NHL Player News

Schmid allowed four goals on 32 shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks.

Schmid didn't have an answer for the Sharks' top line, though the Panthers' offense did enough to carve out a point in the standings. Schmid likely got this start because the Panthers made a cross-country trip after opening the season in Raleigh on Tuesday. Jacob Markstrom is projected to handle a majority of the starts for Florida this year, and he should be between the pipes Sunday versus the Ducks. Schmid will be a streaming option in fantasy when he gets a good matchup.

Celebrini logged three assists and seven shots on goal in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Panthers.

Celebrini had one assist on the power play and one while shorthanded as he had a hand in both of Will Smith's goals. He also helped out on Luca Cagnoni's overtime tally. The 20-year-old Celebrini had 45 goals and 115 points over 82 games in his second NHL campaign, and he's poised for more responsibility as the Sharks' captain. Expect him to take on more work on the penalty kill throughout the year as he develops into an all-around superstar rather than just an elite scorer.

Marchment scored a goal on four shots, added two PIM and doled out three hits in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Panthers.

Marchment opened the scoring in his Sharks debut. He is the first player to get a look on the top line alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, with the trio carrying San Jose's offense in the opener. Marchment has logged at least 45 points in four of the last five seasons despite playing for four different teams, so finding chemistry with new teammates shouldn't be a problem. Marchment will have significant appeal if he stays on the top line, though he can still be a useful all-around winger if he slips to the middle six.

Cagnoni scored a goal on three shots, added a power-play assist and blocked three shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Panthers.

Cagnoni impressed in training camp, earning a spot on the Opening Night roster. That worked out well, as the 21-year-old ended up scoring the game-winner in overtime for his first career goal. Cagnoni got top billing on the power play, but he's not a lock to stay in that spot -- or in the lineup -- with Sam Dickinson also on the roster. Still, Cagnoni is worth keeping an eye on, as the power-play usage alone makes him an intriguing blueliner for fantasy purposes.

Smith scored two goals, one on the power play and the other shorthanded, and added an assist in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Panthers.

Smith and linemate Macklin Celebrini wasted no time in displaying their chemistry, as each went off for three points in the opener. The 21-year-old Smith typically hasn't seen much shorthanded usage in his career, but as he rounds out his game, he could be more involved there. He put up 24 goals, 59 points and 166 shots on net over 69 outings in the 2025-26 regular season. Smith could push for a point-per-game pace this year if he continues to develop well, though his fantasy contributions will be limited to offense.

Askarov stopped 23 of 26 shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Panthers.

The Sharks looked good for two periods but got shaky in the third. Askarov kept them from falling behind, setting the stage for Luca Cagnoni's heroics in overtime. This could be a preview for the season as a whole -- the Sharks have assembled some young talent and complemented the kids with veterans in key spots, but it could take a while for the roster to mature to avoid blowing leads. Askarov should have a slight edge over Alex Nedeljkovic for starts as long as he plays well. The Sharks are set to host the Kings on Saturday.

Keller notched two power-play assists, fired four shots on goal and added two PIM in Thursday's 6-0 win over the Blackhawks.

Keller will likely be among the Mammoth's most productive players when the season ends. The 28-year-old stood out with an 88-point regular season in 2025-26, though that was a little weaker than his 90-point effort from the year before. At his best, he's a 30-goal, 90-point threat who can approach 30 power-play points. He'll also average nearly three shots per game from a top-line role.

But scored a goal and added three hits in Thursday's 6-0 win over the Blackhawks.

But tallied an insurance goal in the third period. The 21-year-old winger is one of the Mammoth's most NHL-ready prospects, but he'll have to earn his time on the fourth line early in the season. He had seven points over 29 regular-season outings for the Mammoth in 2025-26. But's worth keeping an eye on if he can work his way into the top six later in the year.

Lee scored a goal on four shots in Thursday's 6-0 win over the Blackhawks.

Lee netted a goal in his team debut with the Mammoth. The 36-year-old signed a three-year deal at the start of free agency and opened the campaign on the second line. Lee is looking to bounce back from missing the 20-goal mark for just the third time in the last 12 years -- he finished with 19 goals and 42 points in 82 regular-season outings for the Islanders last year. He'll add veteran experience and steady scoring for a young Utah team.

Schmaltz scored a goal on two shots in Thursday's 6-0 win over the Blackhawks.

Schmaltz stretched the Mammoth's lead to 3-0 in the second period. The 30-year-old is operating as the top-line center to start the year, though he took just four faceoffs compared to Vincent Trocheck's 14 draws in the season opener. Both players could end up gaining multi-position eligibility if they continue to line up with Schmaltz down the middle and Trocheck on the right. Most importantly, Schmaltz remains in a top-line spot and on the first power-play unit, usage that led to a career year of 33 goals and 74 points over 82 regular-season outings in 2025-26.