NHL Player News

Finnie registered an assist, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs.

It took just over a game and a half for Finnie to find the scoresheet in the NHL. The 20-year-old has come out of nowhere to claim a top-line gig with the Red Wings to begin 2025-26, just over two years after he was a seventh-round pick in 2023. Finnie has still been a bit sheltered overall, averaging 13:04 of ice time per game, and until that number goes up by a few minutes, his offense figures to be limited.

Copp scored an empty-net goal on two shots in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs.

The empty-netter came late in the third period to seal the Red Wings' win. Copp has two hits, two blocked shots and three shots on net over two contests while filling a third-line role to begin 2025-26. He's been playing on the wing, though he's more or less interchangeable with J.T. Compher. Copp was limited to 23 points in 56 appearances last year, but it's tough to expect much of a bounce-back given his fairly limited role.

McCann scored the game-winning goal in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Golden Knights.

McCann's goal officially clocked in at 4:56 of the extra session. He added three shots on net and two hits in the contest. The 29-year-old has a pair of goals, six shots, three hits and two blocked shots over two games this season while playing in his usual top-six role. His 22 goals last year were his fewest in a season with the Kraken, and that came on a 10.9 shooting percentage that was also on the low end. McCann could be poised for a bounce-back year as long as the lower-body injury that sidelined him in training camp doesn't rear its head again.

Beniers scored a power-play goal on three shots and added an assist in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Golden Knights.

Beniers opened the scoring in the second period and set up Jared McCann's goal at 4:56 of overtime. With three points, four shots on net, three hits and two blocked shots over two games, Beniers is off to a strong start. The Kraken have just five goals as a team so far, but the 22-year-old center is on the top line and should continue to be a key piece of the offense as he looks to get back to the 50-point mark for the first time in three years.

Smith recorded three assists and three shots on goal in Saturday's 7-6 overtime loss to the Ducks.

One of Smith's three helpers came on the power play. The 20-year-old is playing alongside Macklin Celebrini, and it seems the two young forwards will have a significant influence on each other's performance at both even strength and with the man advantage. Smith should be in consideration for fantasy managers who need points and shots, but don't expect him to add much physicality. He should be a top-six fixture throughout the year.

Celebrini recorded three assists, including one on the power play, in Saturday's 7-6 overtime loss to the Ducks.

Celebrini went without a point Opening Night versus the Golden Knights, but he made a big impact in this game. The 19-year-old center has already emerged as the Sharks' top forward, and he's capable of skating 20-plus minutes per game. The sky's the limit after his 63-point rookie campaign in 2024-25.

Gaudette scored a power-play goal, dished an assist and added two PIM in Saturday's 7-6 overtime loss to the Ducks.

Gaudette has opened the season as the Sharks' fourth-line center, though he also has a spot on the second power-play unit. It's a similar role to the one he had with the Senators in 2024-25, when he put up 19 goals and seven assists in 81 regular-season games. Gaudette's place in the lineup is far from secure, as he could be the one who gets scratched whenever the team is ready to give Michael Misa his NHL debut.

Granlund provided two assists and went plus-2 in Saturday's 7-6 overtime win over the Sharks.

Granlund has seen strong ice time through two games, as the Ducks have leaned heavily on three lines to keep all of the team's key players involved. The 33-year-old doesn't have a shot on goal yet, and he's added just one blocked shot and a plus-1 rating. Granlund has topped 60 points in three of the last four years, but it's unclear if he'll be able to sustain that level of offense in his first season with the Ducks, who are looking to shed the low-scoring label as a team.

McTavish logged three assists, four shots on goal, two hits and two PIM in Saturday's 7-6 overtime win over the Sharks.

Missing part of camp while awaiting a new contract hasn't slowed down McTavish, and he hasn't been complacent either, even with a six-year deal in hand. He's earned four assists, six shots on net and five hits over two games to begin 2025-26. McTavish is centering the second line and has clicked well alongside Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke. At 22 years old, McTavish is the old man of that trio. He earned a career-high 52 points in 76 outings in 2024-25, but he could take his offense to a new level if the Ducks take a collective step forward in their rebuild this year.

Carlsson scored a goal on three shots and added two assists in Saturday's 7-6 overtime win over the Sharks.

Carlsson helped the Ducks steal victory from the jaws of defeat here. He set up both of Chris Kreider's goals -- in the last minute of the second and third periods -- before tallying the game-winner himself 46 seconds into overtime. Fantasy managers who were worried about his quiet Opening Night effort (four shots, minus-2 rating) can breathe easy now. Carlsson is locked in as a top-six center with ice time in all situations. He reached 20 goals and 45 points in 2024-25 and will look to take another step forward as a 20-year-old this season.