NHL Player News

Nelson scored a power-play goal on five shots and added two PIM in Friday's 4-1 win over the Blackhawks.

Nelson had gone 11 games without a goal, picking up five assists in that span. The 34-year-old broke the drought with a first-period tally that held up as the game-winner. For the season, Nelson is up to 31 goals (eight game-winners), 56 points, 14 power-play points, 164 shots on net, 50 blocked shots and a plus-10 rating over 68 appearances. He continues to play on the second line and first power-play unit.

Necas scored a goal on five shots and added two power-play assists in Friday's 4-1 win over the Blackhawks.

Necas has four goals and four helpers over his last six outings. His effort Friday was enough to give him a career high in points with 84 (32 goals, 52 assists) across 65 appearances. He has added 169 shots on net, 74 hits, 30 PIM and a plus-44 rating. Necas has been an excellent fit on the Avalanche's top line over the last season and a half, and that gives him top-tier fantasy value.

Zary sustained an apparent upper-body injury in the third period of Friday's game versus the Panthers, and head coach Ryan Huska had no update on his status after the contest.

Zary was hooked and then shoved head-first into the boards by A.J. Greer in the third period. Zary was able to skate off under his own power, but he'll need further evaluation to determine the extent of his injury. Ryan Lomberg or John Beecher are the top candidates to draw into the lineup if Zary can't play Sunday versus the Lightning.

Ivan was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Friday.

Ivan got into two games with the Avalanche during this stint in the NHL, but he didn't earn a point. The team's road trip continues against the Capitals on Sunday, and it's unclear if Ivan will be recalled prior to that contest, though the Avalanche could opt to add a different forward if none of their injured players are ready to return.

Geekie scored two goals in AHL Syracuse's 5-3 win over Rochester on Friday.

Geekie picked up where he left off in the AHL after a stint with the Lightning in March. At the AHL level, he has three goals and five assists during a five-game point streak. The talented forward has 16 goals, 54 points and a plus-13 rating across 49 appearances for the Crunch this year, but he's added just two assists in 11 outings with the Lightning.

Martin scored two goals in OHL Sault Ste. Marie's 5-1 win over Saginaw on Friday.

Martin missed a couple of months earlier in the season and has had some trouble getting his offense back on track. He has just three goals and one assist over eight outings in March. Despite the late slump, he's at eight goals and 23 points through 23 contests this season. The Nashville prospect will likely compete for a spot in the NHL to begin 2026-27.

Benak scored a goal and added three assists in OHL Brantford's 6-5 win over North Bay on Friday.

Benak has seven points over his last two outings to pick up the pace late in the season. He's up to 28 goals, 49 assists and a plus-23 rating through 47 appearances this season. Benak has had no trouble adjusting to the North American game and should help Brantford push for a deep playoff run.

Lundell (undisclosed) will not play Friday versus the Flames, Doug Plagens of the Panthers Radio Network reports.

The Panthers have been taking an extremely cautious approach with all injuries since their playoff hopes are toast. Lundell is day-to-day and may benefit from the rest before Tuesday's game versus the Kraken.

Frederic (undisclosed) could miss some time after head coach Kris Klobach told reporters Friday, "Trent is out with an injury, and I don't have a timeline," Sportsnet's Gene Principe reports.

Frederic, at a minimum, shouldn't be expected to face the Lightning on Saturday, though it sounds like it could certainly be longer before he returns to the lineup. Fantasy managers will have to take a wait-and-see approach and hope the team provides a true update at a later date -- something that is very rare this time of year.

Rodrigues logged two assists, including one with the man advantage, and three shots on goal in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Oilers.

Rodrigues was held out of Tuesday's game in Vancouver for an unspecified reason. He was back in the lineup Thursday and snapped a five-game slump with helpers on goals by A.J. Greer and Anton Lundell. Rodrigues is at 30 points, a mark he's reached in five straight campaigns. He's added 155 shots on net, 62 hits, 38 PIM and a minus-15 rating over 66 appearances.