NHL Player News

Allen made 26 saves in a 5-3 loss to Utah on Tuesday.

Allen has started 1-1-0 with a 3.47 GAA and .875 save percentage. He has been OK, but not great so far, just like the entire team. Head coach Sheldon Keefe showed his frustration post-game: "The goals against, they weren't even structure-related but habit-related. Stopping the puck, don't expose good ice, don't get beat back to your net. Very fundamental things that we just have to do a better job of." Allen isn't the kind of goalie who can carry a team that struggles, so the whole squad needs to clean up its game before his fantasy value can climb.

Vejmelka made 30 saves in a 5-3 win over the Devils on Tuesday.

He has started three of Utah's first four games, going 2-1-0 with one shutout, a 2.02 GAA and .913 save percentage. Vejmelka finished second in the NHL last season with 38 wins in 63 starts, and he is poised to carry a similarly heavy workload this year. His fantasy value will skyrocket if he can maintain the kind of ratios he's delivering so far. Last year, he finished with a 2.75 GAA and .897 save percentage.

Kuemper allowed two goals on 28 shots in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Panthers.

Kuemper's second start of the season went significantly better than his first, when he gave up eight goals on 29 shots to the Avalanche. The 36-year-old still took the loss, but he allowed just one goal in each of the second and third periods. Kuemper and Anton Forsberg have both started slow this season, and it's possible the Kings use a timeshare in the crease rather than leaning on either goalie for the majority of the starts. The Kings' next game is a tough one on the road in Vegas on Saturday.

Markstrom stopped 19 of 20 shots in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Kings.

The Kings struck first on Alex Laferriere's goal late in the first period, but Markstrom locked things down after that to help the Panthers pull off a comeback win. Markstrom is now 2-0-1 with four goals allowed on just 56 shots over three games this season. If the Panthers' defense continues to be this sharp, he won't have to do a lot to pile up wins throughout the years, though the absence of Aleksander Barkov (knee) hurts the team's overall structure. The Panthers are heading home to face the Wild on Saturday in their next game.

Grubauer stopped six of seven shots in relief of Joey Daccord in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Golden Knights.

Grubauer played the third period after a lackluster performance from Daccord and the Kraken as a whole over the first 40 minutes. Grubauer has done well in two outings this season, giving up three goals on 31 shots against playoff-caliber opponents. The 34-year-old netminder could work his way into a more even split of playing time if he continues to do well. The Kraken are heading on the road for a five-game trip, which begins in Detroit on Friday.

Daccord surrendered five goals on 21 shots in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Golden Knights.

Daccord played the first two periods, but he struggled, as did the team in front of him. Philipp Grubauer worked the final frame, allowing one goal on seven shots. Daccord looked good in his first two starts of the year against the Flames, but a tougher opponent gave him some adversity. With seven goals allowed on 79 shots, Daccord is still doing well and should be able to maintain at least a tandem share of the starts. The Kraken are set to begin a five-game road trip in Detroit on Friday.

Hart stopped 25 of 27 shots in Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Kraken.

Hart gave up a pair of goals in the third period, but the game was already firmly in favor of the Golden Knights. It's been a steady start to the year for Hart, who has allowed eight goals on 73 shots over three games, going 2-1-0. He looks set to continue working as Vegas' primary goalie. The Golden Knights return home to face the Maple Leafs on Thursday.

Hofer allowed two goals on 19 shots in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks. The last two Chicago goals were empty-netters.

Hofer wasn't able to replicate what he showed in the Blues' season opener when he had a 25-save shutout against the Stars. The Blues at least kept it close, but Hofer ended up with his first loss of the season. Despite the poor result Tuesday, the 26-year-old's play should give him the edge for starts if head coach Jim Montgomery starts to lean on one goalie. Hofer and Jordan Binnington have alternated so far, and it's not yet clear if that pattern will continue Thursday at home versus the Sharks.

Knight allowed two goals on 28 shots in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Blues.

Knight put together a positive outing and got enough goal support to earn his first win in three starts. The 25-year-old netminder is seeing plenty of playing time early in the season, as expected. He's allowed 10 goals on 92 shots over his three games, but this was the first time this season he's faced a team that wasn't in the playoffs last year. The Blackhawks have a quick one-game road trip to face the Islanders on Thursday.

Shesterkin stopped 17 of 19 shots in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Islanders.

Shesterkin was perfect in the first period before the Islanders struck twice in a span of 1:56 early in the second, with Bo Horvat scoring on the power play and Calum Ritchie tying the contest at 2-2. Shesterkin shut the door from there, stopping all seven shots he faced in the third while the Rangers pulled away. He finished with 17 saves to earn his third consecutive win, and the Rangers have won their last four contests since dropping the season opener against Boston on Sept. 29. In his four appearances, Shesterkin has stopped 89 of the 96 shots he's faced, good for a 92.7 save percentage.