NHL Player News

Vejmelka allowed four goals on 11 shots Thursday before he was pulled in an 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay.

Vejmelka was pulled at 9:14 of the second period, and his team was a shell of itself in front of him prior to his exit. Utah didn't win many battles and seemed content to stay on the outside of the ice. Vejmelka has allowed four goals in three consecutive games (1-2-0). He still sports the best ratios of his career (2.62 GAA and .902 save percentage), but he looks tired. Vejmelka has started 15 times since the 4 Nations break and he's 8-5-2 in that span. Fantasy managers should exercise caution with him given this heavy workload, especially with his goals allowed creeping up.

Blackwood recorded a 22-save shutout in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Kings.

The Kings had been rolling prior to Thursday, but Blackwood cooled them off with his third straight win. The 28-year-old has a career-high four shutouts this season. He's now at a 27-17-6 record with a 2.46 GAA and a .915 save percentage through 51 outings. He hasn't made four consecutive appearances since before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, but he could do that if he gets the nod against the red-hot Blues on Saturday.

Rittich stopped 22 of 26 shots in Thursday's 4-0 loss to the Avalanche.

Rittich had won his previous two starts, but the Kings couldn't solve Mackenzie Blackwood in this contest. The 32-year-old Rittich has allowed at least four goals in three of his last four outings. He's now at a 14-13-2 record with a 2.77 GAA and an .887 save percentage over 30 appearances this season. Despite the poor showing, Rittich likely won't have to wait long for his next start. The Kings have a home back-to-back over the weekend with games against the Maple Leafs and Sharks on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Vasilevskiy made 25 saves in an 8-0 win over Utah on Thursday.

It was his sixth shutout and 35th win of the season. Vasilevskiy is duking it out with Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina hardware. Vasilevskiy is 35-19-3 with a 2.18 GAA and .921 save percentage. His GAA is third overall, and his save percentage is second in the league. His six shutouts tie him with Hellebuyck for the NHL lead in that category.

Ullmark made 31 saves in a 4-3 win over Detroit on Thursday.

Ullmark made the difference in Thursday's matchup. He killed off five minor penalties and a fighting major in the first period alone, and he allowed just a single power-play goal in the third. Ullmark also held off a three-goal wave by the Red Wings in the final frame to earn the victory. He's won two straight games, and since the start of March, Ullmark is 8-2-1 in 11 starts. The Senators have a hold on the first wild card, and he's a big reason why the team has been a recent success.

Talbot made 21 saves in relief in a 4-3 loss to the Senators on Thursday.

He entered the game at the 1:33 mark of the second period after starter Alex Lyon allowed three goals on 10 shots. Despite his strong play, Talbot got tagged with the loss after yielding a third-period goal to Michael Amadio. Talbot has spent a lot of time on the bench after Petr Mrazek's arrival, but Mrazek is out with an undisclosed injury. Talbot and Lyon will likely split starts while Mrazek is out, and more information on newcomer's status may be available Friday.

Cossa was reassigned to AHL Grand Rapids on Thursday.

Cossa was called up to provide goaltending depth while Cam Talbot was bothered by an undisclosed injury. Talbot was able to back up Alex Lyon and drew into Thursday's game for a relief appearance, which further proves he's healthy enough to play. Therefore, Cossa will head back to the minors, presumably to finish out the campaign with the Griffins.

Lyon allowed three goals on 10 shots before being pulled 1:33 into the second period of a 4-3 loss to Ottawa on Thursday.

Since Petr Mrazek's arrival in trade, Lyon has been watching most games from the press box. He got this start after Mrazek got hurt this week, but Lyon failed to impress. Fantasy managers should avoid Lyon, as the Red Wings don't help their netminders much, and they're 3-7-0 in their last 10 games despite their attempt to earn a wild card.

Woll will protect the road goal versus the Sharks on Thursday, Max Miller of NHL.com reports.

Woll lost to the Predators in his last start, allowing four goals on 31 shots. The 26-year-old had won his previous three outings, and he'll have a good chance to get back on track Thursday. The Sharks have scored just 13 goals over their last six games, winning just two of those matchups.

DeSmith is set to start on the road against Calgary on Thursday, per Mike Heika of the Stars' official site.

It will be DeSmith's first game since last Thursday, when he turned aside 36 of 38 shots en route to a 3-2 shootout loss to Tampa Bay. He's 12-6-1 with a 2.39 GAA and a .916 save percentage in 21 appearances in 2024-25. Calgary ranks 30th in goals per game with 2.61.