NHL Player News

Backlund (undisclosed) will be in the lineup for Tuesday's clash with San Jose.

Backlund left Saturday's matchup with the Kings after logging just 11:10 of ice time but seems no worse for the wear. The veteran center has managed just one goal in his last 11 outings, and perhaps more concerningly for fantasy managers, a mere 16 shots. At this point, Backlund's days of being a 20-goal scorer seem well behind him; he last achieved that mark back in 2018-19, but he should still be capable of putting up at least 15 tallies this year.

Zibanejad (coach's decision) will return to the lineup against Vancouver on Tuesday, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports.

Zibanejad was a healthy scratch for Monday's 4-1 loss to Anaheim after missing a team meeting. He should occupy a top-six role and see time on the first power-play unit against the Canucks. Zibanejad has compiled 11 goals, 25 points, 99 shots on net and 51 hits in 33 appearances this season.

Eichel (illness) left Tuesday's practice early, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Eichel still could be ready for Wednesday's game against New Jersey. An update on his availability could come after Wednesday's morning skate or closer to game time. He has amassed 12 goals, 41 points and 117 shots on net across 31 appearances this season.

Gaudette will be out of the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Flames because of a lower-body injury, according to Max Miller of NHL.com.

Gaudette will miss his fifth game of the season Tuesday. The Sharks are dealing with numerous injuries up front, so Zack Ostapchuk will draw back into the lineup in a fourth-line capacity, while Igor Chernyshov is set to make his NHL debut, likely on the top line with Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf. Gaudette will turn his attention to attempting to be ready for San Jose's next game, which is at home against the Stars on Thursday.

Kurashev (upper body) is week-to-week, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports Tuesday.

After being placed on injured reserve Monday, Kurashev will miss at least the next three games, starting with Tuesday's matchup against Calgary. However, his week-to-week status suggests he could be out for longer than that. The 26-year-old forward has registered six goals, 15 points, 49 shots on net and 30 hits through 31 appearances this season. With Kurashev and Will Smith (undisclosed) unavailable, Igor Chernyshov and Collin Graf will join Macklin Celebrini on the top line for Tuesday's contest.

Bjugstad (upper body) was shifted to injured reserve Tuesday, according to Matthew DeFranks of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Bjugstad's move to IR comes on the heels of the Blues claiming Jonatan Berggren off waivers Tuesday, as the team needed to free up a roster spot. Bjugstad has already missed three straight games, so he's eligible to return to the lineup at any time. The 33-year-old forward has garnered four goals, five points, 52 hits and a minus-4 rating over 25 games this year.

Haight was reassigned to AHL Iowa on Tuesday.

The Wild needed to make room on the roster after activating Marcus Foligno (lower body) from injured reserve, which resulted in Haight being dropped to the minors. The 21-year-old Haight will head back to Iowa, where he's recorded five goals, six points and a minus-12 rating across 16 contests in 2025-26.

O'Reilly logged two assists and went plus-2 in Monday's 5-2 win over the Blues.

O'Reilly set up the first and last goals of Filip Forsberg's hat trick, which bookended the scoring in this game. Over his last 10 contests, O'Reilly has found a groove with four goals and nine assists while continuing to play in a top-line role. He's now at 26 points, 51 shots on net, 23 blocked shots and a plus-3 rating through 32 games this season.

Back scored a goal and added four PIM in Monday's 4-1 win over the Kings.

Back ended a seven-game point drought with the tally, which put the Stars ahead 2-1 in the third period. His goal stood as the game-winner, the first GWG of his career. On the year, the 25-year-old defensive forward has five points, 14 shots on net, 12 blocked shots, 11 hits and a plus-3 rating over 24 appearances. He has limited appeal in fantasy since he is in a fourth-line role with little offense to show for it.

Lundell scored a goal, added two hits, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Monday's 5-2 win over the Lightning.

Lundell continues to play well in December, earning four goals and three assists over eight games this month. The first-line center is up to 10 goals, 26 points, 71 shots on net, 37 hits, 26 blocked shots and a minus-3 rating over 32 appearances. He's on pace to reach the 20-goal and 50-point marks for the first time in his career, and he's trending toward personal bests in most major fantasy categories.