NHL Player News

Schmid stopped two shots in the third period of Thursday's 4-0 loss to the Jets after he relieved Adin Hill.

This was likely a move to get Schmid some action ahead of the Golden Knights' back-to-back over the weekend, which would indicate Ilya Samsonov (undisclosed) probably won't be ready to return. The Jets were able to put away an empty-netter after Schmid was pulled for an extra attacker, but he didn't yield a goal in his second appearance of the season. The back-to-back includes stops in Calgary on Saturday and Vancouver on Sunday, so look for Hill and Schmid to split those starts.

Montembeault made 18 saves in a 4-1 win over Boston on Thursday.

Montembeault has been one of the top contributors for the Canadiens this season. He ranks ninth in the NHL with 28 wins, and his 22.93 GSAx (goals saved above expected) is elite -- he's also ninth in the NHL in that category. Montembeault has won three straight games, and most importantly, he has Montreal in a playoff spot. The team is two points ahead of the Rangers for the second wild-card spot.

Hill stopped 16 of 19 shots in two periods of Thursday's 4-0 loss to the Jets.

Hill was replaced for the final frame, with Akira Schmid checking in to get some action in a low-pressure situation. This was Hill's second loss in a row to open April after he won his last five outings in March. The 28-year-old dipped to 29-13-5 with a 2.50 GAA and a .907 save percentage through 47 contests after this poor showing. Hill will likely start one of the next two games, as the Golden Knights visit the Flames on Saturday and the Canucks on Sunday.

Dostal allowed a goal on eight shots in relief of John Gibson (lower body) in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Flames.

Dostal wasn't stuck with the loss, as the Flames put up three goals prior to Gibson's exit. This was Gibson's third injury since the 4 Nations Face-Off -- if he gets shut down for the year, Dostal would likely see a heavy workload to close out 2024-25. This loss officially eliminated the Ducks from playoff contention, though Dostal could be an option for Czechia at the IIHF World Championship if he feels up to it. He's impressed with a 22-20-6 record, a 3.01 GAA and a .905 save percentage over 49 contests this season. The Ducks' next game is a matinee in Vancouver on Saturday.

Swayman stopped 28 shots in a 4-1 loss to Montreal on Thursday.

He allowed three goals. It was a tough game for Swayman and the Bruins, who faced a Bell Centre crowd that were whipped into a playoff-like frenzy. Boston has sunk like a stone lately -- the team is 0-9-1 in its last 10 games with seven straight losses. And with a minus-55 goal differential, Swayman simply can't be a miracle man. Sit him. Maybe for the rest of the season.

Wolf stopped 26 of 27 shots in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Ducks.

Wolf entered Thursday's game on a three-game losing streak, but he was able to turn things around against a weaker opponent. This was his best performance since his March 8 shutout versus the Canadiens. The 23-year-old improved to 25-16-6 with a 2.62 GAA and a .910 save percentage across 47 appearances. Wolf's had a strong rookie campaign, but he's a risky fantasy option for Saturday's home game versus the Golden Knights, should he get that start.

Vasilevskiy made 17 saves in a 2-1 loss to Ottawa on Thursday.

The Bolts played well -- they simply couldn't put more than one puck past Linus Ullmark, who was outstanding in the opposite net. Vasilevskiy is 3-1-0 with just four goals allowed over his last four games and 6-2-0 with two shutouts in his last eight starts. The Bolts could have clinched a playoff spot with a win; that win will come soon enough.

Vejmelka allowed three goals on 18 shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Kings. The fourth goal was an empty-netter.

The Kings didn't find much success over the first two periods, but a pair of goals 44 seconds apart early in the third sent Vejmelka to the loss. The 28-year-old netminder had won his previous two starts and is 10-6-3 over a stretch of 19 consecutive starts. Vejmelka is 23-21-7 with a 2.56 GAA and a .904 save percentage through a career-high 53 appearances this season. He'll likely continue to play at least until Utah is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, so don't be surprised if he's between the pipes versus the Jets on Saturday -- though fantasy managers may want to steer clear of that matchup.

Kuemper stopped 28 of 30 shots in Thursday's 4-2 win over Utah.

Kuemper had to be sharp for the first two-plus periods, and the Kings rewarded his strong play with two goals early in the third. He's won five of his last six outings, and this was his 12th straight outing allowing two or fewer goals. The 34-year-old netminder is 27-10-7 with a 2.08 GAA and a .919 save percentage over 45 appearances. The Kings' next game is a tough home matchup versus the Oilers on Saturday.

Ullmark made 30 saves in a 2-1 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Ottawa has been especially stingy at home, and they were again Thursday. Brandon Hagel was the only Bolt to get a goal -- he crashed the net on the rush and scored on a rebound in the second period. Since the beginning of March, Ullmark is 10-3-1 in 14 starts with a .904 save percentage. He's peaking at the right time for the fantasy postseason.