NHL Player News

Merilainen stopped 10 of 11 shots in relief of Kevin Lankinen in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.

Merilainen did his part in the latter half of the game, almost allowing the Canucks to put together a comeback. Lankinen has struggled heavily to start the campaign, though it's tough to expect Merilainen to do any better behind a roster that will be outmatched most of the time. Both goalies should get a start this weekend since the Canucks will host the Flames on Saturday and the Golden Knights on Sunday.

Lankinen allowed eight goals on 20 shots before he was pulled in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.

Lankinen stole a win over the Oilers on Tuesday, but he couldn't do it again. He's now allowed 13 goals on 57 shots over two games versus Edmonton, though not all of his appearances will be against such a tough offense to face. Still, the Canucks' defense looks about as bad as expected, which means it will be a long campaign for the team's goaltenders. With a back-to-back up next -- Saturday versus the Flames and Sunday against the Golden Knights, both at home -- expect Lankinen and Leevi Merilainen to split the next two starts.

Michaels scored a goal and added two hits in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

Michaels is filling a third-line role in the absences of Jason Dickinson (foot) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (lower body). The goal was Michaels' first at the NHL level in just his second game. The 24-year-old forward was a solid producer in the NCAA, earning 26 points in 39 games with Western Michigan University in 2025-26. Michaels will need to perform well to keep his place in the NHL once the Oilers get healthy.

Shea scored a goal and went plus-3 in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

Shea has a goal, an assist and a plus-2 rating over two contests with the Oilers. He broke out to the tune of 35 points and a plus-30 rating over 80 regular-season games with the Penguins last year, establishing himself as a top-four option before signing a five-year deal with the Oilers. Edmonton's defense is still a work in progress, but Shea has been good enough and should have freedom to contribute on offense with a steadfast defender in Connor Murphy as his partner.

Frederic scored a goal on two shots, added two PIM and logged two hits in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

Frederic has handled fourth-line minutes so far this season, and his spot in the lineup should be safe while the Oilers are battling a handful of injuries. The winger has a goal, three shots on net and six hits over two contests. Frederic is coming off an abysmal seven-point performance in 74 regular-season outings last year, so there's almost nowhere to go but up. He'll be a better source of hits and PIM than offense, but he should still be able to get into the 15-20 point range if he plays regularly.

Kapanen scored a shorthanded goal and added a power-play assist in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

Kapanen has a shot to see meaningful power-play time while both of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (lower body) and Zach Hyman (undisclosed) are out. After a scoreless performance in the opener, Kapanen got on the scoresheet with his standout special-teams effort Thursday. He's added four shots on net, five hits and a minus-4 rating across two contests this season. Kapanen should slip no lower than the third line once the Oilers are healthy, giving him some deep-league appeal as a physical forward.

Podkolzin scored a goal on four shots, added an assist, went plus-3 and logged two hits in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

Podkolzin's pair of points came on the power play. The 25-year-old winger is cashing in on a golden opportunity as a top-line winger -- he shared his even-strength ice time with both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in this contest. Podkolzin is poised to stay in that spot while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (lower body) and Zach Hyman (undisclosed) are on the mend. Through two games, Podkolzin has four points (three on the power play), 11 shots on net and seven hits.

Bouchard scored a goal on four shots, added two assists and went plus-3 in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

Per Sportsnet, Bouchard's eight points are the most by any NHL defensemen in his team's first two games since Harry Cameron had seven points in the Toronto Arenas' first two contests in 1917. Considering Bouchard has earned just a single power-play assist, it's safe to say he's not even maximizing his opportunities yet. The Oilers' offense won't hum at this pace all year, but Bouchard has set off to a good start as he aims for a third point-per-game campaign in four years. Don't let Bouchard out of your fantasy lineup -- he's proving last year was no fluke.

McDavid scored a shorthanded goal and added four assists, including two on the power play, in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

McDavid's two assists in Tuesday's opener were a nice appetizer, but he delivered the main course in the second game of the year. The 29-year-old superstar had a trio of five-point efforts in the 2025-26 regular season, but he's able to pop off at any moment. With the Oilers' offense starting the year hot, fantasy managers are getting instant rewards if they were lucky enough to draft McDavid. He has seven points, three shots on net and a plus-5 rating through two contests.

Draisaitl scored twice on five shots, dished an assist and went plus-3 in Thursday's 9-7 win over the Canucks.

One of Draisaitl's goals came on the power play. The 30-year-old played alongside Connor McDavid in this contest as the injury-riddled Oilers opted to put one dominant line together. The offense is humming along so far, and Draisaitl has four points and 10 shots on net over two contests. He's a lock to be in fantasy lineups and should continue to produce at a high level as long as he can avoid injuries.