NHL Player News

Hellebuyck stopped 22 of 26 shots in Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the Canadiens, with Montreal's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

The Jets briefly held a 1-0 lead in the first period, but things unraveled quickly for the home squad once Oliver Kapanen beat Hellebuyck to a rebound and slotted it past the sprawling netminder before the first intermission. The three-time Vezina winner has just one win in his last eight starts, going 1-4-3 with a 3.01 GAA and .895 save percentage, and Hellebuyck will try to find his form in Milan while representing Team USA at the Olympics.

Schmaltz scored a power-play goal, distributed an assist and fired six shots on net in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Red Wings.

With the pair of points, Schmaltz is up to 23 goals, 30 assists, 137 shots on net and 35 blocked shots across 57 games this season. The 29-year-old forward is on pace for a career year and is just 11 points shy of surpassing the 63 points he compiled across 82 games a season ago. The natural winger has done this all from Utah's top-line center role due to the absence of Logan Cooley (lower body). Schmaltz will have the chance to rest during the Olympic break, which should prepare him to pick up where he left off in fantasy once the Mammoth are back in action.

Dobson delivered two assists in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Jets.

The former Islander helped set up the Canadiens' first and last goals of the night. Dobson heads into the Olympic break riding a five-game point streak in which he's produced a goal and seven points, and through his first 57 games with Montreal he's racked up 10 goals, 38 points, 139 blocked shots, 114 shots on net, 39 hits, 28 PIM and a plus-12 rating.

Gallagher scored a power-play goal and added two even-strength assists in Wednesday's 5-1 win over Winnipeg.

The 33--year-old winger had a hand in three straight goals by the Habs, wrapping up his big night with his second power-play tally of the season midway through the third period. Gallagher is no longer much of an offensive threat and has settled into a bottom-six role, putting up six goals and 19 points through 57 games so far in 2025-26.

Anderson scored the game-winning goal and added two assists in Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Jets.

The rugged winger gave the Habs a 2-1 lead early in the second period by tipping home a point shot by Jayden Struble. The GWG was Anderson's first of the season, and the three-point performance was also a season best. He heads into the Olympic break with 12 goals, 20 points, 95 hits, 63 shots on net, 44 PIM, 30 blocked shots and a minus-6 rating through 51 games.

Durzi scored a goal, placed two shots on net and recorded two blocked shots in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Detroit.

Just under a minute into the contest, Durzi struck the back of the net for his second goal in five games. Overall, the 27-year-old blueliner has five goals, 19 points, 59 shots on net and 64 blocked shots across 36 games this season. The fifth-year defenseman has quietly been a strong option in fantasy over the last month and a half with 16 points, 40 shots on net, 11 hits and 38 blocked shots across his last 24 games. Once NHL action resumes following the Olympic break, Durzi is a solid streaming option in most fantasy formats for the foreseeable future.

Montembeault made 36 saves in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Jets.

Kyle Connor scored a power-play tally early in the first period, but Montembeault shut the door the rest of the way as the Canadiens took control. The 29-year-old netminder is likely looking forward to the Olympic break, having gone 2-2-1 over his last five starts with a 3.20 GAA and .893 save percentage.

Vejmelka turned aside 29 of 30 shots on net in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Red Wings.

Vejmelka kept Utah's net clean across the first 55 minutes of Wednesday's contest before he allowed Detroit's lone power-play goal of the game. The 29-year-old netminder has tended more games than any other goalie since Jan. 1, where he's led the Mammoth to an 11-4-0 record when he plays. While he won't get a vacation to refuel during the 2026 Winter Olympics, he'll likely be able to rotate in and out of Czechia's lineup with Lukas Dostal and Dan Vladar, which should offer Vejmelka a few games of rest while in Milan.

Balinskis scored a goal and added an assist, both on the power play, in Wednesday's 5-4 shootout win over the Bruins.

Both points came early in the second period, as Balinskis tied the game at 2-2 just 30 seconds into the frame before having a hand in a Matthew Tkachuk tally a little over two minutes later. Balinskis has been getting a look on Florida's top power-play unit, and he's taken advantage with two goals and four points over the last four games -- all of it coming with the man advantage.

Tkachuk produced a goal and an assist, both on the power play, in Wednesday's 5-4 shootout win over the Bruins.

Both points came early in the second period, as Tkachuk helped set up Uvis Balinskis for a tally before potting his own just over two minutes later. Tkachuk has three multi-point performances in the last seven games but was held off the scoresheet entirely in the other four. While he's still looking for some consistency after his belated start to the season, the 28-year-old winger has three goals and eight points in his first nine games of 2025-26, with most of that offense (two goals, four assists) coming with the man advantage.