NHL Player News
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Gabriel Vilardi C | WPG
Jets' Gabriel Vilardi: Records two assists Saturday
Vilardi had two assists, placed two shots on net, recorded two blocks and served two PIM in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to Minnesota.
Vilardi picked up two secondary helpers across the first two periods on the goals scored by Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor. With the pair of apples, Vilardi is up to 17 assists, 33 points and 77 shots on goal through 36 games this season. Since Nov. 21, he has been incredibly steady with 10 goals and 19 points, which includes six multi-point efforts, over his last 17 games. During that span, he has a 31.3 shooting percentage, which is the third highest among all skaters who have played in at least 15 games. This fact, combined with his return to solid playmaking with three assists over the last two games, makes him a strong fantasy option in nearly all leagues and gives him an added boost in those that place a premium on offensive stats.
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Nick Cousins C | OTT
Senators' Nick Cousins: Puts away goal in loss
Cousins scored a goal on two shots and added four hits in Saturday's 7-5 loss to the Maple Leafs.
Cousins has two goals over his last six games. While he's chipped in semi-regularly, his fourth-line role makes him a no-go in standard fantasy formats. Cousins is at six goals, three assists, 29 shots on net, 78 hits and 33 PIM over 36 appearances this season, and his 20.7 shooting percentage is bound to regress eventually.
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Anze Kopitar C | LA
Kings' Anze Kopitar: Earns trio of helpers
Kopitar notched three assists and a plus-3 rating in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Ducks.
Kopitar had secondary helpers on all three goals of Alex Laferriere's hat trick. This was Kopitar's first multi-point effort since Nov. 20 versus the Sharks. The 38-year-old center is up to six goals, 14 assists, 48 shots on net, 28 blocked shots and a plus-14 rating over 33 appearances this season. He remains in a top-six role, but he's likely set for one of the lower-scoring campaigns of his prolific career.
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Justin Hryckowian C | DAL
Stars' Justin Hryckowian: Riding five-game point streak
Hryckowian scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Blackhawks.
Hryckowian is on a five-game point streak (three goals, two assists). The 24-year-old has earned his place as a bottom-six regular for the Stars this season, though his fantasy utility remains limited even during his current successful run. He's at a total of six goals, 13 points, 40 shots on net, 59 hits, 17 blocked shots, 17 PIM and a minus-2 rating over 38 appearances this season.
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Sam Lafferty C | CHI
Blackhawks' Sam Lafferty: Slumping in part-time role
Lafferty has failed to record a point in his last 11 appearances after going scoreless with two shots on net and two hits in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Stars.
Lafferty has been scratched nine times during his slump, though he has played in six of the Blackhawks' last 10 games. The 30-year-old has mostly filled a fourth-line role when he plays, which limits his scoring potential. He's at one goal, five shots on net, 16 hits, 14 PIM and a plus-2 rating over 16 outings this season. Lafferty is a non-factor in fantasy as long as his usage remains limited.
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Jason Dickinson C | EDM
Blackhawks' Jason Dickinson: Scores in Saturday's shootout win
Dickinson scored a goal, added four hits and went plus-3 in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Stars.
Dickinson has scored twice over the last five contests. The 30-year-old is filling in as the top-line center for now while Connor Bedard (upper body) and Frank Nazar (upper body) are out. Dickinson is more of a defensive center, as evidenced by his seven points in 24 outings this season. He's added 32 shots on net, 28 hits, 16 blocked shots and a minus-5 rating, but his offense could get a boost while he's in a more prominent role.
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Yanni Gourde C | TB
Lightning's Yanni Gourde: Adds helper in win
Gourde notched an assist and six PIM in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Panthers.
Gourde has three helpers over his last seven games, but he's in another lengthy goal drought that stands at 13 contests following Saturday. The defensive forward is up to 13 points, 55 shots on net, 50 hits, 18 blocked shots, 28 PIM and a plus-3 rating through 37 appearances. Gourde will continue to hold a spot in the lineup even if his offense goes cold rather than lukewarm, but he hasn't produced at a level that will help many fantasy managers.
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Anthony Cirelli C | TB
Lightning's Anthony Cirelli: Provides two assists
Cirelli logged two assists, three hits and two PIM in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Panthers.
Cirelli set up a Jake Guentzel shorthanded tally in the first period and a Nikita Kucherov empty-netter in the third. The 28-year-old Cirelli has a goal and three helpers over his last four contests as he continues to bounce back after a quiet first half of December. The two-way center is up to 22 points (three on the power play, two shorthanded) with 60 shots on net, 23 hits, 20 blocked shots, 10 PIM and a plus-20 rating over 33 appearances in a top-six role this season.
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Ridly Greig C | OTT
Senators' Ridly Greig: Outmuscles opponent on breakaway
Greig scored a goal Saturday in a 7-5 loss to the Maple Leafs.
Greig won a puck battle with Philippe Myers on a breakaway and managed to get the puck on net. Myers fell backward while backchecking and ended up driving the loose puck into the twine tent as he slid into Joseph Woll. Greig has four goals, nine assists and 53 shots in 32 contests this season, and he also has four points over his last five contests.
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Colton Sissons C | LV
Golden Knights' Colton Sissons: Tickles twine in shootout loss
Sissons scored a goal on two shots and blocked three shots in Saturday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Avalanche.
Sissons has scored in consecutive games for the first time this season. It's a small stretch of success, but getting Sissons and the rest of the bottom six going would be valuable for the Golden Knights entering the second half of the season. The 32-year-old is at three goals, five points, 32 shots on net, 46 hits, 21 blocked shots and a minus-6 rating over 32 appearances.