NHL Player News

Kuemper stopped 21 of 29 shots in Wednesday's 8-4 loss to the Avalanche.

Kuemper had no answer for the Avalanche's power play, which accounted for four of the goals. The 36-year-old netminder didn't get a lot of help from his teammates, though this was always going to be a tough season opener given the relative quality of each lineup. Kuemper struggled to a 19-14-15 record with a 2.78 GAA and an .891 save percentage in 50 regular-season games last year, and he lost the starting job to Anton Forsberg prior to the postseason. Forsberg could see a larger role if Kuemper doesn't bounce back quickly. The Kings are set to visit the Sharks on Saturday.

Toews logged two power-play assists and two PIM in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

With this performance, Toews already has more points with the man advantage in 2026-27 than he did in all of 2025-26, when he was limited to a single power-play goal. He's rarely been a big producer in that scenario, but last year was a bad one by most metrics for the veteran blueliner, who was limited to just 24 points in 68 regular-season appearances. Toews' main value comes from playing alongside Cale Makar at even strength as well as his individual ability to carry a strong plus-minus rating. Given his prominent role on a strong team, Toews should be able to bounce back to around the 40-point mark if he can avoid injuries. He may not carry as much fantasy value as he used to since his non-scoring production has steadily declined in recent years.

Schwartz logged two assists (one on the power play), two hits and two PIM in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Schwartz was a bit of a splash in free agency for the Avalanche, but he opened the campaign on a line with young forwards Fedor Svechkov and T.J. Hughes. There's no guarantee that's where he'll be all year, but it could limit Schwartz's production in the early going, despite his positive team debut. Schwartz also carries a significant injury risk, having missed 20-plus games in three of the last five campaigns.

Kadri recorded two power-play assists and two shots on goal in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Kadri helped out on goals by Brock Nelson and Nathan MacKinnon in this contest. The 35-year-old Kadri has long worked as a center, but he's opening this year as a second-line winger alongside Nelson, giving the Avalanche some flexibility in constructing their lines. If Kadri sticks on the wing, he'll gain some versatility in fantasy, which could make it more palatable to roster him. He was held to 50 points in 77 regular-season outings between Colorado and Calgary last year, his lowest total in the last five years, and further age-related regression is a risk factor moving forward.

Makar registered two assists, including one on the power play, and blocked three shots in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Makar was limited by a lower-body injury during the preseason, appearing in just one exhibition game. The 27-year-old has battled a few injury issues over the years, though he's played in at least 75 regular-season contests in each of the last three years. His offense came down a bit last year with 79 points in 75 regular-season games, compared to 92 points in 2024-25. Makar is one of a few defensemen who annually threatens for 20 goals and a point-per-game pace, and he'll also be a force with the man advantage in addition to his prolific even-strength work.

Roy scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Roy saw 12:12 of ice time from a fourth-line role Wednesday, though that number might be a bit inflated since the Avalanche were forced into dressing 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Roy should be a decent depth scorer this year, and he's versatile enough to move around the bottom six as necessary. He produced 25 points, 76 shots on net, 71 hits and 40 blocked shots over 74 regular-season outings between the Avalanche and the Maple Leafs last year.

Kelly scored a goal, added an assist, went plus-2 and logged three hits in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Kelly was a pleasant surprise for the Avalanche with 21 goals and 14 assists over 82 regular-season outings last year. He also shot 20.2 percent to get those numbers, so regression is certainly a risk, though he's off to a good start in 2026-27. Kelly is expected to fill a bottom-six role and should be a reliable source of hits even if his offense slips from last year's marks.

Landeskog scored a goal in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Landeskog poured on a goal in the third period. The 33-year-old opened the season in a second-line role, though his spot on the first power-play unit should provide a boost to his offense in the long run. Landeskog was able to log 35 points in 60 regular-season outings in 2025-26 after missing three full regular seasons due to a severe knee injury. The injury risk is still present, but his role on a strong team makes him worth a look in fantasy as long as he can stay healthy.

Nelson scored a goal and added two assists, all with the man advantage, in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Nelson was on the second power-play unit, but that didn't stop him from making a positive impact in that role. The 34-year-old center is coming off another strong year of 65 points and 186 shots on net in 81 regular-season outings in 2025-26. With a firm top-six role and an ability to maintain a high shooting percentage, Nelson should be a useful center option in fantasy.

Lehkonen scored two power-play goals on three shots, added two hits and blocked two shots in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Lehkonen is entering a contract year, and he made a big splash in the opener. He's working on the second power-play unit, so it may be tough for him to make a steady impact with the man advantage. That said, Lehkonen also works in the top six regularly, and he began the year alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. Lehkonen has recorded at least 45 points in three of the last four years, and as long as he can limit time missed due to injuries, he should be able to reach that mark again in 2026-27.