4 days agoMontreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson set up three goals in Sunday's 4-2 road win against the Florida Panthers. He helped out Patrik Laine and Juraj Slafkovsky in power-play situations and bagged an even-strength assist when Nick Suzuki scored the game-winning tally. This marks Hutson's 14th multi-assist game of the season, tying him with Larry Murphy for the second most in a season by a rookie defenseman in NHL history. Chris Chelios holds the all-time record with 16. Hutson has nine more games to catch him. The 21-year-old is also aiming to break Chelios' franchise record for the most points scored by a rookie defenseman, which stands at 64 points. Hutson has accumulated 59 points (five goals, 54 assists) in 73 appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMontreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki added three points to his tally in Sunday's surprising 4-2 victory against the Florida Panthers. The Canadiens captain recorded a pair of power-play assists and potted the game-winning goal early in the third period. This marks the seventh time Suzuki has posted at least three points in a single game this season. Four of these instances have occurred since late February, as Suzuki is finishing the campaign strong. He has matched his offensive output from last year with 77 points (22 goals, 52 assists) in 73 appearances and will go after his new scoring record when the Canadiens and Panthers meet up for a rematch in Montreal on Tuesday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoAnaheim Ducks forward Robby Fabbri (hand) is likely done for the season. He has not played since Feb. 25 due to a hand injury, missing 15 contests. His last appearance against the Buffalo Sabres might end up being his final game for the Ducks, as Fabbri is poised to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is coming off a three-year, $12 million contract. Unfortunately, Fabbri has struggled with injuries throughout the duration of the deal, making only 140 appearances over three seasons. He will conclude the 2024-25 campaign with eight goals and 16 points in 44 games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Knoll
4 days agoAnaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba (undisclosed) could remain in the lineup for Sunday's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was hurt in Friday's win over the New York Rangers and did not practice on Saturday. However, a team source has told Derek Lee of The Hockey News that Trouba is "in consideration to play" against Toronto. Since arriving from the Rangers, Trouba has registered eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 47 games with the Ducks. He has also racked up 124 blocks and 117 hits. If Trouba cannot play, Oliver Kylington is expected to come into the lineup on the second defensive pairing.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Derek Lee
4 days agoCarolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (lower body) will not be in action on Sunday against the New York islanders. He has been ruled out with a lower-body injury, sitting out for the second time in five games. Tyson Jost will be inserted back into the lineup as Staal's replacement. He will skate on the fourth line and does not have any fantasy value. Jesperi Kotkaniemi will start the game as the third-line center, with Jack Roslovic centering the second line. Staal will get some good recovery time after Sunday's action, as Carolina is not scheduled to play until Wednesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Carolina Hurricanes PR
4 days agoPittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (upper body) will remain sidelined for Sunday's matchup against the Ottawa Senators. He continues to recover from an upper-body injury, missing a third consecutive game. Kevin Hayes has stepped in as the second-line center in place of Malkin, but Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has opted to switch things up for Sunday's game, with Rickard Rakell set to take over that role. Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust will be joined on the first line by Rutger McGroarty, who will make his first appearance in the big league since October.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Josh Getzoff
4 days agoUtah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka will be trusted in the crease for a 17th straight game on Sunday versus the Chicago Blackhawks. The Czech netminder has worked tirelessly between the sticks since the 4 Nations break, with Connor Ingram (personal) unavailable. Recently, he has hit a wall, dropping three decisions in a row, including an ugly 8-0 trashing by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Vejmelka holds a 21-20-7 record for the season, boasting a 2.60 goals-against average with a .903 save percentage and one shutout. Utah's No. 1 has not lost four consecutive starts since February 2024 and is in a good spot to end his recent slump, as Chicago has gone 1-8-1 over its last 10 games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Belle Fraser
4 days agoChicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom will be in the net for Sunday's game against the Utah Hockey Club. The Swedish netminder hopes to break a four-game losing streak. Since February, Soderblom has recorded just one victory, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 6-3 on March 1. He owns an 8-17-7 record for the season and has allowed 3.17 goals with a .899 save percentage. Although Utah is one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league, this matchup is expected to be another frustrating outing for Soderblom, as the bookmakers list the Blackhawks as +177 underdogs for the game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Charlie Roumeliotis
4 days agoChicago Blackhawks defenseman Alec Martinez (hip) will not play on Sunday against the Utah Hockey Club, missing a fourth consecutive game. Although Martinez practiced on Saturday, he is not yet game-ready due to a hip problem. His next opportunity to return will be on Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. Martinez's absence will allow Sam Rinzel to make his NHL debut in Sunday's game. Rinzel, a first-round pick in 2022, has just finished off a productive college career with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This season, he recorded 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 40 appearances and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Ben Pope
4 days agoUtah Hockey Club defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) has been activated from Injured Reserve, making him eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The veteran blue-liner last played on Jan. 2, missing 25 games due to a lower-body injury. Utah may use Bortuzzo as a replacement for Olli Maatta (lower body), who is a game-time decision for Sunday's matchup. However, fantasy managers should look past Bortuzzo, who has registered only two assists in 16 appearances this season on the offensive end. Without the puck, he has tallied 26 blocks and 20 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Utah Hockey Club PR
4 days agoUtah Hockey Club defenseman Olli Maatta (lower body) is a game-time call for Sunday's tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Finnish rearguard was injured on Friday night in a matchup against the Florida Panthers and is now in danger of missing Sunday's action. Utah has seen Maatta produce 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) in 63 games since the team acquired him from the Detroit Red Wings in late October. He ranks third on the team with 112 blocks. Nick DeSimone and Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) are potential replacements for Maata if he is not available. Utah has activated Bortuzzo from Injured Reserve ahead of the game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Mike Folta
4 days agoWashington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson will patrol the crease in Sunday's matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. He has received the nod for the 41st time this season, heading into the battle with a 31-4-6 record. Thompson has been superb for the Capitals throughout 2024-25, going 6-0-1 over his last seven appearances. He has allowed 2.32 goals this season, producing a .917 save percentage along with two shutouts. Buffalo boasts a top-10 offense in the league, but Thompson is likely to add another win to his tally on Sunday, as the bookmakers view the Capitals as massive -333 favorites for the game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tarik El-Bashir
4 days agoBuffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (illness) is a game-time decision for Sunday's clash against the Washington Capitals. He has a chance to return to the lineup after missing Saturday's loss to the Philadelphia Flyers due to an illness. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that Dahlin is feeling better and will participate in the warm-ups on Sunday. Jacob Bryson entered the lineup against Philadelphia on Saturday and is likely to sit out Sunday's action if Dahlin is ready to return. Buffalo's No. 1 defenseman is looking to record his second 60-point campaign in 2024-25, currently sitting on 13 goals and 44 assists through 63 outings. Forward Sam Lafferty (groin) may also return to the Sabres lineup against Washington.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Paul Hamilton
4 days agoEdmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) tallied three points during their 3-2 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday evening. Draisaitl missed the previous four contests due to an undisclosed injury but did not miss a step in his return. In the second period, he tallied the primary assist on Viktor Arvidsson's 11th goal of the campaign. Draisaitl would score the game-tying goal in the third, which forced overtime. In overtime, Draisaitl would score his second goal of the evening to power Edmonton to the victory. Through 69 games this season, Draisaitl has found the back of the net a league-leading 51 times and added 53 helpers. He remains a high-end lineup anchor in DFS when he faces the Golden Knights on Tuesday evening.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoNew York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin scored twice during their 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday evening. Panarin did all of his damage in the opening frame. He scored both of his goals on a wrist shot and during 5-on-5 play. During the contest, he held a +2 rating and logged three total shots on goal. This was his second-straight contest tallying at least two points. Through 15 games this month, Panarin has found the back of the net 10 times and added 10 helpers. During this stretch, he held a +8 rating and averaged 2.8 shots on goal per game. Through 72 total games this season, the 33-year-old has scored 33 goals and added 46 helpers, with 23 of his total points coming on the power play. He will look to stay hot on Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
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