been out for 11 games due to an upper-body injury. He will likely return to a top-six role, potentially bumping Ross Colton down in the lineup. Lehkonen has scored 19 goals and 42 points in 59 games this season. However, he has struggled with form since the Olympics, registering zero points over four appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ken Wiebe
March 25, 2026
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored twice on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it wasn't enough as his club lost the contest 4-3. Although his team sits in last place in the Eastern Conference, Zibanejad has had a good season with 32 goals and 69 points in 71 games played. He has seven goals and six assists in his last 10 games as he looks to finish the season strong.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 25, 2026
Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha had an assist and then the overtime game-winning goal as the Bruins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Wednesday night. Zacha continued his hot streak with his third multi-point game in his last five games played. Pavel has already set a career high with 24 goals scored and is just five points away from tying his career high of 59 with still a couple of weeks left to play this season.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 25, 2026
Colorado Avalanche forward Nicolas Roy (upper body) is set to miss time, Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette reports. According to Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, the team will be without Roy "for a little bit." The 29-year-old has already missed one game, sitting out Tuesday's win over Pittsburgh. Since being acquired from Toronto, Roy has scored three goals on 17 SOG in nine appearances with the Avalanche. Fortunately for Colorado, Roy's absence has been offset by the returns of Ross Colton and Logan O'Connor. Both players were on the score sheet in Tuesday's 6-2 win.
--Taavi PailkSource: Evan Rawal
March 25, 2026
Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (ribs) has likely played his final game of the 2025-26 regular season. He has been ruled out for 2-6 weeks with a rib injury. "That MRI wasn't very good, so he's not on the near-term," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said on Wednesday. "... I wouldn't play him in the regular season or if we were fighting for (a playoff spot)." Lundell departed the lineup last week and has missed two games. The Finnish forward matched his career high with 18 goals and will finish the campaign with 44 points in 64 appearances. Florida's frontline has been decimated by injuries, though Mackie Samoskevich (neck) could return on Thursday against Minnesota. With so many bodies missing, he may find himself in a bigger role than usual.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 25, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha (lower body) didn't practice on Wednesday and is day-to-day, Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site reports. The Penguins have just lost Evgeni Malkin (upper body) to injury and may now be without another key forward. Mantha replaced Malkin on the second line in Tuesday's loss to the Colorado Avalanche. He has recorded a career-high 53 points (26 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games. Kevin Hayes worked in Mantha's spot during Wednesday's practice and will play on Thursday if Mantha isn't available.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michelle Crechiolo
March 25, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (upper body) is not traveling with the team for Thursday's road game against the Ottawa Senators, Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site reports. The Russian star will miss a second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. Malkin is averaging over a point per game for the first time in three seasons, sitting on 15 goals and 37 assists in 50 games. Ville Koivunen took Malkin's spot in the lineup on Tuesday against Colorado but didn't make an impact in 10:04 of ice time. Koivunen's usage may increase on Thursday depending on Anthony Mantha's (lower body) status.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michelle Crechiolo
March 25, 2026
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (illness) is a game-time decision for Wednesday's matchup with the Boston Bruins, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports. After missing practice on Tuesday due to illness, Samuelsson skated on Wednesday morning. Having Samuelsson available would be a big boost for the Sabres. The 26-year-old has taken huge strides this season, registering 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists), 97 SOG, 137 blocks, 110 hits, and a plus-35 rating. The six-year veteran had previously never managed more than 14 points in a single season. Conor Timmins (leg) is available on Wednesday and could be Samuelsson's replacement in the lineup. He has missed over three months due to a broken leg.
--Taavi PailkSource: Heather Engel
March 25, 2026
New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (upper body) won't suit up on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports. According to Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan, Quick is "not there yet" but is "getting closer" to returning. The veteran netminder, who has a 5-16-2 record this season, suffered an upper-body injury during Saturday's practice. With Quick out, Dylan Garand made his NHL debut on Sunday against Winnipeg, making 35 saves in a 3-2 shootout defeat. Garand will serve as Igor Shesterkin's backup on Wednesday.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mollie Walker
March 25, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (illness) has taken a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons, the team announced on Wednesday. The Lightning captain has sat out three games due to illness and is now expected to miss some more time. Emil Lilleberg has been playing in Hedman's absence, but he doesn't offer any fantasy value. Darren Raddysh has operated as the No. 1 defenseman and produced another outstanding performance with three points in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. He will aim to score in a third consecutive game on Thursday night against Seattle.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 25, 2026
Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson produced three assists in Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. His playmaking made an impact twice during even-strength play in the second period, and he had a power-play assist in the third. The 36-year-old became the oldest blue-liner in the Ducks' history with a multi-assist period and a three-assist game. In 2025-26, Carlson has shown that age is just a number, amassing 50 points (10 goals, 40 assists) in 60 appearances. He is still looking for his first goal as a Duck, but Carlson has posted four assists in five games with his new team.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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