NHL Player News

Dostal will patrol the home blue paint versus the Predators on Tuesday, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports.

It's been a tough stretch for Dostal lately, as he's been blitzed for 13 goals on 83 shots (.843 save percentage) over his last three appearances, all of which were regulation losses. The 25-year-old goaltender hasn't played since Friday, and the Ducks have been off since Saturday. Meanwhile, the Predators are on the second half of a back-to-back after falling to the Kings on Monday in a shootout.

Gudas (lower body) remains without a clear recovery timeline but is "getting closer every day," according to head coach Joel Quenneville, Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune reports Tuesday.

Gudas won't be an option for at least Tuesday's clash with Nashville, and it also seems unlikely he'll be ready to play against the Sharks on Thursday, with Quenneville stating, "He gets in a practice or two with the guys, and he'll be... could be playing right after that." Based on that comment, it seems like Gudas could be an option versus Vancouver on Sunday, barring any setbacks.

Laughton scored a goal in Monday's 3-2 shootout win over the Predators.

Laughton found the back of the net at the 13:57 mark of the second period with a wrister, giving him 13 goals on the year. However, the 31-year-old veteran is a bottom-six forward who's more known for his defensive prowess and physical attributes than for his scoring. Since being acquired from the Maple Leafs on March 6, Laughton has suited up in 16 games for the Kings, tallying five goals, seven points, 36 hits and 11 blocked shots.

Forsberg stopped 29 of 31 shots in Monday's 3-2 shootout win over the Predators.

Forsberg is just two wins away from reaching 15 for the third time in his career, although he might fall short of accomplishing that goal since the Kings have only five regular-season games left. Forsberg is ending the campaign on a strong note, though. Over his last five outings, the 33-year-old veteran has posted a 2.51 GAA and a .912 save percentage despite a not-so-impressive 2-2-0 record.

Martinook (undisclosed) is expected to return to the lineup against the Bruins on Tuesday, according to Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site.

Martinook missed only one game -- Sunday in Ottawa -- so his injury was seemingly a minor one. The 33-year-old is projected to skate on the third line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Staal versus Boston.

Stamkos scored a power-play goal in Monday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Kings.

Stamkos found the back of the net with a slap shot at the 4:29 mark of the second period, and the veteran is ending the season on a sizzling streak since this was his third straight game with a goal. Furthermore, he's up to eight goals and nine points over his last nine appearances. Stamkos is now just one goal away from registering the eighth 40-goal regular season of his career, and his first since the 2023-24 campaign.

Staal (undisclosed) is expected to play against Boston on Tuesday, per Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site.

After sitting out Sunday's 6-3 loss to Ottawa, Staal was back on the third line during Tuesday's morning skate. He has chipped in 19 goals, 33 points, 101 shots on net, 45 blocked shots and 161 hits in 73 appearances this season.

Saros stopped 26 of 28 shots in Monday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Kings.

Saros was beaten in the first and second periods, each time by wristers courtesy of Joel Armia and Scott Laughton, and he ended up being tagged with the loss after the shootout. Despite the outcome, this was a step in the right direction for Saros, who was coming off three straight games in which he had posted a save percentage below the .900 threshold. It remains to be seen whether Saros or Justus Annunen will get the nod for the second leg of the back-to-back set against the Ducks on Tuesday.

Roy (upper body) is available for Tuesday's game in St. Louis, per Corey Masisak of The Denver Post.

The Avalanche are now at full strength up front, as Roy and Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) will both be in Tuesday's lineup. Roy missed seven games due to his injury and will serve in a bottom-six role now that he's moved past his upper-body injury. The right-shot forward scored three goals in an eight-game span prior to getting hurt, but he hasn't recorded a helper since Feb. 3 in Edmonton, when he was still a member of the Maple Leafs.

Smith scored a goal on two shots in Monday's 3-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Smith gave the Sharks a 3-1 lead with a snap shot at the 3:28 mark of the third period, and since the Blackhawks pulled one back later, Smith's tally ended up being the game-winning goal -- his fourth of the campaign. This goal also marked Smith's 100th point of his NHL career, and he needed 137 games to reach that sum. The 21-year-old playmaker has the looks of a future franchise cornerstone, and he's already surpassed the numbers he posted in 2024-25. Over 63 contests, Smith is up to 55 points, tallying 23 goals and 32 assists.