NHL Player News

Andersen is expected to patrol the home crease against New Jersey on Sunday in Game 1, Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal reports.

Andersen posted a 13-8-1 record with one shutout, a 2.50 GAA and an .899 save percentage in 22 appearances during the 2024-25 regular season. He has won seven of his last nine outings versus the Devils, posting a 2.11 GAA and a .934 save percentage. New Jersey tied for 20th in the league during the regular season with 2.93 goals per game.

Oettinger will be between the home pipes versus Colorado on Saturday in Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs, Brien Rea of FanDuel Sports Network Southwest reports.

Oettinger enters the playoffs on a three-game losing streak, allowing 14 goals and 93 shots (.849 save percentage). He needs to turn things around against a tough Colorado team. The Avalanche ranked sixth in the NHL with 3.33 goals per game during the 2024-25 regular season.

Varlamov had a knee procedure in December and feels he will be ready for training camp in September, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports Saturday.

Varlamov last played Nov. 29, finishing the season with a 3-4-3 record, a 2.89 GAA and an .889 save percentage across 10 regular-season games in 2024-25. He hopes to start skating in June as he is still rehabbing his knee. The 36-year-old still has two years remaining on his four-year, $11 million contract signed in July of 2023.

Cormier was called up from ECHL Savannah on Friday, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports.

Cormier will serve as the Panthers' third goaltender in the playoffs, behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Vitek Vanecek. Cormier was 17-13-4 with a 3.38 GAA and an .887 save percentage across 36 appearances with Savannah before his recall.

Wallstedt was recalled from AHL Iowa on Friday.

Wallstedt struggled at the NHL level early in the season, going 0-2-0, allowing eight goals on 51 shots (.843 save percentage). The 22-year-old, who is considered the Wild's goaltender of the future, went 9-14-4 with a 3.59 GAA and an .879 save percentage across 27 AHL appearances. He will be the third goaltender as Filip Gustavsson will start with Marc-Andre Fleury as his backup, barring any injuries, through the playoffs.

Mandolese was recalled from AHL Colorado on Friday, Brennan Vogt of Hockey Mountain High reports.

Mandolese spent a few days with the NHL club in early April but hasn't yet appeared in a game for the Avalanche this year. He'll provide additional goaltending depth ahead of the postseason, but it seems unlikely that he'll have much of a role during the Stanley Cup Playoffs as long as Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood are healthy.

Hogberg turned aside 20 shots in Thursday's 6-1 loss to the Blue Jackets.

The 30-year-old netminder kept Columbus off the board in the first period, but things fell apart for the Islanders over the final 40 minutes of their season. Hogberg had a rough conclusion to his campaign, coughing up six or more goals in three of his last four starts, and his last win came back on Jan. 18 -- he went 0-4-3 over his last nine outings with a 4.60 GAA and .833 save percentage. Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov (lower body) are both under contract for 2025-26, but even if the latter's health remains in question, the Isles may look for an upgrade on Hogberg this offseason as their No. 3 goalie.

Ullmark stopped 28 shots in Thursday's 7-5 win over the Hurricanes.

Ottawa was staring at a 5-3 deficit heading into the third period, but Ullmark shut the door completely in the final frame as his team's offense took control. It was the netminder's fourth straight win to close out the regular season, a stretch in which he posted a 2.01 GAA and .931 save percentage, and Ullmark looks ready for the postseason -- which begins Sunday for the Senators in Toronto.

Andersen made 25 saves in Thursday's 7-5 loss to the Senators.

Carolina took a 5-3 lead into the third period, but the team's defense fell apart in the final frame. Andersen is winless in his last four regular-season starts, going 0-3-1 with a 4.91 GAA and .813 save percentage. Since Pyotr Kochetkov is also not playing well to close out the schedule, coach Rod Brind'Amour could have a tough decision to make between the pipes for Game 1 of the Hurricanes' first-round series against the Devils on Sunday.

Rittich gave up five goals on 29 shots in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Flames.

The Kings rested some players and managed the minutes of others. Rittich held on well for two periods, but the Flames scored four times over 5:30 in the middle of the third to take the regular-season finale. Rittich ends at 16-14-2 with a 2.84 GAA and an .886 save percentage over 34 outings. He won't play much in the playoffs, as Darcy Kuemper is expected to handle to No. 1 job from the get-go when the Kings host the Oilers on Monday for Game 1.