NHL Player News

Rust posted an assist, two blocked shots and a minus-2 rating in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Lightning.

Rust missed one game due to a lower-body injury. He was a late scratch after warmups Tuesday versus the Red Wings. It's unclear if this is an issue Rust will have to manage for the rest of the campaign, but he'll want to be in the lineup to help the Penguins push for a playoff spot. He's earned 16 points over his last 12 outings and is up to 62 points (24 on the power play), 177 shots on net, 69 blocked shots and a minus-1 rating over 68 appearances.

Girard notched two assists and six blocked shots in Thursdays' 6-3 loss to the Lightning.

Girard has earned five assists over eight games since he returned from an upper-body injury. The defenseman is now at 17 points, 39 shots on net, 53 blocked shots, 21 PIM and a plus-15 rating across 55 appearances between the Penguins and the Avalanche this season. Girard is playing in a top-four role for the Penguins, but he hasn't unseated Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang for power-play minutes.

Letang notched two assists and two hits in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Lightning.

Letang has five helpers over his last three games for one of his better stretches of the season. The 38-year-old defenseman is up to 33 points, 102 shots on net, 95 hits, 89 blocked shots, 36 PIM and a minus-5 rating over 70 appearances. He's bounced back slightly compared to last year, when he was limited to 30 points over 74 contests, but his days of challenging for the 50-point mark are likely over.

Goncalves logged two assists and a plus-2 rating in Thursday's 6-3 win over the Penguins.

Goncalves had a hand in two of Anthony Cirelli's goals in the contest. The 25-year-old Goncalves hasn't scored in nine games, but he has five assists, 14 shots on net and a plus-3 rating in that span while contributing in the Lightning's top six. He's up to 31 points, 72 shots on net, 77 hits, 41 PIM and a plus-27 rating over 67 appearances in his second full NHL campaign.

Girgensons scored a goal and added four hits in Thursday's 6-3 win over the Penguins.

Girgensons ended a 12-game goal drought with the tally. He's picked up the pace with three points over his last four outings. Girgensons' goal Thursday was the 100th of his career, a solid total for a player who's mainly been a bottom-six option throughout his NHL time. He's at 18 points, 88 shots on net, 182 hits, 41 blocked shots and 29 PIM over 68 appearances this season.

Point scored a goal on three shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 6-3 win over the Penguins.

Point ended a four-game goal drought with the tally, which put the Lightning ahead 3-2 in the second period. He hadn't gone more than two games without a point since his four-game slump from Nov. 6-15. The 30-year-old has had a down year, with injuries playing a role in his drop, but he's still at 18 goals, 29 assists, 119 shots on net and a plus-13 rating over 57 appearances this season.

Rooney was called up by Utah on Friday.

Rooney has 12 goals and 23 points in 43 outings with AHL Tucson in 2025-26. The 32-year-old is a veteran of 331 career regular-season NHL games, but he's appeared in just one outing at the top level in 2025-26. Rooney scored a goal on one shot in a 4-3 loss to Dallas on Nov. 28.

Makar (upper body) will not be an option for the Avs' next two contests, Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette reports Friday.

At this point, Makar will likely miss the 90-point threshold for the first time since 2022-23. Despite his overall numbers being slightly down, the 27-year-old blueliner has already reached the 20-goal mark for the third straight year and is currently third among defensemen in points. Devon Toews figures to continue seeing a larger role, including on the power play, while Makar is sidelined.

Jarry stopped 17 of 18 shots in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Blackhawks.

Jarry's struggles this season have been well documented, but the 30-year-old took a step in the right direction with this game. Still, Jarry is expected to remain as the No. 2 option behind Connor Ingram, meaning the former won't carry a ton of fantasy upside down the stretch in the regular season. Jarry has won three of his last four starts, but having a 3.30 GAA and an .853 save percentage in that span is far from appealing from a fantasy perspective.

Roy (upper body) will miss Saturday's game in Dallas and Sunday's match versus St. Louis, per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette.

Roy will be reevaluated ahead of Tuesday's clash against the Blues. The 29-year-old hasn't played since March 22 due to the injury. He has eight goals and 23 points in 68 outings between Toronto and Colorado in 2025-26. Roy will probably occupy a spot in Colorado's bottom six once he's healthy.