April 24, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will aim to rebound from a rough start to the postseason in Thursday's Game 2 against the Florida Panthers. The 2019 Vezina Trophy winner was lit up for six goals in Game 1 on Tuesday night, finishing with only 11 saves and a .625 save percentage. Tampa Bay allowed three power-play goals in the contest, and a better performance on the penalty kill by the team would be a welcome sight for Vasilevskiy, who holds a 2-6-1 record against Florida since the beginning of last year's playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Gabby Shirley
April 24, 2025
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will be sidelined for six months after undergoing successful right triceps tendon surgery on March 26. He is expected to make a full recovery; however, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere announced on Thursday that Ristolainen will not be healthy for next season's training camp. Ristolainen has been significantly limited by the triceps injury in recent years, making only 94 appearances. He missed the final 16 games of this campaign. The 30-year-old finished the season with 19 points (four goals, 15 assists), 100 shots, 94 blocks, 97 hits, and a plus-three rating.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
April 24, 2025
New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (lower body) practiced with the team on Thursday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury on Feb. 4. New Jersey lost Luke Hughes (upper body) in Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes and could use some reinforcement on defense; however, it remains uncertain whether Siegenthaler will join the lineup for Friday's Game 3. Siegenthaler posted nine points (two goals, seven assists), 92 blocks, and 75 hits in 55 regular-season games. He has made 28 career playoff appearances in the NHL, registering one goal and two assists.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
April 24, 2025
Washington Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas (foot) has traveled with the team for Games 3 and 4 against the Montreal Canadiens. Protas is expected to return to the lineup in this series and could be an option on Friday night. The two teams will also clash in Montreal on Sunday. Washington lost Protas eight games ago due to a skate cut on his left foot. The team has coped well with his absence, building a 2-0 lead in the matchup, but he would be a valuable addition. Anthony Beauvillier has skated on the first line in Protas' absence during the first two games in the series, recording a goal and two assists with a team-high eight shots.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tarik El-Bashir
April 24, 2025
Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (upper body) will not play in Game 3 against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. Vilardi traveled with the team to St. Louis but will be sidelined for a 14th consecutive game. The 25-year-old has been skating in a non-contact jersey this week, a sign that Vilardi is making progress. However, it remains unclear when he will be ready to jump back into the lineup. Winnipeg also remains without Nikolaj Ehlers (foot) on Thursday, increasing the fantasy value of Alex Iafallo and Nino Niederreiter.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Murat Ates
April 24, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Max Pacioretty is expected to enter the lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. He has sat out the first two games of the series as a healthy scratch. Pacioretty missed the end of the regular season due to an undisclosed injury. The Maple Leafs last had the veteran forward in the lineup on Feb. 8, so Pacioretty will likely have quite a bit of rust on him Thursday night. Pacioretty made 37 regular-season appearances, scoring five goals and 13 points. He is set to take on a third-line role, skating with Max Domi and Bobby McMann.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
April 24, 2025
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark allowed nine goals in two games against the Toronto Maple Leafs to open the 2025 postseason and will attempt to perform better as the series shifts to the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. He will enter the contest with a lowly .800 save percentage for this year's playoffs. Postseason struggles are not new for Ullmark, as he has allowed four or more goals in six of his 11 starts during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Overall, he has a 3-8-0 record in the playoffs, with a goals-against average of 3.73 and a save percentage of .875. Ullmark must significantly improve for the Senators to make this series competitive.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 24, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) is considered a game-time call for Thursday's matchup against the Florida Panthers. He suffered an undisclosed injury against the Panthers on Tuesday night and didn't take part in Thursday's morning skate. Nick Paul filled in for Cirelli on the second line, skating next to Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel. Mitchell Chaffee, who was a healthy scratch for the series opener, worked on the third line. Losing Cirelli would be a huge blow for the Lightning. He is a strong two-way player who recorded career highs in several categories during the regular season, including goals (27), assists (32), and points (59).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Benjamin Pierce
April 24, 2025
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson played a crucial role in Wednesday's 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery hailed Thompson as the "difference" in the game after he stopped 25 of 26 shots. Thompson's work included several outstanding saves, especially in the third period when the Capitals held a slender 2-1 lead. Thompson joined a select group of netminders on Wednesday night, becoming the fourth goaltender to win his first two playoff games with the Capitals. He has allowed 1.47 goals in the series, boasting a superb .951 save percentage. With Thompson in such good form, the Capitals have a great chance of making a deep postseason run.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 24, 2025
Washington Capitals forward Connor McMichael popped up with two goals as the team snuck past the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on Wednesday night. McMichael tied the game at one early in the second period and completed his multi-goal effort with an empty-netter in the dying seconds of the third. The 24-year-old scored a career-high 26 goals and 57 points in 82 games during the regular season and is also poised to contribute in the playoffs for the Capitals, who secured a 2-0 series lead on Wednesday night. McMichael's goals represent his first postseason points this year, but he ranks second on the team with seven shots on the net.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 24, 2025
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar scored a power-play goal and sent out three assists in Wednesday's dominant 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. He joined Adrian Kempe on four points, with the two becoming the first set of Kings teammates to each record four points in the same postseason game since Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey in 1992. This was Kopitar's second career four-point effort in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only Gretzky (6) has managed more with the Kings. The Kings captain is leading a highly prolific first line, as the team's top trio has combined for an extraordinary 17 points in the first two games against Edmonton. Kopitar has contributed one goal and four assists.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 24, 2025
Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe produced a four-point performance in Wednesday's 6-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers. He scored two even-strength goals and had a pair of power-play assists. L.A.'s first line went on a rampage, as Anze Kopitar also finished with four points (one goal, three assists). Kempe and Kopitar became the first set of Kings teammates to record four points in the same playoff game since Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey in 1992. Dating back to the regular season, Kempe has posted four consecutive multi-point games. There are three goals and four assists on his account through the first two postseason contests.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 24, 2025
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin was the hero of the night on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, potting the game-winning goal in a 2-1 overtime victory. Dallas was behind for most of the contest, but Jamie Benn knotted things up in the third period, and Seguin recorded his sixth game-winning goal in the playoffs with the Stars. He found the back of the net with his only shot on goal, finishing with an even rating across 14:01 of action. Seguin was also among the goal-scorers in Game 2, so the veteran forward has started to make a big impact in the first-round series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 24, 2025
Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog recorded a game-high six hits during his long-awaited return to action in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime defeat to the Dallas Stars. Playing in his first NHL game in 1,032 days, Landeskog logged 13:16 of ice time. He added one block to his six hits but did not register any offensive stats. "It's a very special night, and from my perspective, regardless of the outcome of the game, I mean, that was a memory of a lifetime for me," Landeskog said postgame. "It was very special." The Avalanche are now 2-1 down in the series and will need everybody, including their captain, to step up their game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 23, 2025
Veteran forward Cal Clutterbuck announced his retirement from the NHL on Wednesday. He spent 16 years in the league, including 11 with the New York Islanders, before sitting out the 2024-25 campaign. Clutterbuck also represented the Minnesota Wild, making his NHL debut with the team in 2007. He is the NHL's all-time hits leader with 4,029 and recorded 293 points (143 goals, 150 assists) with 698 penalty minutes in 1,064 regular-season contests. He made 81 further appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring 20 points (12 goals, eight assists).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
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