January 20, 2026
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (illness) will miss Tuesday's game against the Boston Bruins. He was a late scratch for the contest due to illness. With Rantanen out, the Stars lose their top scorer. The Finnish star has tallied 63 points (19 goals, 44 assists) in 48 appearances, putting him sixth in the league among all scorers. Sam Steel will take Rantanen's spot on the first line against Boston. Rantanen's first chance to return will be a meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
--Taavi PailkSource: Dallas Stars
January 20, 2026
Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke (lower body) will play on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars, Jim McBride of The Boston Globe reports. He was initially considered a game-time decision. Peeke sustained a lower-body injury in a matchup against the Seattle Kraken last week but recovered quickly, missing only one game. Boston will be happy to have Peeke back after losing Henri Jokiharju (personal) for Tuesday's game. However, the 27-year-old offers very little fantasy value. In 48 outings this season, Peeke has registered nine points (four goals, five assists), 54 shots, 92 blocks, and 58 hits.
--Taavi PailkSource: Jim McBride
January 20, 2026
Philadelphia Flyers center Rodrigo Abols (lower body) will be out for "months," Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet refused to rule Abols out for the rest of the season, but it's clear that he faces a long spell on the sidelines. Across 42 outings this season, Abols has logged 10 points (three goals, seven assists), 43 shots, and 49 hits. On Monday, it was announced that Abols will be replaced on Team Latvia for the Olympics by Rihards Bukarts. In Philadelphia, Lane Pederson replaced Abols in the lineup on Monday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
--Taavi PailkSource: Kevin Kurz
January 20, 2026
New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (undisclosed) won't play on Tuesday night against the Edmonton Oilers. He was injured in Monday's overtime win against the Calgary Flames. Early reports suggest that Hughes will miss some time, although the team doesn't yet know the full extent of his injury. Hughes has been on track for his third consecutive 40-point campaign in 2025-26, recording five goals and 21 assists in 49 contests. Johnathan Kovacevic is expected to replace Hughes in the lineup on Tuesday night. He has a limited offensive arsenal and isn't a viable fantasy option.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 20, 2026
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower body) will not play for Team Sweden at the 2026 Olympics, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. He will miss a fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens and won't rejoin the lineup until after the 2026 Olympic Games. It's a bad blow for the Swedes and the Wild. Brodin has made 42 appearances this season, recording 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) and 91 blocks. The Wild defense is currently also without Zach Bogosian (undisclosed), but he could be an option for the team later this week. In the meantime, David Jiricek will eat up minutes on the third defensive pairing with Daemon Hunt.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michael Russo
January 20, 2026
Montreal Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier (lower body) will miss Tuesday's clash against the Minnesota Wild. The team has ruled him out due to a lower-body injury. Texier is considered day-to-day. The French forward has made a big impact with the Canadiens this season, amassing 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 27 games. While losing Texier is a blow for Montreal, the team will get Kirby Dach (foot) back into the lineup against Minnesota. He will replace Texier on the first line. Texier's first chance to return will be on Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 20, 2026
Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (foot) was activated from long-term Injured Reserve and will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. Dach has missed over two months due to a broken foot. He was initially expected to miss 4-6 weeks. This season, Dach has been limited to 15 games, producing five goals and two assists. He will be in a great spot to make an immediate impact on Tuesday night, joining forces with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the first line. Dach is also expected to be part of the second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 19, 2026
New Jersey Devils left wing Ondrej Palat (illness) will be back in action on Monday against the Calgary Flames, returning from a one-game absence. The Czech veteran was a no-go on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes after feeling under the weather. Palat is projected to skate with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer on the second line. It has been a tough year for Palat, who has contributed only four goals and six assists in 47 appearances. He has landed on the score sheet just twice in his last 15 outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 19, 2026
Anaheim Ducks left wing Chris Kreider (illness) will rejoin the lineup on Monday night against the New York Rangers. He's set to face his former team after sitting out two games due to illness. Kreider is expected to replace Jansen Harkins in the lineup and will skate on the first line. The veteran forward will also link up with the second power-play unit. Across 42 appearances this season, Kreider has managed 15 goals and 25 points. Kreider went without a point on Dec. 15 against the Rangers, which was his first time facing his former team since his offseason trade.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 19, 2026
Los Angeles Kings right wing Corey Perry (personal) practiced with the team on Monday, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The veteran appears poised to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the New York Rangers. Perry has missed three games for personal reasons. After skating with Adrian Kempe and Alex Laferriere and working on the top power-play unit at Monday's practice, Perry may offer additional fantasy value on Tuesday night. The 2011 MVP has produced 10 goals and 13 assists in 37 contests this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Zach Dooley
January 19, 2026
Philadelphia Flyers right wing Bobby Brink (upper body) was activated from Injured Reserve and is expected to rejoin the lineup on Monday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 24-year-old has been unavailable for six games due to an upper-body injury. Brink is projected to skate with Matvei Michkov and Noah Cates and should also see power-play time on the second unit. In 2025-26, Brink is attempting to post his second consecutive 40-point campaign. He has notched 11 goals and 20 points through 41 appearances. Philadelphia's forwards have an appealing fantasy matchup on Monday, facing a team with the third-lowest save percentage in the league.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 19, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (groin) will be sidelined for a second consecutive game on Monday versus the Minnesota Wild. According to Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, there isn't a timeline for Nylander's return. Toronto may also be without Matthew Knies (undisclosed) on Monday after he missed the morning skate. Knies has been Nylander's replacement on the second line. With Knies also unavailable, Scott Laughton skated in the spot on Monday morning. Laughton's fantasy value would increase significantly if he sticks on the line as John Tavares' and Matias Maccelli's partner for Monday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 19, 2026
Winger Kiefer Sherwood (undisclosed) was dealt from the Vancouver Canucks to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. Vancouver made a deal for a couple of second-round draft picks and minor league defenseman Cole Clayton. Sherwood is in the second season of a two-year, $3 million contract and has had a decent campaign. The 30-year-old has scored 17 goals and 23 points in 44 outings. Sherwood will also add a lot of muscle to the Sharks' lineup, as he ranks second in the NHL with 210 hits. Currently, Sherwood is nursing an undisclosed injury, and it's unclear whether he will play before the Olympic break. Still, Sherwood looks like a good pickup by the Sharks, who hope to end a six-game postseason drought in 2026.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 19, 2026
Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (groin) will make his season debut on Monday night against the San Jose Sharks. The star forward has been cleared to play after recovering from offseason surgery. Florida will ease Tkachuk back into action on the third line. He will skate with Mackie Samoskevich and Evan Rodrigues. Tkachuk will also join the top power-play unit. While Tkachuk could be rusty in his first few games back, he has enough talent to make an immediate impact. On Monday night, Tkachuk and the Panthers go up against the NHL's third-weakest defense.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 19, 2026
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (lower body) might be ready to end a seven-game absence on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. After returning to practice last week, Wilson participated in the morning skate ahead of Saturday's contest against the Florida Panthers. He was labeled a game-time decision for the matchup, but the team ultimately didn't activate him from Injured Reserve. Wilson's return would be a welcome boost for a Capitals team that has won only three games in 2026. The power forward has been a point-per-game player this season, leading Washington with 22 goals and 42 points.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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