March 13, 2026
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon factored in four goals during Thursday's 5-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. After being tossed from Tuesday's loss to Edmonton, MacKinnon responded with one goal and three assists. He already had three points before the first intermission, tying Alex Ovechkin for the fourth most three-point periods among active players. This was the 24th time MacKinnon had as many as three points in a single period. The Avalanche superstar is in a battle for the Art Ross and Rocket Richard Trophies. He has netted a league-high 44 goals in 63 appearances and is second in scoring with 108 points, just two behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid. MacKinnon has finished seven of his last 11 outings with multiple points.
--Taavi PailkSource: Hockey Reference
March 13, 2026
New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere continued his scoring tear with a goal and an assist in Thursday's 6-3 road victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Lafreniere scored New York's second goal and assisted Gabriel Perreault on the game-winning tally. After the Olympic break, Lafreniere has received increased opportunities, and he has responded with six goals and five assists in his last six games. He has lit the lamp in three consecutive contests, taking his season total to 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 65 games. In his current form, Lafreniere could be a decisive factor for many fantasy teams on their way to glory.
--Taavi PailkSource: Hockey Reference
March 13, 2026
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (knee) has been ruled out for the rest of the season, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. The 37-year-old Russian hasn't seen any action since undergoing knee surgery in December 2024. Varlamov has one more year left on a contract, which carries a $2.75 million cap hit. He has posted a 76-63-21 record with the Islanders and ranks 49th all-time with 289 career wins. Time will tell whether Varlamov will get an opportunity to add to his total in New York or elsewhere. With Varlamov unavailable, David Rittich has gone 13-9-3 as Ilya Sorokin's backup this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Stefen Rosner
March 13, 2026
New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (shoulder) may be available for the team during the postseason, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said Romanov could be back for the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Russian rearguard has been out since mid-November due to shoulder surgery. Before injuring his right shoulder, Romanov recorded one assist, 17 shots, 31 blocks, and 31 hits in 15 appearances. His physical presence could be a real asset for the Islanders during the postseason. In the meantime, Matthew Schaefer, Ryan Pulock, and Adam Pelech will continue to lead the blue line.
--Taavi PailkSource: Stefen Rosner
March 13, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Declan Carlile (undisclosed) exited Thursday's win over the Detroit Red Wings in the third period, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports. With Erik Cernak (undisclosed), Max Crozier (abdomen), and Emil Lilleberg (face) out of action, Carlile was in the lineup for a second consecutive game, but he might now also miss time after suffering an undisclosed injury. Carlile has made 38 appearances this season, mainly contributing on the defensive end. He has recorded three points (one goal, two assists), 29 shots, 30 blocks, 46 hits, and a plus-five rating. Steven Santini will step in for Carlile if needed on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
--Taavi PailkSource: Benjamin Pierce
March 13, 2026
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser (upper body) may have to miss some time again after being hurt in Thursday's overtime win against the Utah Mammoth. Kaiser, who recently missed four games due to a lower-body injury, suffered an upper-body injury on Thursday when he was involved in a collision with Mammoth forward Michael Carcone late in the third period. The 23-year-old has tallied 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 61 games this season, adding 60 shots, 53 blocks, and 37 hits. If Kaiser isn't available on Saturday night against Vegas, Ethan Del Mastro will get a chance to make his fifth appearance of the season. In his few outings, Del Mastro hasn't tallied any points but has racked up defensive stats.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 13, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson (upper body) is joining the team in Philadelphia for Saturday's clash against the Flyers, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports. The veteran suffered an upper-body injury on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings and was expected to miss Columbus' three-game road trip. Instead, it seems like Gudbranson could be an option for the final game of the trip. Gudbranson has registered three points (one goal, two assists), 19 shots, 29 blocks, and 27 hits across 21 appearances this season. Jake Christiansen has played in back-to-back games but will depart the lineup when Gudbranson is ready to return.
--Taavi PailkSource: Aaron Portzline
March 12, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (lower body) was forced to leave the game with a lower-body injury in Thursday's 6-4 victory against the Ducks. The Maple Leafs captain was injured on a knee-on-knee collision in the second period of the contest, with Ducks captain Radko Gudas getting a major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct, too. Matthews was assisted by a trainer and was only able to put minimal weight on his leg. Before the injury, Matthews scored a power-play goal to bring his season total to 27 goals through 60 games.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
St. Louis Blues right winger Jimmy Snuggerud had a two-goal game in a 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. His goals came back-to-back and gave the Blues a 2-1 lead. The 21-year-old rookie has been on fire lately with five goals and nine points in his last four games. He is a great waiver-wire pick-up right now in most fantasy leagues.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
San Jose Sharks center Michael Misa had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday. He got the scoring started six minutes into the game and then assisted on William Eklund's goal in the third period. The second overall pick from the 2025 draft got off to a slow start this season, but now he has picked it up and has 15 points in 26 games so far. He has a bright future ahead of him.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
Minnesota Wild right wing Bobby Brink (upper body) is considered a game-time call for Thursday's matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers. He may have to miss a meeting with his former team after sustaining an upper-body injury in Tuesday's win over the Utah Mammoth. Brink has made three appearances with the Wild since being traded last week by the Flyers, recording one goal on three shots on net. Robby Fabbri is expected to make the lineup if Brink can't play. Through 17 games with both the Wild and St. Louis Blues this season, Fabbri has produced only one goal and three assists, making him a non-factor in fantasy hockey.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
Vancouver Canucks left wing Evander Kane (upper body) will return from a one-game absence on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. After shaking off an upper-body injury, Kane will replace Nils Hoglander in the lineup. Kane has had an underwhelming campaign, with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 61 games. Still, he could make a significant impact in Thursday's matchup, as Kane will skate on the top line with Elias Pettersson, Vancouver's leading scorer. Drew O'Connor will complete the trio. Kane's two goals helped Vancouver to a 5-4 overtime victory over Nashville in their last meeting on Nov. 3.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (upper body) is a game-time decision for Thursday's clash against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Golden Knights captain has missed five games with an upper-body injury, but he has a chance to return on Thursday night. If he is cleared for action, Stone will immediately reclaim his spot on the first line and join the top power-play unit. Stone is third on the Vegas team with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 43 games and ranks sixth in the league with an average of 1.40 points per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
Florida Panthers forwards Carter Verhaeghe (tightness) and Anton Lundell (rest) won't return to the lineup on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Florida has fallen behind in the fight for a playoff spot and has started resting players. It's Verhaeghe's and Lundell's turn to sit out some action, while Sam Reinhart (rest) will rejoin the lineup. Florida's lineup maneuvering will result in Cole Reinhardt making his team debut on Thursday. Meanwhile, A.J. Greer is set to have a top-six role, which elevates his fantasy value. Greer is slated to skate with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 12, 2026
Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart (rest) is expected to rejoin the lineup for Thursday's tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was rested by the team on Tuesday night against Detroit, missing his first game of the season. Reinhart is set to start Thursday's game on the first line with Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues. He will also be a vital part of the first power-play unit. This season, Reinhart has averaged slightly below a point per game, but he still leads Florida in scoring. Across 63 appearances, Reinhart has contributed 28 goals and 31 assists. Reinhart has finished 10 consecutive regular-season games against Columbus with at least one point.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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