December 13, 2025
Colorado Avalanche right wing Logan O'Connor (hip) is expected to remain out for at least 1-2 more weeks, Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now reports. After he had offseason hip surgery, O'Connor was close to making his season debut in November. Currently, he is dealing with a new issue. "His hips are good," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters on Friday. "It's just something that came up when he was getting back on the ice and something he's been dealing with and he wants to get it fixed and feel right before he gets back, understandable." O'Connor has had four consecutive 20-point campaigns as a bottom-six forward in Colorado. Meanwhile, Bednar had good news regarding another bottom-six piece, Joel Kiviranta (eye), who could play on Saturday against Nashville after making an early exit from Thursday's win over Florida. The Finnish forward is dealing with an eye issue.
--Taavi PailkSource: Aarif Deen
December 13, 2025
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (upper body) was activated from Injured Reserve on Friday, making him eligible to return to the lineup for Saturday's meeting with the New Jersey Devils. Dostal has been sidelined for three weeks due to an upper-body injury. Working as Anaheim's No. 1, Dostal has had a fantastic campaign, going 11-5-1. He has logged a 2.81 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Ville Husso has filled in for Dostal in the crease, with Petr Mrazek (lower body) unavailable. Should Dostal start on Saturday, he would be returning in a favorable matchup, as New Jersey has managed just 2.90 goals per game this season -- the 11th-lowest average in the league.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 13, 2025
New Jersey Devils winger Arseni Gritsyuk (undisclosed) will miss this weekend's games against Anaheim and Vancouver, Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com reports. The Russian rookie began the week with a three-point effort against the Ottawa Senators but is now nursing an undisclosed injury. Gritsyuk is tied for fifth in scoring among first-year players, sitting on 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) through 31 outings. New Jersey also lost Timo Meier (personal) up front this week, giving the team's offense a different look. Juho Lammikko will probably replace Gritsyuk on Saturday against the Ducks, but he has no fantasy value.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ryan Novozinsky
December 13, 2025
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (shoulder) will not play on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. He appeared to have injured his right shoulder during a faceoff late in Friday's 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Chicago's young superstar bagged two assists on Friday night to continue his spectacular season. Bedard has tallied 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 31 games, tying him for fourth on the NHL's scoring charts. Given the nature of the injury, Bedard could be facing a longer absence, which would be a massive blow for the Blackhawks' playoff hopes.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 13, 2025
The Vancouver Canucks acquired defenseman Zeev Buium from the Minnesota Wild on Friday. The Wild traded away Buium, along with center Marco Rossi (lower body), left wing Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick, to land defenseman Quinn Hughes. Buium is in the middle of his rookie campaign and has flashed potential by recording 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in 31 appearances. He is tied for seventh in scoring among first-year players. Going forward, Buium should be able to improve his output, as he will have a larger role on Vancouver's blue line.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 13, 2025
Center Marco Rossi (lower body) became a member of the Vancouver Canucks on Friday after the Minnesota Wild traded him in a deal to acquire defenseman Quinn Hughes. Rossi was on track to return from a lower-body injury on Sunday against the Boston Bruins. Instead, he will head across the border and be part of a new group going forward. Injuries have limited Rossi to only 17 appearances this season. He has recorded four goals and nine assists. The former top-10 draft pick had a breakthrough campaign in 2024-25, notching 60 points (24 goals, 36 assists) in 82 outings. In Vancouver, Rossi will land in the top six and should see plenty of power-play time. However, this move negatively impacts his fantasy value, as Rossi now joins the league's worst team -- one that averages the sixth-fewest goals in the NHL.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 13, 2025
The Minnesota Wild acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday in exchange for center Marco Rossi (lower body), defenseman Zeev Buium, left wing Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick. Due to Vancouver's poor season, Hughes' name has frequently been in trade rumors, and he will suit up for a new team this weekend. Hughes' Wild debut is expected to come on Sunday against the Boston Bruins. Even with his team struggling, Hughes has been averaging close to a point per game during the 2025-26 season. He has tallied two goals and 21 assists in 26 games. His production should improve on a better team. The 2024 Norris Trophy winner is under contract until the 2027 offseason. His arrival in Saint Paul is bad news for Brock Faber, who will have to give up his spot on the first power-play unit to Hughes.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell (hand) was activated from Injured Reserve on Friday and will return to the lineup for Saturday's tilt against the San Jose Sharks. Due to a broken hand, Rakell was forced to sit out 20 games. He will likely go straight back into the top six and the first power-play unit. Before he was injured, Rakell was enjoying a productive start to the season. He had an early-season five-game point streak and notched three goals and five assists in nine outings. From a fantasy standpoint, Saturday's matchup is favorable for Rakell and the rest of Pittsburgh's offense, as the Sharks allow 31.3 shots and 3.25 goals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (lower body) will miss his first game of the season on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders' leading scorer suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's win over the Anaheim Ducks and is considered day-to-day. Mathew Barzal will take over top-line center duties against Tampa Bay, while Jean-Gabriel Pageau will center the second line after spending some time on the right wing. Jonathan Drouin (back) is expected to return from a five-game absence on Saturday and will fill the gap on the top line.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) won't play on Saturday afternoon against the New York Islanders but could return to action on Monday versus the Florida Panthers. He will miss a sixth consecutive game on Saturday due to an undisclosed injury. However, Vasilevskiy practiced on Friday and should be back between the sticks soon for Tampa. The Russian netminder owns an 11-6-2 record for the season and has registered a 2.31 goals-against average, along with a .917 save percentage and one shutout. Jonas Johansson has done a decent job as Vasilevskiy's replacement and will search for a third consecutive victory in Saturday's matchup.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman is scheduled to undergo elbow surgery on Monday and will be out until February. Hedman has already missed significant time this season and will be sidelined once again after aggravating a previous injury. He made just three appearances after a 12-game spell out. Hedman is expected to be fully ready for the Olympics tournament, which begins on Feb. 11. Declan Carlile took Hedman's spot in the lineup Thursday against the New Jersey Devils and could now have a regular role for several weeks. Meanwhile, Darren Raddysh's fantasy prospects continue to grow. He has become Tampa's top defenseman, eating up huge minutes and posting multiple points in back-to-back games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann (lower body) will be out of commission for three weeks. He suffered a lower-body injury in Wednesday's win over the Los Angeles Kings and will start his spell on the sidelines on Friday night against the Utah Mammoth. McCann only recently returned from a lower-body injury, which kept him out for 17 games. He has posted eight points (five goals, three assists) in 11 appearances this season. Ryan Winterton is projected to replace McCann in the top six on Friday. Winterton has not made a fantasy impact, going 11 outings without scoring any points. Overall, he has totaled four points (two goals, two assists) in 28 appearances this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Goaltender Stuart Skinner was traded by the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, along with defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin. Skinner has had a couple of very inconsistent campaigns in the Oilers crease, and the team finally decided to move on from him. This season, Skinner has posted a decent goals-against average of 2.83 with an 11-8-4 record, but his save percentage stands at a disappointing .891. In Pittsburgh, Skinner will compete for playing time with Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
The Edmonton Oilers acquired goaltender Tristan Jarry in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. In the deal, Edmonton parted ways with goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick. Along with Jarry, the Penguins also received forward Sam Poulin. Jarry, who had spent his entire NHL career with the Penguins, is signed through the 2027-28 season with a $5.375 million cap hit. After a couple of tough campaigns, the 30-year-old netminder is enjoying a bounce-back year in 2025-26. Jarry has a 9-3-1 record through 13 starts, allowing 2.66 goals with a .909 save percentage and one shutout. Edmonton desperately needed an upgrade between the sticks, as only two teams in the league have posted a lower save percentage this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
Colorado Avalanche left wing Joel Kiviranta (upper body) exited Thursday's 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers late in the first period. He was limited to only seven shifts due to an upper-body injury as the Avalanche flexed their muscles against the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters after the game that Kiviranta's injury is "nothing too serious." Kiviranta has missed most of the campaign with a lower-body injury. He has registered two points (one goal, one assist) and 21 hits across 14 outings in a bottom-line role. If Kiviranta needs to take some time off to nurse his injury, Zakhar Bardakov would get a new opportunity to play.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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