March 19, 2026
Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) has been ruled out for Thursday's contest against the Chicago Blackhawks. He is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Minnesota will head out without Kaprizov for the first time this season. The Russian superstar has totaled a team-high 80 points (38 goals, 42 assists) in 69 appearances. Kaprizov's absence will give Bobby Brink (upper body) a chance to skate on the first line. The former Flyer is back in the lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury.
--Taavi PailkSource: Minnesota Wild PR
March 19, 2026
Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (illness) is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. He sat out Tuesday's win over Vegas due to illness. Tuch is projected to be part of the first line with Zach Benson and Tage Thompson and will see action on the second power-play unit. Buffalo has received solid production from Tuch all season, as the 29-year-old sits just a few points away from registering his second consecutive 60-point season. He has amassed 28 goals and 29 assists in 65 games, failing to make the score sheet just once in his last eight outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 19, 2026
New York Rangers center Noah Laba (lower body) won't play on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports. He is forced to exit the lineup after sustaining a lower-body injury in Wednesday's loss to the New Jersey Devils. Laba has enjoyed a good debut campaign on a struggling team, collecting 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 65 games. The Rangers will use Jonny Brodzinski as Laba's replacement in the lineup on Thursday. The 32-year-old has posted 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 43 appearances and doesn't have significant fantasy value.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mollie Walker
March 19, 2026
Detroit Red Wings forward Andrew Copp (lower body) is ready to rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports. Copp has missed three games due to a lower-body injury and was initially considered a game-time decision. The veteran forward will skate with Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton on the third line, though he could also receive some top-six usage due to Dylan Larkin's (leg) continued absence. Copp has had points in four of his last five appearances, boosting his total to 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) in 65 games this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ansar Khan
March 19, 2026
Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (upper body) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Detroit Red Wings. The veteran forward is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Anderson has been Montreal's sixth-best goal-scorer this season, lighting the lamp 13 times in 61 games. He's also contributed nine assists while averaging 14:11 of ice time. Joseph Veleno is expected to replace Anderson as the partner of Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher in a top-six role. Anderson will have his first chance to return on Saturday against the New York Islanders.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 18, 2026
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes extended his point streak by scoring a goal and adding two assists in Wednesday's 6-3 road victory against the Rangers. Hughes followed up his three-point performance in the Devils' most recent game against the Bruins with another one on Wednesday, and he has now scored six goals and totaled 15 points through eight games in March. The 24-year-old is producing points at an elite rate on the offensive end at the perfect time for fantasy managers, as the fantasy hockey playoffs are underway in the majority of leagues.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 18, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes right winger Jackson Blake scored a goal and assisted twice in a wild 6-5 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. He reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career, and he also has a career high in points with 43 with a few weeks to go in the NHL season. Blake is a solid middle-six forward for a Hurricanes team that currently has the most points in the Eastern Conference.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 18, 2026
Washington Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson played in his first career game on Wednesday night and scored an empty-netter in a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. The younger brother of Canadiens superstar Lane Hutson is also a highly regarded prospect who was a second-round pick in the 2024 draft. He had 10 goals and 32 points in 35 games in college for Boston University and now joins the NHL after their season ended.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 18, 2026
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (lower body) could be an option for Thursday's matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The Kings' leading scorer remains day-to-day, but interim head coach D.J. Smith is hopeful that Kempe can play on Thursday night. He was a late scratch on Monday against the New York Rangers. If Kempe can't make it back on Thursday, he looks almost certain to return for this weekend's back-to-back. Mathieu Joseph filled in for Kempe on the top line against the Rangers and will be bumped down in the lineup when the Swedish winger returns.
--Taavi PailkSource: Zach Dooley
March 18, 2026
Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish will remain out of the lineup as a healthy scratch on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. After recovering from an upper-body injury, Troy Terry replaced McTavish in the lineup on Sunday against Montreal. Anaheim is expected to roll out with the same forward group on Wednesday night. Before departing the lineup, McTavish went scoreless in five consecutive games. He has struggled to stay effective during the second half of the season, recording zero goals and two assists in his last 12 appearances. Overall, McTavish has managed 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 61 games this term.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 18, 2026
Anaheim Ducks left wing Ross Johnston (lower body) will be out for approximately 3-4 weeks, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports. He has already been sidelined for three games due to a lower-body injury. Primarily known as an enforcer for the Ducks, Johnston has also elevated his offensive game to new heights this season, registering three goals and 11 assists in 62 games. Previously, he had never managed more than seven points during a single campaign. This season, Johnston has also racked up a career-high 192 hits with 107 penalty minutes.
--Taavi PailkSource: Derek Lee
March 18, 2026
St. Louis Blues winger Jonathan Drouin will return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames. He exited the lineup for personal reasons last week and has missed the last three games. Drouin is expected to join Dalibor Dvorsky and Otto Stenberg on the third line. Stenberg is also a fresh face in the lineup, with Jonatan Berggren and Oskar Sundqvist making way. Since being acquired from the New York Islanders, Drouin has appeared in two games for the Blues, scoring one goal on two shots. This marks one of only two points he has earned in his last 18 outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 18, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Eric Robinson will be back in the lineup on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports. The 30-year-old was scratched for Tuesday's matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Robinson is on a seven-game scoring slump and has gone pointless in 13 of his last 15 appearances. While he's never been a prolific scorer, Robinson made an impact earlier in the season. He has notched 11 goals and six assists in 53 outings. Robinson will join William Carrier and Mark Jankowski on the fourth line, bumping Nicolas Deslauriers to the press box.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ryan Henkel
March 18, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body) will miss a sixth consecutive game on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports. The veteran rearguard has been progressing, but this game comes too soon for him to be ready to play. His next chance to return will be a matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. Alexander Nikishin will continue to work on the first power-play unit on Wednesday, giving him additional fantasy value. The Russian blue-liner has posted two goals and two assists in five games during Gostisbehere's absence.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ryan Henkel
March 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (lower body) will rejoin the lineup for Wednesday's Metropolitan Division tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins captain has missed 11 games due to a lower-body injury sustained during the Olympic tournament. Crosby will join Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust on the first line and will skate on the first power-play unit. The team will scratch Ville Koivunen to make room for Crosby in the lineup. Even with the time lost to injury, Crosby still leads his team with 27 goals and 59 points in 56 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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