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Sam Steel Misses Thursday's Game for Personal Reasons
Dallas Stars forward Sam Steel (personal) will miss his third game of the season on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After skipping a pair of games last month with an undisclosed injury, Steel will be absent on Thursday for personal reasons. The 28-year-old had a strong start to the season, but his form faded quickly. In 13 games, Steel has recorded one goal and two assists. Colin Blackwell will replace Steel in the lineup, joining David Perron and Radek Faksa on the fourth line. While this is a strong-looking line, the trio is unlikely to make a significant impact against Columbus.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
More Recent News
Miro Heiskanen Officially Out Thursday
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (upper body) has been officially ruled out for Thursday's meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets. On Wednesday, the Stars announced Heiskanen was day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said Heiskanen is "truly day-to-day," so might be ready to return for the next matchup on Saturday against San Jose. Trey Taylor is expected to replace Heiskanen in the lineup, but he has no fantasy value. Instead, managers should focus on Thomas Harley, who will move to the first defensive pairing and the top power-play unit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Evgeni Malkin Good to Go Versus Bruins
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (lower body) will return from a one-game absence on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. He didn't play in Tuesday's loss to Vegas due to a lower-body injury. Even at 40, Malkin has continued to perform well in 2026-27, registering 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 13 games. He has two multi-point games in his last three outings. Malkin will skate alongside Egor Chinakhov and Benjamin Kindel on the second line and bolster the second power-play unit. Andrei Kuzmenko will be scratched to make room for his compatriot.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Nick Suzuki Returns to Action Thursday
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (hand) will rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth. He has missed six games with a hand injury. The reigning Norris Trophy winner has started the season strongly, recording 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in nine outings. Only two teams have kept Suzuki off the score sheet. The Canadiens will also have Kirby Dach (illness) back after a two-game absence. The offensive reinforcements mean Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen have less fantasy appeal.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Connor Bedard Delivers Two Assists in Losing Effort
Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard recorded his third multi-point game of the season in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, finishing with two assists. He set up Roman Kantserov in the second period and Frank Nazar in the third. Bedard has been held scoreless just once this season, notching four goals and eight assists in 10 appearances. Chicago is the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL, making Bedard's numbers even more impressive. He'll go up against an underperforming Tampa Bay defense when the Blackhawks complete a back-to-back on Thursday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Sandis Vilmanis Racks Up Four Points Versus Blackhawks
Florida Panthers left wing Sandis Vilmanis recorded a career-high four points in Wednesday's 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished with two goals and two assists. Vilmanis matched Sandis Ozoliņs' Latvian single-game scoring record. While this was a special night for the 22-year-old Riga native, Vilmanis doesn't make an offensive impact very often. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 15 games. Vilmanis will be bumped out of the top six in a few weeks when Aleksander Barkov (knee) and Brad Marchand (knee) rejoin the lineup.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Artemi Panarin Dishes Out Four Assists in Big Win
Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin demonstrated world-class playmaking against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, racking up four assists in a 7-2 victory. Three of his helpers came on the power play. Panarin's offensive production has been inconsistent in 2026-27, but fantasy managers won't complain about his run of five multi-point performances in eight games. The veteran star leads the Kings with 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 14 games. If he maintains his current form, Panarin would celebrate his second career 100-point campaign in spring.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Adrian Kempe Erupts for Four Points Wednesday
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe scored a hat trick and added an assist as the team tore apart the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Wednesday night. Kempe returned to the lineup after a one-game absence and already had three points in the first period. He finished the contest with two power-play points. Although the Kings have struggled offensively this season, Kempe still averages nearly a point per game. He's produced six goals and six assists in 13 appearances. The Swedish forward has been a consistent 70-point scorer in recent campaigns and should do the same in 2026-27.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Isac Lundestrom Nearing Season Debut
Columbus Blue Jackets center Isac Lundestrom (Achilles) is close to making his season debut, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports. He has resumed skating after undergoing Achilles surgery in the summer. Columbus has just waived a couple of players, a potential sign that it's opening up a roster spot for the Swedish forward. Lundestrom operates as an effective bottom-six forward but offers little to fantasy teams. In 2025-26, he recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 68 outings.
Source: Mark Scheig
Source: Mark Scheig
Victor Olofsson Could Return Thursday
Vegas Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson (undisclosed) could be back in the lineup on Thursday against Detroit, according to SinBin.vegas. Vegas assigned Jonas Rondbjerg and Viliam Kmec to the minors, suggesting the team is getting ready to activate Olofsson from long-term Injured Reserve. The Swedish forward sustained an undisclosed injury just two weeks into the season, landing on the shelf after recording four goals and five points in four games. Olofsson is unlikely to maintain that scoring pace, having finished last season with just 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 78 games.
Source: SinBin.vegas
Source: SinBin.vegas
Ridly Greig Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig (lower body) is day-to-day after missing Wednesday's win over Buffalo. Greig was a late scratch with a lower-body injury, missing his third game of the season. He was unavailable for the first couple of contests due to a suspension. From a fantasy perspective, Greig hasn't done a lot this season, posting four points (two goals, two assists) in 14 games. Ottawa's frontline has taken several injury blows lately, giving Nick Cousins and Philip Tomasino top-six roles. The former has put in impressive performances, recording one goal and two assists in three games.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Yanni Gourde Close to Season Debut
Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (hip) could be an option during the team's upcoming road trip, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports. The Lightning face four straight road games after hosting the Chicago Blackhawks Thursday night. Gourde hasn't played this season due to hip surgery. As a versatile forward, he will be a welcome addition to Tampa Bay, though fantasy managers shouldn't expect huge numbers from the 34-year-old. In 2025-26, Gourde tallied 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 82 games.
Source: Benjamin Pierce
Source: Benjamin Pierce
Miro Heiskanen Listed as Day-to-Day
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (upper body) is day-to-day after exiting early in Tuesday's win over Washington. He isn't expected to play Thursday night against Columbus, but the Finnish defensive star should return relatively quickly from his upper-body injury. Heiskanen is fourth on his team with eight assists and has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 15 games. Trey Taylor is expected to replace Heiskanen in the lineup, while Thomas Harley will move to the first power-play unit, increasing his fantasy value.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Mathew Barzal Rejoins Practice Wednesday
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (knee) participated in Wednesday's practice, Tyler Millen of the Islanders' official site reports. He's been out this season with knee inflammation, and this was the first time he had joined the team for practice. Barzal wore a non-contract jersey, indicating he still needs some work before he's ready for his season debut. Last season, Barzal missed only one game and put up 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists). He's one of the Islanders' most consistent offensive players, making him a player worth watching for fantasy managers.
Source: Tyler Millen
Source: Tyler Millen
Evgeni Malkin Might Be an Option Thursday
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (lower body) could return to the lineup on Thursday against Boston, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports. The veteran star has been dealing with a lower-body injury and sat out Tuesday's loss to Vegas. But Malkin participated fully in Wednesday's practice, suggesting he will be available to return against Boston. So far, Malkin has been close to averaging a point per game, tallying six goals and five assists in 11 appearances. Andrei Kuzmenko figures to be the odd man out if Malkin is cleared to play.
Source: Dan Kingerski
Source: Dan Kingerski
Nick Suzuki Questionable for Thursday
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (hand) is questionable to play in Thursday's meeting with Utah, Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette reports. The Canadiens captain is close to returning from a hand injury, but it's unclear whether he'll be cleared to play on Thursday night. He's been out for six games. Suzuki had a big 101-point year in 2026-27 and has also been prolific this season, notching 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in nine games. Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook have seen time in the top-line center role during Suzuki's absence, but they haven't produced much in fantasy.
Source: Stu Cowan
Source: Stu Cowan
Tyler Kleven Won't Play Wednesday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (illness) has been ruled out for Wednesday's contest against Buffalo. The Senators' defense has rarely been at full strength this season and will miss another piece on Wednesday after Kleven woke up feeling under the weather. Kleven leads his team with 43 blocks and ranks first among defensemen in hits with 29. He hasn't provided much offense, settling for two goals and one assist in 16 games. Carter Yakemchuk is expected to come back into the lineup after sitting three games as a healthy scratch. Yakemchuk has more offensive upside than Kleven but has struggled to perform in 2026-27.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Jiri Kulich Clears Concussion Protocol
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (concussion) could be back in action Wednesday against Ottawa after clearing concussion protocol. He has missed four games since being hurt late last month. The 22-year-old has been a full participant in practice for the past few days. Kulich has three points (one goal, two assists) in eight games this season. His return will probably bump Tyson Kozak out of the lineup. While Kulich's return is great news for the Sabres, he isn't a player fantasy players should be watching.
Source: Buffalo Sabres
Source: Buffalo Sabres
Zach Benson Available Wednesday
Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (undisclosed) will play in Wednesday's Atlantic Division clash against the Ottawa Senators, Jane McNally of the Sabres' official site reports. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has confirmed Benson is good to go after missing Monday's practice. He practiced at full capacity Tuesday. Having Benson in the lineup is great news for Buffalo, as he's been red-hot lately. The 21-year-old has posted back-to-back multi-point games and has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) over his last nine outings. Benson skates on the first line and the first power-play unit. The Senators have killed just 72.9 percent of penalties, so this is a great spot for Benson to keep up his form.
Source: Jane McNally
Source: Jane McNally
Isaac Howard Out for a "Couple of Weeks"
Edmonton Oilers left wing Isaac Howard (knee) will miss "a couple of weeks," according to head coach Mike Babcock. Howard was involved in a knee-on-knee collision against the Islanders on Saturday and missed a second straight game on Tuesday night against New Jersey. Playing on the fourth line, Howard has contributed one goal and two assists in 13 games this season. His absence has given Filip Hallander a chance to re-enter the lineup, but he hasn't done much to impress. In fact, Hallander is still searching for his first points as an Oiler since being acquired from Pittsburgh on Oct. 7.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Tom Willander Nursing Lower-Body Injury
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (lower body) was a late scratch on Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks. He was ruled out with a lower-body injury that Willander suffered during the morning skate. Willander has played an important role on the Canucks' blue line during his sophomore campaign, averaging 20:25 of ice time. He has three assists, 12 SOG, 17 blocks, and 10 hits in 16 games. With Willander out, Guillaume Brisebois made his third appearance of the season, logging 13:45 of ice time. Vancouver's defense has little fantasy value beyond Filip Hronek.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
