NHL Player News

Rakell (hand) was taken off injured reserve Friday.

Rakell will return to the lineup versus the Sharks on Saturday and figures to slot back into a first-line role alongside Sidney Crosby. Prior to his 20-game stint on injured reserve, the Swedish winger was rolling offensively with three goals and five helpers in the first nine games of the year. In addition to joining Crosby on the top line, Rakell figures to also slot into the No. 1 power-play unit.

Kapanen scored a goal on four shots and blocked two shots in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Penguins.

Kapanen scored three times over his last five games, and he's up to 10 goals on the year. The 22-year-old has 16 points, 48 shots on net, 24 blocked shots, 14 hits and an even plus-minus rating through 30 appearances this season. Kapanen has emerged as a solid two-way center on the Canadiens' second line, and while his offense is a little light for pivot, he could be useful for his all-around production in deeper fantasy formats.

Joshua scored a goal on two shots, added two PIM and logged four hits in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Sharks.

Joshua continues to be an effective bottom-six forward, providing grit and a little depth scoring. He has three goals and a helper, as well as 25 hits, over his last six games. For the year, he's at nine points, 25 shots, 23 PIM, 99 hits, 23 blocked shots and a minus-2 rating over 29 appearances.

Sasson scored a goal on five shots in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Sabres.

The Canucks' ongoing injury woes have allowed Sasson to maintain a bottom-six spot in the lineup. He snapped a six-game point drought with the goal, though he's been effective in small bursts at times this year. He's now at six goals, eight points, 30 shots on net, 16 hits, 20 blocked shots and a minus-2 rating over 28 appearances. That production is right in line with what he did as a rookie in 2024-25, but it's not really enough to help in most fantasy formats.

Thompson scored a goal on five shots, dished a power-play assist and blocked two shots in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Canucks.

Thompson tied the game at 9:12 of the second period and then helped out on a Zach Benson goal a few minutes later. The 28-year-old Thompson has scored in three straight contests and has six points, including four on the power play, in that span. For the season, he's at 15 goals, 28 points (nine on the power play), 113 shots on net, 35 hits, 15 blocked shots and a minus-12 rating through 31 appearances in a top-line role.

Gregor scored a goal on three shots and added two hits in Thursday's 6-2 loss to the Avalanche.

Gregor ended a nine-game point drought with the tally. The 27-year-old forward has been a bottom-six regular since he joined the Panthers in late October, but that's not a role that's likely to lead to much offense. He's produced two points, 16 shots on net, 17 hits and a minus-5 rating through 16 appearances.

Nelson scored a goal on three shots in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Panthers.

Nelson's scored in three straight games and five of his last seven, totaling six goals and three assists in that longer span. The 34-year-old put the Avalanche ahead 2-1 late in the first period Thursday. The center has 12 goals, 21 points, 52 shots on net, 26 blocked shots and a plus-12 rating over 31 outings this year. Nelson's role in a strong offense makes him a quality depth center for fantasy.

Brindley scored a goal on three shots, dished an assist, added two PIM and went plus-2 in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Panthers.

Brindley missed nine games due to a lower-body injury and sat out Tuesday as a healthy scratch. He drew back in for Zakhar Bardakov in this contest, and Brindley's performance suggests he'll be sticking in the lineup moving forward. The 21-year-old forward is at a total of nine points, 25 shots on net, 19 hits and a plus-5 rating through 19 appearances this season.

MacKinnon scored a goal on seven shots, added an assist and went plus-2 in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Panthers.

MacKinnon's goal was the 392nd of his career. They've all come with Colorado, and he now has the most goals since the franchise relocated from Quebec, passing Joe Sakic's Avalanche total. MacKinnon is on quite the role with multiple points in seven of his last nine outings, earning eight goals and eight assists in that span. For the season, the 30-year-old superstar leads the league with 25 goals, 53 points, 147 shots on net and a plus-37 rating over 31 appearances.

Crosby had an assist Thursday in a 4-2 loss to Montreal.

Crosby is now just four points behind Mario Lemieux (1,723) for the Penguins point record. Crosby has 1,719 NHL points (643 goals, 1,719 assists). The 38-year-old has recorded points in seven of his last nine appearances, a stretch that includes four multi-point performances. Across that nine-game span, he's recorded six goals, five assists, eight hits and four PIM while averaging 20:31 of ice time.