3 weeks agoTampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (upper body) will play in Friday's contest against Minnesota. Cernak was forced to make an early exit due to an upper-body injury against Colorado on Wednesday, but he won't miss any additional time. The 27-year-old skates on the second defensive pairing and mostly does the dirty work. Cernak has recorded 15 blocks and 16 hits in 10 outings this season. Offensively, he has contributed three assists. Tampa's defense faces a major test on Friday against an in-form team that averages close to four goals per game (3.78), spearheaded by the red-hot Kirill Kaprizov.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Gabby Shirley
3 weeks agoBuffalo Sabres winger Zach Benson (lower body) has a chance to return next week if his recovery continues to go well, according to head coach Lindy Ruff. Benson has missed the last three games due to a lingering lower-body injury that has hampered him all season. He won't play Friday against the New York Islanders or Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, but could be back next week at some point. The 19-year-old sophomore doesn't have a point yet in six games, but has scoring upside and could work his way into the top six if he plays well. He should be considered a buy-low in dynasty formats, and in redraft leagues he could turn into a streamer or even a bench option later in the season.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Heather Engel
3 weeks agoToronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jani Hakanpaa (knee) and center Connor Dewar (shoulder) have been sent on a conditioning loan to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Hakanpaa and Dewar both haven't played this year due to injuries suffered before the season started. Both should have a good chance to get into the lineup once their conditioning stints are over, but both will probably play lower down in the lineup. Hakanpaa could be a good hits and blocks streamer if he gets decent minutes, and Dewar won't be fantasy-relevant.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Chris Johnston
3 weeks agoColumbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov (upper-body) is set to make his season debut on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Voronkov missed the first nine games of the season after suffering an upper-body injury in the final game of the preseason. The 24-year-old had a solid rookie season last year, notching 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 75 games for the Jackets. Voronkov could slide into a top-six role and become a viable streamer at some point, but for now he can be avoided in all fantasy formats.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Svoboda
3 weeks agoNew York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (upper-body) has traveled back to New York to see team doctors about an upper-body injury. Barzal played in Wednesday's game against Columbus, logging 22:46 TOI, but evidently something happened late in that game or the day after. Barzal will not play Friday against Buffalo and could be looking at a long-term injury based on the way the team is talking about it. The Isles are already having trouble scoring, so their best offensive player missing any chunk of time would be a dagger.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: New York Islanders
3 weeks agoDetroit Red Wings winger Vladimir Tarasenko (illness) appears to be over his sickness and should play on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. Tarasenko missed Wednesday's game while dealing with the flu, but is back at practice Friday. The 32-year-old is off to a rough start with his new team, as he has just two goals and one assist through nine games. He has been playing on the third line and second powerplay unit as of late, and unless that changes his production is unlikely to rebound. He can be dropped in all but deeper leagues at this point.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Ted Kulfan
3 weeks agoVegas Golden Knights winger Mark Stone (personal) will not practice on Friday for personal reasons and is a game-time decision for Saturday's game against Utah. Stone is welcoming his second child into the world, so he shouldn't miss too much time, if any. The 32-year-old is on pace for career-highs in goals, assists, and points through his first 11 games, with five, 14, and 19 of each respectively. He looks fully healthy after injuries ravaged each of his last three seasons and should continue to be one of the best wingers in the league if he can stay on the ice.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Vegas Golden Knights
3 weeks agoFlorida Panthers forward Tomas Nosek (upper body) will make his team debut on Friday versus Dallas. Nosek has been sidelined for the start of the season due to an upper-body injury. However, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has confirmed that the Czech forward will be counted on in Friday's game. Nosek is expected to center the fourth line, with A.J. Greer and Mackie Samoskevich accompanying him on the wings. He'll be a good addition to the Panthers lineup, but it's safe to leave him on the waiver wire in fantasy hockey. Nosek was limited to only six points (two goals, four assists) in 36 outings with New Jersey last season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jameson Olive
3 weeks agoEdmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl recorded his second three-point outing in three games in Thursday's 5-1 victory over Nashville. Taking over from Connor McDavid (ankle) as the first-line center, Draisaitl had two goals and an assist in the contest. All of his points came during even-strength play, which has been the norm this season for Draisaitl. The German star has posted only two power-play points thus far, despite racking up 13 total points (eight goals, five assists) in 11 outings. There should be a lot more to come from Draisaitl as the Oilers try to maneuver through McDavid's absence and get their season on track.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoCarolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas added four points to his tally as the team crushed Boston 8-2 on home ice Thursday. Carolina scored half of its goals already in the first period, with Necas completing the damage with a power-play goal. He also had two assists with the man advantage and wrapped things up with an even-strength helper. Necas hit the four-point mark in a single game for the third time in his career. The Czech forward has been on fire lately, amassing four goals and 12 points across the past five games. He boasts 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in nine games for the season, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach 15 points in a campaign before skating in his 10th game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoWashington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin had a very productive night at the office on Halloween, producing three points in a 6-3 victory over Montreal. He capped off the scoring with his fifth goal of the season and dished out two assists, including one with the man advantage. Ovechkin also boasts five assists through the first nine appearances of the season. He's averaging over a point per game, but it must be noted that Ovechkin has collected half of his 10 points in the past two games. The Russian superstar faces a tricky matchup next against Columbus. The Blue Jackets have found some form lately, and Ovechkin has often struggled against them. In 48 career games against Columbus, Ovechkin has managed 25 goals and 39 points.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoPittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby scored both goals as the team ended a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 overtime victory against Anaheim on Thursday. The Penguins captain tied the game early in the third period and hit the game-winner 2:35 into overtime. It's his 102nd career multi-goal game and also his 474th multi-point game, which puts Crosby eighth on the all-time list. The team's struggles have also left a mark on Crosby's numbers, but an outburst of five points (two goals, three assists) in two games has given his account a big boost. Crosby is now averaging a point per game for the season through 12 appearances, sitting on three goals and nine assists. It looks like he has to do a lot more to keep the Penguins in playoff contention.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoToronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander tallied two goals against Seattle on Thursday, helping the team to a 4-1 victory. Both goals came in the second period, with Nylander's first marker turning out to be the game-winning goal. The Maple Leafs have been inconsistent early in the season, and the same applies to Nylander. He's racked up eight goals and 12 points in 11 games, but Nylander has finished most of his outings (6) scoreless. Five points (three goals, two assists) have come in the past two games. Nylander's linemates, John Tavares and Max Pacioretty, have also benefited from his hot form, but it remains to be seen if he can keep it up on a consistent basis.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoSan Jose Sharks center Will Smith scored his first two career goals as the team picked up a third consecutive win by beating Chicago 3-2 on Thursday. Smith, who led the NCAA in scoring last season, has had it tough at the start of his NHL career and didn't even have any assists on his account before Thursday's matchup. He scored the first and the final goal in the contest, with his power-play marker in the second period ending up as the game-winning tally. Smith has been limited to 13:32 of ice time and has sat out several games as a healthy scratch. He's not been a great piece for fantasy managers during his rookie campaign, but Smith flashed his potential on Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoNew Jersey Devils center Curtis Lazar has been ruled out indefinitely after he underwent a procedure on his left knee. Lazar, who operates as New Jersey's fourth-line center, was injured in a game against Anaheim on Sunday. The 29-year-old has picked up one goal and one assist in 12 outings this season, with 36 hits registered. Justin Dowling filled the center role on the fourth line Wednesday versus Vancouver and notched an assist in his season debut. He might stick with the team for a while now, but fantasy managers should not expect him to appear on the score sheet regularly.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
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