2 weeks agoColumbus Blue Jackets right wing Yegor Chinakhov (lower body) will play against Minnesota on Saturday. There was a question mark hanging over Chinakhov after he was hurt in the previous game and didn't participate in Friday's practice, but the Russian winger isn't forced to miss any games. It's great news for the Blue Jackets, as Chinakhov has been one of the team's best players early in the campaign. With four games played, Chinakhov has tallied two goals and four assists, sharing Columbus' scoring lead with Kirill Marchenko. However, Saturday's matchup is a tough one for Chinakhov and the rest of the Blue Jackets' frontline against a team that is tied for the sixth-best defensive record in the league.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 weeks agoToronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz is expected to get the starting nod on Saturday evening when the Leafs host the New York Rangers. Stolarz has started in all but one game this season and held a stellar .940 SV% and 1.69 GAA with a 2-1 record through his first three starts as a Leaf. The 30-year-old has yet to surrender more than two goals in a single start. Last season in Florida, Stolarz posted a strong .925 SV% and 2.03 GAA in 27 games. However, the former second-round pick faces a tall task this evening in the Rangers, as they have scored at least four goals in every game this season and tallied five in three of them, making him a risky play in DFS.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Dave McCarthy
2 weeks agoDallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (lower body) will not play on Saturday, according to Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News. The 32-year-old has been sidelined for the past two games and will now miss his third straight with a lower-body injury. During his first three games, the veteran tallied three points (two goals, one assist) with four shots and one blocked shot. Mavrik Bourque has replaced Seguin in the starting lineup and should continue to be penciled in on the third line for now. 35-year-old Evgenii Dadonov was given the nod to replace Seguin's spot on the second power-play unit over the past two games and should continue to do so, which makes him an intriguing sleeper pick in DFS formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Lia Assimakopoulos
2 weeks agoDallas Stars defenseman Matt Dumba (lower body) was placed on the injured reserve earlier on Saturday. In a corresponding move, the Stars promoted Matej Blumel from the AHL Texas Stars. Dumba suffered this injury this injury last week and was initially deemed to be "week-to-week." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status. As a result, Brendan Smith will likely remain in the starting lineup as the replacement option for the time being. In addition, 23-year-old Thomas Harley has begun to cover the top pair with Miro Heiskanen in Dumba's absence. In his past three games, Harley has logged over two minutes of power-play time in each game with one total assist and could be worth a look as a streaming option for the time being.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Stars
2 weeks agoCarolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced en route to earning his first victory of the 2024 season. Andersen fell behind early after allowing the first goal of the game to Pittsburgh left wing Drew O'Connor. However, during the final two periods, the 35-year-old was able to shut the door to secure the victory. In his first start of the season, the veteran allowed two goals on 21 shots in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andersen played in only 16 games last season but held a strong .932 SV% and 1.84 GAA with a 13-2 record. Fantasy managers should expect the veteran to split time in the crease with Pyotr Kochetkov but remain a valuable fantasy asset given the strong Carolina defense.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 weeks agoCarolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas scored his first goal of the season with an additional assist in their victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday evening. Necas scored the eventual game-winner in the second frame on the power-play, beating goaltender Joel Blomqvist. Later in the period, Necas tallied his second point, once again on the power-play on an assist on Shayne Gostisbehere's slapshot goal. Necas now has three points through the first three games of the campaign and looks on pace to have another successful season after tallying 24 goals and 29 assists last season. Fantasy managers should continue to expect Necas to play on Carolina's second line but see time on the top power-play unit.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 weeks agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere found the back of the net in the second straight game on Friday evening against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Gostisbehere tallied his second goal of the campaign on the power-play off a shot from the point in the second frame. Through his first three games in Carolina, the 31-year-old has tallied two points (both goals) with a +0 rating. He has averaged 3.33 shots per game with two total blocked shots. Fantasy managers should expect the offensive defenseman to continue to see top minutes on one of the best power-play units in the sport while playing on the second pairing alongside Sean Walker.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 weeks agoSeattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn (undisclosed) has been labeled as day-to-day ahead of Saturday's matchup against Calgary. Dunn missed the third period of Thursday's 6-4 win over Philadelphia, and Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma suggested it was for precautionary reasons. However, Dunn does appear to be dealing with an injury and didn't practice on Friday. The 27-year-old has already missed one game this season because of an upper-body injury. He has tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in four outings while registering 10 shots on goal and 10 blocks. If Dunn can't go against the Flames, Josh Mahura will replace him in the lineup, with Ryker Evans moving up to a top-pairing role in defense. Evans has been in good form, with four points (one goal, three assists) in five games. He would have even more fantasy value in a larger role.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Julian Gaudio
2 weeks agoMinnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (nose) is expected to be back in action on Saturday against Columbus. After breaking his nose last weekend, he has sat out a pair of contests. Working as the second-line center, Eriksson Ek has tallied one goal with four shots in two games. His return will push Ryan Hartman (upper body) back to the third line, although he could be entirely absent for Saturday's game after missing Friday's practice. Meanwhile, Marcus Johansson (lower body) will also make his return on Saturday following his absence from Tuesday's 4-1 victory over St. Louis. Eriksson Ek and Johansson will be reunited with Matt Boldy on the second line. It could be a productive return for the duo as Minnesota faces a team that has allowed the fourth-most goals per game this season (4.25).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Dylan Loucks
2 weeks agoDetroit Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry (upper body) is set to rejoin the lineup on Saturday versus Nashville. The veteran has missed three games after getting hurt in the team's season-opener against Pittsburgh on Oct. 10. Erik Gustafsson is expected to be scratched for the contest to accommodate Petry's return. Petry's productivity dropped off significantly in 2023-24 as he settled for 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) in 73 games with 134 blocks and 150 hits. He'll be 37 soon and doesn't appear to have much gas left.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 weeks agoColorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen delivered three assists in Friday's 4-3 overtime win against the Ducks. The Avalanche have struggled to keep the puck out of their net early in the season and fell into a 2-0 hole in front of their fans on Friday, but Rantanen's world-class playmaking ability helped the team produce a comeback and get its maiden victory of the season. The Finnish forward went off for three points for a second consecutive game and now has three such efforts for the season. Despite the team's struggles, Rantanen has racked up 10 points (four goals, six assists) in five games. Sunday's matchup against San Jose offers Rantanen an opportunity to log three-plus points in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoColorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton netted two goals to help the team secure its first victory of the season on Friday, beating Anaheim 4-3 in overtime. Colton doubled his goal tally for the year in the third period, netting his first marker on the power play. He finished with five shots in total and had one hit across 21:54 of action. Injuries have helped Colton to move up the lineup quickly, and he was part of the first line in Friday's game. The 28-year-old has scored in back-to-back games while collecting all of his five points this season in the past four games. There should be plenty more to come for Colton if he sticks with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoWinnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk had the first four-point outing of his career on Friday, finishing an 8-3 victory over San Jose with a goal and three assists. Pionk closed out a four-goal first period for the Jets with a power-play goal and had two points with the man advantage overall. He was plus-two for the game and registered two shots with one hit in 19:20 of ice time. The 29-year-old now boasts five points (one goal, four assists) in four games for the season, working on the second defensive pairing and the second power-play unit. He offers solid production across all categories and benefits from playing on a hot team that's 4-0-0 to start the season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoWinnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti recorded a career-high four points in Friday's 8-3 victory over San Jose. He tallied two goals and two assists, with half of his points coming on the power play. The 22-year-old led all skaters with a plus-four rating and tied a game-high with five shots. Perfetti entered Friday's contest with zero points and six shots on his name through three games, so this should be a good confidence booster for him. Winnipeg's second line was buzzing all night, combining for 11 points, and they have a chance to keep the momentum going on Sunday versus the Penguins, who allow 4.17 goals per game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoMontreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky injured his left shoulder in Friday's practice. Slafkovsky may now miss his first game of the season on Saturday when Montreal plays the Islanders, although he has traveled with the team. An injury that takes him out of the lineup would be a very unfortunate setback for Slafkovsky, as the 20-year-old has had a fine start to the season. With five games played, Slafkovsky has contributed one goal and three assists while delivering a team-high 18 hits. Josh Anderson or Brendan Gallagher might step into the top six in Slafkovsky's absence on Saturday, with a tweak to the first power-play unit then also required.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Eric Engels
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