3 years agoDallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (illness) appears ready to return to the lineup Wednesday against Edmonton. He was a late scratch with a non-COVID illness for Monday's 6-2 loss to Vancouver but has had some time to rest now and took part in the morning skate. Lindell has been a nice asset for fantasy managers with his defensive stats, recording 106 hits and 141 blocks in 70 games, and he's also managed to compile 24 points while averaging 22:06 of ice time. Andrej Sekera is dropping out of the lineup to make room for Lindell.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Mike Heika

3 years agoGoaltender Jonathan Quick turned away 29 of 30 shots in the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. Since taking back the starter's crease this season, Quick has a 20-13-9 record with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. He ranks 27th in the league in save percentage and has been having a mostly average season. However, as a consistent netminder and with a good team in front of him, Quick will lead the Kings to a playoff berth for the first time since the 2017-18 season.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: Hockey-Reference

3 years agoLeft winger Andrew Mangiapane scored two goals in the Calgary Flames overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. He continued his run of hot play in a breakout season. The Toronto native has 34 goals and 53 points this season, which ranks him fourth on the Flames in scoring. After going 13 games with only two points, Mangiapane has four goals and eight points in his last eight games. As the Flames chief secondary scoring threat, he will be called upon in the playoffs to deliver consistent scoring.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: Hockey-Reference

3 years agoMontreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price played his second National Hockey League game of the season on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild. He stopped 28 of 30 Wild shots for a .933 save percentage in the game. The Canadiens lost the game because they couldn't find a way to solve Cam Talbot, who posted a shutout. In his two games since returning from an extended leave of absence, Price has a 2.02 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. He hasn't won a game yet, but that's because of the lack of goal support from his team. It remains to be seen whether he will continue his career next season or hang up his skates for good.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: HockeyDB

3 years agoNew York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin posted a shutout versus the Winnipeg Jets for his sixth shutout of the season on Tuesday. The Hart Trophy candidate ranks first in the NHL in goals-against average and save percentage and is third in wins. Shesterkin stopped all 31 shots the Jets pelted at him. The 26-year-old goaltender has taken the NHL by storm since arriving in the 2019-20 season. In 98 NHL games, he has 62 wins, 2.01 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage to go with eight shutouts. Shesterkin is among the best fantasy options going into next season at his position.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: HockeyDB

3 years agoFlorida Panthers centerman Aleksander Barkov continued his remarkable play this season with a hat-trick performance over the New York Islanders. Fresh off of signing an eight-year contract worth $10 million per season, Barkov is having a career year. The 26-year-old center is second on the Panthers in scoring with 37 goals and 85 points. Barkov is a perennial Hart Trophy candidate with a big impact on both sides of the puck. He is also a very consistent point producer, never going more than one game without a point this season.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: HockeyDB

3 years agoGoaltender Jaroslav Halak (upper body) was called upon to start in the Vancouver Canucks game against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. He only lasted one period, though, leaving the game early with an upper-body injury. He was perfect before the injury, turning away 14 of 14 first-period shots. Halak has played 17 games this year in his first season for the Canucks. The veteran has a 2.94 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage and will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet

3 years agoLeft wing Alex Formenton scored two goals in the Ottawa Senators win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The goals ended Formenton's 11-game point drought. He was a force all night long with his blazing speed, notching seven shots on goal. He is now at 17 goals and 30 points in his first full NHL season. Formenton is stapled into the Senators top nine forwards next year and will get a shot at playing in the top six.--Naftali Clinton - RotoBallerSource: Hockey-Reference

3 years agoDetroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is battling an illness and is considered a game-time decision for Tuesday's clash with Tampa. He missed the morning skate and Magnus Hellberg is set to back up Thomas Greiss if Nedeljkovic doesn't feel better by game time. The 26-year-old recently picked up his third shutout of the season, but it's been an inconsistent campaign for him and he owns a 19-22-9 record with a 3.33 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Greiss has done even worse, and it's clear that Detroit needs more defensive quality in the team.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Helene St. James

3 years agoColumbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (upper body) will miss a second consecutive game on Tuesday against the Sharks. He's considered day-to-day and will have the next opportunity to return Friday against the Senators. Laine had a miserable time during his debut campaign in Columbus, but he has been firing on all cylinders again this season with 26 goals and 56 points in 56 games. Kent Johnson has joined the top six in Laine's absence. The 19-year-old has so far gone pointless in his first three career appearances, but he's a very exciting prospect and should get plenty of opportunities to impress in the final few games of the season.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Svoboda

3 years agoColumbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (upper body) will miss Tuesday's game against San Jose. He was injured over the weekend against the Ducks and hasn't recovered quickly enough to be ready for Tuesday's matchup. Werenski has had a poor month offensively, but he's enjoyed a solid campaign overall with 11 goals and 47 points in 67 outings. Jake Bean will skate with Andrew Peeke on Tuesday, while Nick Blankenburg will be lifted into a bigger role. The 23-year-old has notched one point in his first three NHL appearances after signing a one-year, entry-level contract with Columbus earlier in the month.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Svoboda

3 years agoVancouver Canucks right wing Alex Chiasson is battling an illness and could sit out a second consecutive game Tuesday against Ottawa. The 31-year-old has fallen sick at a really bad time, as he was enjoying his best spell of the season entering this week with nine points in five games. Nic Petan took his spot on the second line Monday against Dallas and will likely fill in for him again on Tuesday if Chiasson isn't feeling well enough to play. He isn't a viable fantasy option, as Petan has tallied just one point in 14 appearances this season.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Brendan Bachelor

3 years agoSt. Louis Blues defenseman Nick Leddy (eye) will be back in action on Tuesday against Boston. The veteran rearguard sat out Sunday's 8-3 win over Nashville after taking a high stick near his eye on Saturday against Minnesota, which resulted in him having some troubles with his vision. Calle Rosen came in for Leddy and had a monster game with two goals and an assist, but he's set to come out of the lineup again on Tuesday. Leddy, who was acquired from Detroit last month, has skated in 14 games for the Blues, tallying seven points with 12 blocks and a plus-four rating. He's benefitted from skating with Justin Faulk, who's been very hot offensively in recent weeks with 13 points in 11 games.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lou Korac

3 years agoToronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (undisclosed) will sit out a second consecutive game on Tuesday against Philadelphia. The NHL's best goal-scorer is dealing with an unspecified minor issue, with head coach Sheldon Keefe suggesting that Matthews would be able to play if completely necessary. Toronto's No. 34 is sitting on 58 goals, and hopefully, he will return soon to finish off his chase for 60 goals. William Nylander moved back into the top six at the weekend in Matthews' absence and had a nice two-point showing in a 4-2 win over the Islanders.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Mark Masters

3 years agoCalgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau finished with two goals in Monday's 5-2 victory against the Blackhawks. The Flames winger gave the team a two-goal advantage in the opening period, and he later added an empty-net goal in the closing stages of the game to bring his season total up to 38 goals and a plus-minus rating of +61 through 76 games. Gaudreau's dominant season of a team-high 107 points will result in him flying off of the draft boards in the early rounds of leagues this upcoming fantasy hockey season, as he enters his age-29 season.--Denis Vondrus - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com