NHL Player News

Vlasic logged an assist, two shots on goal and two blocked shots in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes.

Vlasic has earned five assists over his last 15 games while seeing steady top-four minutes. The 24-year-old blueliner is at 21 points, 81 shots on net, 117 blocked shots and a minus-17 rating over 78 appearances this season. He won't match last year's 30-point performance, as he's evolved into more of a shutdown defenseman after regularly serving as an overall No. 1 option for the Blackhawks last year, which included more power-play usage.

Deslauriers logged an assist, two shots on goal, four hits and a plus-2 rating in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Blackhawks.

The Hurricanes have entered playoff preparation mode, so expect Deslauriers to get steady playing time over the last week of the regular season. He's suited up in three straight games, logging an assist, three shots on net and 16 hits in that span. The 35-year-old has a total of two assists, 16 shots, 38 PIM, 108 hits and a minus-2 rating over 28 appearances between the Hurricanes and the Flyers this season.

Boqvist scored a goal on three shots in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Senators.

Boqvist has a goal and an assist over his last two games. The 27-year-old is seeing middle-six minutes due to the lengthy list of injuries the Panthers are dealing with late in the year. Boqvist has produced 13 points, 61 shots on net, 137 hits, 31 blocked shots and a minus-12 rating over 70 appearances this season. He may never get a better opportunity than he has right now, as he's mostly been a bottom-six player throughout his career.

Hartman recorded a power-play goal in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Stars.

Hartman has been on fire in recent weeks, and his power-play goal late in the second period extended his point streak to eight games. With 12 points (seven goals, five assists) over that span and a steady role on the first line skating alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, expect Hartman to remain heavily involved on offense for the Wild in the final days of the regular season.

Zub scored a goal on four shots, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Panthers.

Zub hadn't scored since Jan. 13 versus the Canucks. During the 33-game goal drought, he still contributed 14 assists and a plus-10 rating. He's hardly a high-scoring defenseman, but Zub has had a career year with 29 points (five goals, 24 helpers), 88 shots on net, 116 blocked shots, 65 hits, 55 PIM and a plus-18 rating over 78 appearances. He offers multi-category upside for fantasy managers needing a boost to close out the campaign.

Gustavsson stopped 15 of 20 shots in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Stars.

Gustavsson faltered in one of the biggest games of the season for the Wild, as he posted a .750 save percentage and couldn't help Minnesota sustain its 4-3 lead in the final period. Gustavsson is ending the regular season on a sour note, as he's posted a save percentage under the .850 threshold in four of his last five appearances, going 2-3-0 with a 4.08 GAA in that span. Jesper Wallstedt could be in line for more playing time down the stretch given Gustavsson's recent struggles.

Giroux scored an empty-net goal on three shots in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Panthers.

Giroux has tallied twice over the last three games, though both goals were empty-netters. He hasn't scored on a goalie since March 21 versus the Maple Leafs. The veteran forward remains an effective top-six option for the Senators with 14 goals, 46 points, 130 shots on net, 65 hits and a plus-20 rating through 79 appearances.

Batherson scored a power-play goal in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Panthers.

Batherson has five goals and three assists over his last eight games, with five of those eight points coming on the power play. The veteran winger established a career high with his 69th point of the season in this contest (32 goals, 37 assists). He's added 161 shots on net, 118 hits, 27 PIM and a minus-7 rating over 76 appearances. Batherson should continue to be a key part of the Senators' offense as they look to take advantage of controlling their own fate when it comes to making the playoffs.

Cotter scored a goal in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Penguins.

Cotter has been a regular for the Devils for most of the season, but he's been in the bottom six, leaving him prone to long slumps. His goal Thursday ended a 10-game dry spell. He's at nine goals, 15 points, 57 shots on net, 188 hits and a minus-21 rating over 76 appearances. Barring a burst of offense to close out the campaign, it'll be his worst full-length NHL campaign to date.

Hughes scored a goal on five shots and blocked three shots in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Penguins.

Hughes has been dynamic late in the season, earning 14 goals and 32 points over his last 17 contests. While it's too late to help the Devils, it's a good sign that the 24-year-old can perform at this level for an extended stretch. He's up to 26 goals, 73 points, 220 shots on net and a plus-1 rating over 58 appearances, putting him right in the same neighborhood as each of the previous two years.