NHL Player News

McLeod scored an empty-net goal on five shots and added two assists in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Flyers.

McLeod earned a point in each period, setting up linemates Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka before burying his empty-netter. That proved to be a vital insurance goal, as the Flyers brought the game back within one a few seconds after McLeod scored. It was a career year across the board for McLeod -- his 53 points matched his combined total from the previous two seasons. He ends with 20 goals, 33 helpers, 97 shots on net and a plus-13 rating across 79 appearances. He'll need a new contract as a restricted free agent this summer, and he's likely due a big raise from his previous $2.1 million cap hit.

Zibanejad scored two goals and added an assist in Thursday's 4-0 win over Tampa Bay.

The goals pushed him to 20 on the season. It's the eighth straight season that Zibanejad has hit that mark. He turns 32 on Friday, but his so-called decline (62 points) seems situational. The Rangers were a bad team this year, and that impacted just about every member of the team. That means he could drop a few rounds during next year's fantasy drafts. Zibanejad is coming off a string of three seasons of 81, 91 and 72 points, respectively. That talent doesn't simply dry up with a player like Zibanejad, who is just 32 years old.

Zary (knee) is expected to miss Thursday's season finale against the Kings, per the NHL media site.

Zary will conclude the season with 13 goals and 27 points in 54 appearances. That's a modest dip from his 34 points (14 goals) as a rookie in 2023-24, though he did appear in 63 games during that season.

Nesterenko was sent to AHL San Diego on Thursday.

Anaheim's campaign is over, so Nesterenko will close the books on the NHL season with four goals and six points across 20 outings with the Ducks. He can still help out San Diego in the short term -- Nesterenko has 13 goals and 34 points in 48 appearances with the minor-league club in 2024-25 -- but the Gulls won't be making the playoffs either.

Head coach Spencer Carbery said Thursday that Protas (foot) is progressing in his recovery but hasn't yet resumed on-ice work.

Protas sustained a foot injury in early April and was considered week-to-week at the time. While he seems to be trending in the right direction, he'll be sidelined for Thursday's regular-season finale against the Penguins, and his status for the Capitals' first-round playoff series against Montreal seems to be up in the air.

Staal (rest) is slated to skip Thursday versus Ottawa.

Staal is resting for the second consecutive game, but he should play in Game 1 of Carolina's first-round series against the Devils on Sunday. The 36-year-old is expected to finish the regular season with 13 goals and 36 points over 75 appearances. This will mark the fifth straight campaign he's finished between 30 and 39 points.

Jarvis (rest) is slated to miss Thursday's game against Ottawa.

Jarvis was also out of the lineup for Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Montreal. He should be back for Game 1 of Carolina's first-round series against New Jersey on Sunday. The 23-year-old is set to finish the regular season with 32 goals and 67 points in 73 outings. That matches his career-high point total from 2023-24, though he accomplished that feat in 82 regular-season appearances last year.

Cotter completed his two-game suspension Wednesday and is eligible to play in Game 1 of New Jersey's first-round series against Carolina on Sunday.

Cotter finished the regular season with 16 goals, 22 points, 62 PIM and 245 hits in 79 appearances. He'll likely serve in a bottom-six capacity during the playoffs.

Kasper scored an empty-net goal on three shots and added three hits in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Devils.

Kasper has three goals and an assist during his active three-game point streak. The 21-year-old center is up to 19 goals, 36 points, 139 shots on net, 153 hits and 48 blocked shots over 76 outings this season. It's a positive first full campaign for Kasper, who should continue to be in contention for top-six minutes for years to come.

Mercer scored a goal in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Red Wings.

Mercer finished the season having found the back of the net in this last two games. The 23-year-old center has yet to miss a regular-season game in his four-year NHL career, but he failed to reach the 40-point plateau for the second consecutive campaign. He recorded 19 goals, 17 assists, 141 shots, 41 hits and 60 blocked shots during the regular season.