NHL Player News

Protas scored a goal on five shots on net and added two assists, a hit and a plus-3 rating in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win over the Devils.

All three points came in regulation, as Protas continues to build momentum heading into the new year. The 24-year-old has found the back of the net in four of the last five games, and through 12 contests in December he's delivered seven goals and 11 points.

Thompson notched two assists in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Bruins.

After Peyton Krebs tipped home Thompson's shot early in the second period for what proved to be the game-winner, the 28-year-old center helped set up Josh Norris for an empty-netter in the third. Thompson is surging to close out the calendar year, getting onto the scoresheet in eight of the last nine games while racking up six goals and 12 points.

Krebs scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in Saturday's 4-1 victory over Boston.

The multi-point performance, and the GWG, were both the first of the season for Krebs. The 24-year-old has only two goals on the season, but both have come in the last three games as he gets a look on Tage Thompson's line -- Krebs led all Sabres forwards in even-strength ice time Saturday at 16:28. On the season, the physical winger has 13 points, 92 hits, 43 shots on net, 40 PIM and a minus-5 rating in 37 games.

Jost scored a goal and dished out two hits in Saturday's 3-2 loss to St. Louis.

Jost's tally midway through the opening period helped Nashville level the score at one apiece. With the twine finder, the 27-year-old forward has three goals, six points, 28 shots on net and 33 hits through 27 games this season. He has scored two goals in his last six games, which could potentially earn him a more consistent role moving forward. If Jost's current rate of point production keeps up, his first year with the Predators could be his first campaign with double-digit points since the 2022-23 season.

Thomas recorded two assists in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Predators.

Thomas dished out both of the primary helpers on Pavel Buchnevich's consecutive goals in Saturday's contest. Overall, Thomas is up to 20 assists, 29 points, 54 shots on net and 21 blocks through 35 games this season. Despite St. Louis' struggles offensively, the 26-year-old center has produced a point-per-game rate over his last 16 outings, which has him eight points clear of any other skater on the team. Fresh off consecutive seasons with 60 assists, Thomas has the ability to heat up in the second half of the season, making him a strong fantasy option in nearly all formats with high upside.

Lundestrom (lower body) won't suit up for Sunday's contest against the Islanders, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports.

Lundestrom suffered a lower-body injury in the first practice out of the holiday break Saturday, and it's serious enough to keep him out of Sunday's contest. It remains to be seen if he'll be available for the team's next contest Monday in Ottawa. The 26-year-old has one goal and four assists in 35 games on the season, mostly in a bottom-six, penalty-killing role.

Olivier (upper body) will be activated from injured reserve ahead of his return to the lineup against the Islanders on Sunday, according to Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site.

Based on Saturday's practice, Olivier will occupy a third-line role in his return from a 13-game absence. He has accounted for three goals, nine points, 29 shots on net, 19 blocked shots, 71 hits and 44 PIM across 23 appearances this season.

Schenn scored a power-play goal and recorded two shots on net in Saturday's 3-2 win over Nashville.

Schenn put the Blues on the board first with a power-play goal midway through the opening period. Following his twine finder Saturday, he has seven goals, 15 points, 53 shots on net and 87 hits across 39 appearances this season. The 34-year-old's goal Saturday was his first since Dec. 7, snapping an eight-game streak without lighting the lamp. While he has been inefficient inside the Blues' top six, he still holds solid fantasy value in deep leagues due to his hit totals. He still has over half the season to turn things around offensively, but at his current pace, Schenn is at risk of recording less than 40 points in a season for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign.

Scheifele scored a goal, tallied an assist, fired five shots on net and had two hits in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Wild.

Scheifele had a hand in consecutive goals scored by the Jets across two minutes near the end of the second period, with the latter of the pair being the goal he scored to take a 3-2 lead. Overall, the 32-year-old center is up to 18 goals, 27 assists and 77 shots on net through 36 games this season. He's tied with Kyle Connor for the team lead with 45 points, which is also tied for ninth among all skaters. Scheifele has maintained a strong balance to his game, ranking in the top 20 for goals, assists and shooting percentage among players who have made 20 or more appearances. He's well on his way to another 80-plus point regular season, which would be the fourth of his career and second in a row.

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.