Sam Carrick to Miss Start of Playoffs
Buffalo Sabres center Sam Carrick (arm) will miss the start of the postseason, Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News reports. The veteran forward injured his left arm late last month and has been sidelined for five games. Before injury struck, Carrick was having a good start at his new club. He scored five goals and six points in 13 games. With Carrick unavailable, Tyson Kozak has begun to re-establish his spot in the lineup. He has played in back-to-back games, collecting an assist in Thursday's 5-0 victory over Columbus. Josh Dunne could also see some action late in the season as the fourth-line center.
Source: Rachel Lenzi
Source: Rachel Lenzi
Alex Lyon Questionable for Start of Postseason
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (lower body) may not be available for selection at the start of the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs. On Thursday, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff ruled Lyon out for a week, adding that there's a possibility the 33-year-old netminder won't be available for the start of the postseason. Lyon set a new franchise record with a 10-game winning streak this campaign and has gone 20-10-4 in 34 starts. He has a 2.77 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage, and three shutouts. While Lyon has mostly shared the crease with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Colten Ellis impressed with a 37-save shutout in Thursday's 5-0 win over Columbus and could also be an option for the playoffs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dakota Joshua Unlikely to Return This Season
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua (upper body) is doubtful to return to action this season, David Alter of The Hockey News reports. He sustained an upper-body injury in Wednesday's loss to Washington and wasn't available for Thursday's clash against the Islanders. It seems his season might have finished prematurely, with Toronto facing three more games. Joshua is set to end the campaign with 18 points (10 goals, eight assists), 52 SOG, and 195 hits in 55 games. Before getting hurt in Wednesday's contest, Joshua was enjoying a late-season offensive surge, picking up one goal and three assists in five games.
Source: David Alter
Source: David Alter
John Gibson Exits Thursday's Game Due to Neck Problem
Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson exited Thursday's 6-3 win over Philadelphia early due to neck stiffness, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports. Gibson left the game midway through the second period after allowing two goals with a .867 save percentage. Cam Talbot finished the job with 11 saves on 12 SOG. Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan confirmed after the game that Gibson hasn't entered concussion protocol, so he doesn't appear to be dealing with a serious issue. However, the veteran netminder could still sit out some action. Detroit will return to work on Saturday against New Jersey. Gibson is two wins short of matching his career-high, going 29-20-4 this season. He has registered a 2.64 goals-against average with a .904 save percentage and four shutouts.
Source: Helene St. James
Source: Helene St. James
Miro Heiskanen Uncertain for Playoffs
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (lower body) could be unavailable for the start of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The star rearguard sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday's win over Minnesota. After the game, Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters he doesn't yet know Heiskanen's playoff status. Heiskanen is considered unlikely to play on Saturday against the New York Rangers. Overall, Dallas has three regular-season games remaining. During a career year, Heiskanen has been the NHL's ninth-highest scoring defenseman. He has tallied 63 points (nine goals, 54 assists) in 77 games. Thomas Harley will have an increased workload with Heiskanen on the shelf, giving him more fantasy value.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Brandon Hagel Expected to Return Before End of Regular Season
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel (lower body) is expected to be back in the lineup before the end of the regular season, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Hagel was unavailable for a fifth consecutive game on Thursday against Montreal as he continues to work his way back from a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old has had an outstanding year with 73 points (35 goals, 38 assists) and a plus-33 rating in 69 games. Hagel's absence has given Gage Goncalves an expanded role. He has played well, contributing three assists over the past five games.
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Roman Josi Nursing Upper-Body Injury
Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi was a late scratch on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth due to an upper-body injury. The Predators captain took part in the pregame warmups but wasn't healthy enough to play. Nashville announced that Josi is considered day-to-day. Losing Josi is a tough blow for the Predators, who are one point away from a playoff spot after losing Thursday's game 4-1. Josi has logged points in each of his last four appearances, improving his total for the season to 54 points (13 goals, 41 assists) in 66 games. Jordan Oesterle replaced him in the lineup against Utah, while Ryan Ufko led all Predators defensemen in power-play time with 2:20.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Blake Coleman Unavailable Thursday
Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman (personal) will miss Thursday's encounter with the Colorado Avalanche. The team is in the midst of a six-game road trip, but Coleman has returned home for the birth of his son. Coleman has been among Calgary's top goal-scorers this season, finding the back of the net 19 times with 166 attempts on net. In 65 outings, he has also contributed 14 assists, while logging a team-best plus-13 rating. John Beecher will play instead of Coleman on Thursday, but he isn't expected to make a fantasy impact. Victor Olofsson will also rejoin the frontline against his former team, with Martin Pospisil sitting as a healthy scratch.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Quinton Byfield Cleared to Play Thursday
Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (undisclosed) will play on Thursday night against the Vancouver Canucks. It was initially unclear whether Byfield would be available for the matchup after he missed Wednesday's practice. The 23-year-old is trying to record his third straight 50-point campaign in 2025-26, but he will have to improve his scoring form in the final games to achieve it. In 74 games, Byfield has tallied 20 goals and 24 assists. Thursday's clash against the NHL's worst team is a great opportunity for Byfield to make up some ground. He will center the second line and the second power-play unit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Thomas Chabot Makes Surprise Return Thursday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (forearm) will rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. He broke his right forearm on March 23 and was expected to be out for 4-8 weeks following surgery three days later. Yet Chabot has been cleared to play after just two weeks. Jordan Spence's fantasy value takes a hit with Chabot's return, as he won't be part of either power-play unit going forward. Chabot has been a busy man for the Senators, totaling 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) and 108 blocks in 55 appearances.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Luke Hughes to Miss Rest of Season
New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (undisclosed) has been ruled out for the rest of the season. He is set to undergo a procedure to fix an unspecified injury. New Jersey faces four more games, starting with Thursday's clash against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hughes will finish the campaign with 35 points (six goals, 29 assists), 150 SOG, and 52 blocks in 68 games. His absence will boost Simon Nemec's fantasy stock late in the season. He is expected to skate on the first power-play unit in Thursday's game. Dennis Cholowski will fill the void in the lineup.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Stuart Skinner Faces Devils Thursday
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (eye) will return to the crease on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. Last weekend, Skinner was struck near his left eye by a puck when he was serving as a backup goalie in a game. Luckily for Pittsburgh, the incident didn't result in a serious injury for Skinner, and he is ready to help the team on Thursday. Skinner has posted an 11-8-5 record since joining the Penguins in December, allowing 2.99 goals with a .886 save percentage. This isn't a great matchup for Skinner, as the Devils' offense has significantly improved late in the season, averaging 3.72 goals per game since March.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Nazem Kadri to "Miss Some Games" With Finger Injury
Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri (finger) could be done for the rest of the regular season. He injured a finger in Tuesday's win over St. Louis, and Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Kadri "will miss some games." Since rejoining Colorado from Calgary, Kadri has made 16 appearances for the Avalanche, recording nine points (four goals, five assists). Joel Kiviranta is expected to replace Kadri on the third line against Calgary on Thursday night. Zakhar Bardakov could also see some action while Kadri is on the mend.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Seth Jones to Miss Rest of Season Due to Broken Foot
Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (foot) will be unavailable for the final few games of the regular season, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports. He suffered a broken bone in his foot during Tuesday's loss to Montreal. Earlier in the season, Jones missed time due to an upper-body injury and will finish the campaign with only 52 appearances. He posted 32 points (seven goals, 25 assists), 88 SOG, 61 blocks, and 47 hits. The Panthers' blue line has already been without Dmitry Kulikov (finger), Aaron Ekblad (finger), Uvis Balinskis (foot), and Niko Mikkola (lower body) to end the year. Mike Benning is a major beneficiary of the injury crisis and will join the first power-play unit on Thursday against Ottawa.
Source: Jameson Olive
Source: Jameson Olive
Zach Benson Scores Twice in Comeback Victory
Buffalo Sabres left winger Zach Benson had two goals as the Sabres defeated the New York Rangers by a score of 5-3 on Wednesday. It was the first multi-goal game of the season for Benson, and it broke a six-game goalless drought for the young forward. Benson now has 12 goals, 39 points, and a plus-21 rating this year in his third NHL season.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
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