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Victor Hedman Listed as Day-to-Day
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (lower body) is day-to-day, the team announced before Saturday's matchup with Utah. Hedman suffered a lower-body injury in Friday's loss to Colorado. While Hedman's role has declined this season, it's great news for Tampa Bay that the team captain isn't expected to be out long-term. Hedman is averaging a career-low 14:26 of ice time. He has four points (two goals, two assists) in nine games. Emil Lilleberg was a new face on Lightning's defense against Utah, but he didn't have a good day at the office, going minus-two in a 5-4 overtime loss.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
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John Marino Now Week-to-Week
Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (upper body) was downgraded to week-to-week on Saturday, Brogan Houston of the Deseret News reports. He exited the lineup at the start of the week and was initially deemed day-to-day. Marino has five points (two goals, three assists) in nine outings, showing improvement over his usual offensive production. He will miss his third consecutive game on Saturday against Tampa Bay, with Nick DeSimone expected to continue serving as Marino's replacement on the back end. In his first couple of outings this season, DeSimone has averaged 13:01 of ice time and shouldn't generate any fantasy interest.
Source: Brogan Houston
Source: Brogan Houston
Jared McCann Ruled Out Saturday
Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann (lower body) will miss his first game of the season on Saturday against Minnesota. His absence may extend to multiple games after the team placed him on Injured Reserve. Despite a three-game scoreless streak, McCann remains among Seattle's most productive players. He has opened the season with eight points (three goals, five assists) in 11 games. Jani Nyman and Curtis Douglas are the options to replace McCann in the lineup, while Kaapo Kakko is set to take his spot on the first line.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
John Gibson Facing the Flames Saturday
Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson (eye) will start on Saturday night against the Calgary Flames. The veteran netminder missed the third period of Thursday's win over Vancouver after something got into his eye. A team doctor removed it after the game, so Gibson is good to go Saturday. He will enter the matchup with a 3-3-1 record. Gibson has allowed 3.35 goals with a .871 save percentage. While Gibson has been far from his best, he has won back-to-back outings and will face a favorable matchup Saturday: the Flames are averaging the second-fewest goals in the NHL (2.11).
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Devon Levi to Miss Several Weeks
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Devon Levi (undisclosed) will be unavailable for a "few weeks," Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton reports. He landed on Injured Reserve after being hurt in Thursday's matchup with Carolina. Levi has been the Oilers' primary starter this season, going 6-1-0. He has a 3.11 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage. Tristan Jarry will start Saturday night against Toronto and will have a heavier workload until Levi returns. Jarry has been in fine early-season form, posting a 2-0-1 record and a 2.97 goals-against average, though his .873 save percentage could be better.
Source: Jason Gregor
Source: Jason Gregor
Logan Thompson Won't Play Against Sabres
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (lower body) won't dress for Saturday's affair against the Buffalo Sabres. He sustained a lower-body injury earlier this week and is day-to-day. Thompson is 4-3-0 for the season, allowing 2.90 goals with a .901 save percentage. Charlie Lindgren, who holds a 1-1-0 record, will start Saturday night. On paper, this is a decent matchup for Lindgren against a team that has averaged only 2.80 goals per game. Mitchell Gibson will dress as the backup.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Pierre-Luc Dubois Rejoins Capitals Lineup Saturday
Washington Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois (illness) will return to action on Saturday against Buffalo, ending a five-game absence. He is finally ready to return after missing a couple of weeks due to illness. Washington will also welcome back Justin Sourdif (illness) after a two-game absence, giving the team a nice boost at center. Before he caught an illness, Dubois was off to a productive start to the season. The 28-year-old has amassed four points (one goal, three assists) in four games. Dubois has an impressive career record against the Sabres, with eight goals and 13 assists in 20 career games.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Mitchell Marner Misses Second Straight Game
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitchell Marner (personal) will sit out a second straight game on Saturday against Columbus. Earlier this week, Marner left the team to be with his wife as they prepare to welcome their second child. Any team would miss a player of Marner's caliber, especially in his current form. The former Maple Leaf has recorded at least one point in seven consecutive outings. Marner is the third-highest scorer on his team, with 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 11 games. With Marner unavailable, Alexander Holtz entered the lineup on Thursday against St. Louis and had an assist. While Holtz enjoyed a productive season debut, he isn't known as a scorer and should be avoided in fantasy.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Evgeni Malkin Unavailable Saturday
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (illness) won't play on Saturday night against Nashville. The veteran star missed Friday's practice due to illness. He returned to the ice Saturday morning, but Malkin won't suit up for the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals rematch. Malkin has had a decent start to the season, scoring six goals and nine points in 11 games. Avery Hayes will replace him in the lineup against Nashville. Hayes has been a prolific player in the AHL and should draw some DFS interest on Saturday.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Nathan MacKinnon Amasses Four Points in Win Over Lightning
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon matched his season high with four points in Friday's 6-3 win over Tampa Bay. He scored a goal and added three assists, including one power-play helper. 11 games into the season, MacKinnon averages nearly two points per game, with seven goals and 13 assists. Yet fantasy managers may feel a bit disappointed with his recent performances, as MacKinnon has finished three of his last five outings scoreless. Still, MacKinnon is one of the best in the business when it comes to offensive production, and it should only be a matter of time before he finds consistency.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Eeli Tolvanen Misses Practice for Personal Reasons
New York Rangers winger Eeli Tolvanen (personal) didn't practice on Friday, The Athletic's Peter Baugh reports. Tolvanen was unavailable for personal reasons, and it's unclear if he will join the team for Saturday's tilt against Ottawa. After signing a one-year deal in September, Tolvanen had a strong start in New York, putting together a three-game goal streak early in the season. He has four points (three goals, one assist) in 12 games. Newly signed Luke Glendening could make his Rangers debut if Tolvanen can't play on Saturday night.
Source: Peter Baugh
Source: Peter Baugh
Rasmus Ristolainen Could Return Saturday
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) could be back in action on Saturday against Anaheim, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. The Finnish blue-liner practiced on Friday after missing nine games. Ristolainen has one goal, four SOG, seven blocks, and four hits in three games this season. With him and Cam York (upper body) out, Oliver Bonk has been thrust into a first-pairing role on defense. Bonk has performed well, notching four assists in the five games, but his fantasy appeal will take a big hit once the Flyers' defense is healthy again.
Source: Jordan Hall
Source: Jordan Hall
Jiri Kulich Questionable Saturday
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (face) is questionable for Saturday's matchup with Washington, Jane McNally of the Sabres' official site reports. Kulich took a puck to the face at Friday's practice and didn't finish the session. After recovering from a blood clot, Kulich has recorded three points (one goal, two assists), nine SOG, and seven hits in eight games this season. If Kulich can't play on Saturday, the Sabres are likely to use Tyson Kozak as his replacement. Kozak hasn't shown any signs in his young career that he can become a fantasy factor.
Source: Jane McNally
Source: Jane McNally
Vincent Desharnais Out 4-6 Weeks After Appendectomy
Washington Capitals defenseman Vincent Desharnais underwent an appendectomy and will be out 4-6 weeks, the team announced Friday. He was placed on Injured Reserve. Desharnais has been Washington's unsung hero this season, leading the team with a plus-nine rating. He ranks second with 22 hits and is third with 14 blocks. Offensively, Desharnais has chipped in with three assists in nine games. To cover for Desharnais' absence, the team will likely insert Dylan McIlrath back into the lineup on Saturday against Buffalo, but he should remain a free agent in fantasy leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Victor Hedman Leaves Friday's Action Early
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (undisclosed) didn't finish Friday's 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. He logged just 5:56 of ice time in the contest. Last season, Hedman was limited to 33 outings, and he might miss some time again. In 10 games, he has recorded four points (two goals, two assists), 13 SOG, and 13 blocks. The former Norris Trophy winner has had a smaller role, averaging 14:26 of ice time. He hasn't played more than 17:45. Tampa Bay dressed seven defensemen on Friday, so a forward might replace Hedman in the lineup if he's ruled out on Saturday against Utah.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Devon Levi Unavailable Saturday
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Devon Levi (undisclosed) didn't practice on Friday and won't dress for Saturday's contest against Toronto. Tristan Jarry will guard the Oilers crease on Saturday night. Edmonton has used Levi as the starter in back-to-back games and in four of the last five games. While he has been leaky, the Oilers have been on a winning path with Levi. He holds a 6-1-0 record this season and has allowed 3.11 goals with a .887 save percentage. Jarry has yet to lose in regulation, going 2-0-1, but he faces a difficult matchup on Saturday: the Maple Leafs have the eighth-best offense in the league, scoring 3.58 goals per game.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Evgeni Malkin Misses Practice Due to Illness
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (illness) didn't practice on Friday. A day after helping Pittsburgh beat Florida 4-0, Malkin felt under the weather and wasn't in shape to take the ice for practice. This leaves him questionable for Saturday's tilt against Nashville. Malkin shares the team lead in goals with Nick Robertson (6) and has amassed nine points in 11 games. Egor Chinakhov (lower-body) also didn't practice after missing Thursday's game, so the Penguins' frontline could be down to bare bones this weekend. Bryan Rust (lower body), Benjamin Kindel (undisclosed), and Justin Brazeau (lower body) are also on the shelf. The injuries have given Tommy Novak a first-line role. Rutger McGroarty and Andrei Kuzmenko could also soon find themselves in the top six.
Source: Pittsburgh Penguins
Source: Pittsburgh Penguins
Bowen Byram Misses Third Consecutive Game
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram (upper body) isn't ready to return to action on Friday night against Montreal. He'll miss a third straight game with an upper-body injury. Byram skated on Friday morning in a non-contact jersey. Chicago considers him day-to-day, so it shouldn't take long before Byram is back. His next chance to return will be a matchup against Florida on Sunday. So far this season, Byram has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments, recording one assist, five SOG, and nine blocks in six games. Wyatt Kaiser's workload has significantly increased during Byram's absence, but he isn't a recommended fantasy target.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Mike Matheson Back in Action Friday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (lower body) will return from a four-game absence on Friday against Chicago. Matheson's absence left a big gap at the back end, as he averages 24:09 of ice time per game. The veteran blue-liner has recorded one assist, nine SOG, and 10 blocks in five games this season. Matheson will need to step up his offensive game to meet his fantasy expectations. Adam Engstrom will be scratched on Friday to make room for Matheson.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Anthony Cirelli Available Friday
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) will suit up against Colorado on Friday. He didn't play in the third period of Tuesday's 6-2 win over Vegas, but Cirelli was apparently just banged up and isn't dealing with a serious injury. Cirelli has scored three goals and five points in nine games this season. On Tuesday, he had his best performance of the season, scoring two goals. Repeating that feat against a tough Avalanche team will be hard, though their defense hasn't been great this season, allowing three goals per game.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Dawson Mercer Moves to Winnipeg
Forward Dawson Mercer was traded to the Winnipeg Jets by the New Jersey Devils on Friday. The Jets got Mercer as the biggest piece in exchange for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The Jets also acquired forward prospect Alexander Command, goaltender Nico Daws, forward Nick Bjugstad (pectoral), a 2029 second-round pick, and a 2027 seventh-round pick. A first-round pick in 2020, Mercer averaged slightly above 0.5 points per game in 420 games with the Devils. He has four assists in 10 games this season. Mercer looks like a good addition to the Jets' middle-six group, but he doesn't offer too much fantasy value.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
