NHL Player News

Donovan was loaned to AHL Belleville on Sunday.

Donovan was brought up ahead of Saturday's game against Minnesota but did not suit up, and he also didn't play in Sunday's 6-3 win over Carolina. The Senators currently have six healthy blueliners on their roster, so another defenseman might be brought up as insurance for Tuesday's home matchup versus Tampa Bay.

Joseph logged an assist, three hits and two PIM in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Mammoth.

Joseph has played in six of seven games since he returned from an upper-body injury that cost him nearly three weeks. The 26-year-old defenseman will likely close out the campaign in a third-pairing role, offering minimal fantasy upside. He's picked up six points, 21 shots on net, 24 blocked shots, 18 hits and a minus-16 rating across 30 outings this season.

Hronek notched two power-play assists, three shots on goal, two blocked shots, two hits, two PIM and a minus-2 rating in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Mammoth.

Hronek has earned seven assists over his last seven outings, and six of them have come on the power play. The 28-year-old defenseman remains a strong all-around option, aside from an abysmal plus-minus rating that comes from playing big minutes on the league's worst team. Hronek has produced eight goals, 46 points, 119 shots on net, 123 hits, 97 blocked shots and a minus-19 rating through 76 appearances. He needs three more points to establish a new career high.

DeSimone notched an assist in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Canucks.

DeSimone was in the lineup for MacKenzie Weegar (upper body), who is considered day-to-day. The 31-year-old DeSimone had been in a reserve role since March 12, sitting out 10 straight games while the Mammoth were healthy on the blue line. He's picked up a career-high eight points with 33 shots on net, 29 blocked shots, 17 hits and a plus-6 rating over 38 appearances this season. He'll likely play in a third-pairing role for as long as Weegar is out.

Hovorka has been loaned back to AHL Charlotte by the Panthers, the team announced Sunday.

Hovorka appeared in both of the Panthers' last two games, recording no points, three hits and one blocked shot in 29:03 of combined ice time. This NHL stint is coming to a close as he will head back to AHL Charlotte, where he has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 53 games played.

Xhekaj notched an assist and two hits in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Devils.

Xhekaj has gotten a chance to play regularly in the absence of Alexandre Carrier (upper body). This was Xhekaj's fourth straight game in the lineup. The defenseman snapped a 30-game point drought dating back to Dec. 16 versus the Flyers. He has just three points with 36 shots on net, 110 PIM, 158 hits and 37 blocked shots over 59 appearances this season. Xhekaj should continue to see playing time until Carrier is healthy.

Struble scored a goal, added three hits and went plus-2 in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Devils.

Struble's two goals this season have both come in the last six games. The 24-year-old defenseman is getting a chance to play a larger role in the absence of Alexandre Carrier (upper body). Struble is up to 12 points, 20 shots on net, 98 hits, 23 blocked shots, 46 PIM and a plus-7 rating over 53 appearances this season. His offense is on par with his first two campaigns, but his shot production and physical play has dropped a bit.

Hutson scored a goal in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Devils.

Hutson had gone 14 games without a goal, though he still posted 10 assists in that span. The 22-year-old defenseman is up to 12 tallies this season, doubling his goal total from his Calder Trophy-winning campaign last year. He's at 74 points, 121 shots on net, 127 blocked shots and a plus-35 rating over 76 appearances, establishing himself as one of the best young blueliners in the league.

Lohrei (upper body) will play against Philadelphia on Sunday, according to Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Globe.

Following a four-game absence, Lohrei will replace Jordan Harris in Sunday's lineup against the Flyers. The 25-year-old Lohrei has accounted for seven goals, 25 points, 67 shots on net and 86 blocked shots across 68 appearances this season.

Mayfield logged an assist, two hits and two PIM in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes.

Mayfield has picked up four assists over his last 10 contests while playing in a third-pairing role. The 33-year-old blueliner isn't flashy in any area, but he does enough to stick in the lineup. He's earned 14 points, 67 shots on net, 73 hits, 79 blocked shots, 83 PIM and a minus-10 rating over 76 outings this season, matching his point total from the previous two campaigns combined (107 games).