NHL Player News
-
Macklin Celebrini C | SJ
Sharks' Macklin Celebrini: Continues to climb record lists
Celebrini delivered an assist Saturday in a 4-1 loss to the Flyers.
Celebrini's 96 points (35 goals, 61 assists) in 68 games put him fifth on the NHL's overall scoring list. More impressively, he moved past Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier for the seventh-highest single-season point total by a teenager. Celebrini also tied Joe Thornton (2007-08) for the third-highest season total in Sharks history. He's on pace for a whopping 116 points this season, which would eclipse Jumbo Joe's franchise mark of 114 (2006-07).
-
Anton Forsberg G | LA
Kings' Anton Forsberg: Tough loss against Buffalo
Forsberg stopped 30 of 32 shots in Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Sabres.
Things unraveled in the third period for the Kings, as a power-play goal credited to Rasmus Dahlin was actually knocked across the line by Cody Ceci, while the Sabres' final tally was scored into an empty net. Forsberg has has some bumpy performances since the Olympic break, going 2-4-0 in seven outings with an .887 save percentage.
-
Dmitry Orlov D | SJ
Sharks' Dmitry Orlov: Three points in last three games
Orlov scored a power-play goal in a 4-1 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday.
Orlov has two goals and one assist in his last three games (seven shots) after scoring just once in his first 65 games. He has 29 points, including 26 assists, in 68 contests this season. That's Orlov's best offensive campaign since he put up regular seasons of 35 and 36 points in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He has 14 power-play points (one goal, 13 assists) this season, which is by and far his best production there. His previous best was eight PPP, which he put up in 2022-23.
-
Zach Benson LW | BUF
Sabres' Zach Benson: Two points in Saturday's win
Benson produced a goal and an assist in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Kings.
Both points came in the third period as the Sabres broke open a 1-1 tie. It was Benson's first multi-point performance since Jan. 10, and his first goal since returning from an upper-body injury after the Olympic break. On the season, he's delivered eight goals and 32 points -- a new career high -- in 53 contests.
-
Alex Nedeljkovic G | SJ
Sharks' Alex Nedeljkovic: Gets almost no help from teammates
Nedeljkovic made 24 saves in a 4-1 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. He allowed two goals.
The game was tight; the Flyers scored twice into an empty net in the last 1:12 of the game. Nedeljkovic has lost three straight games after starting March with three wins in his first four games. He's the de facto starter right now; Yaroslav Askarov has missed six straight games with a lower-body injury. Nedeljkovic did his part Saturday. Now the rest of the lineup needs to do the same. San Jose is three points behind Nashville for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
-
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen G | BUF
Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Keeps rolling Saturday
Luukkonen turned aside 26 shots in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Kings.
Artemi Panarin opened the scoring midway through the first period on the power play, but Luukkonen shut the door the rest of the way as the Sabres' offense took over. The 27-year-old netminder has won six of seven starts since the Olympic break, going 6-1-0 with a stellar .930 save percentage.
-
Ryan O'Reilly C | NSH
Predators' Ryan O'Reilly: Two-point effort Saturday
O'Reilly scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Saturday's 4-1 win over Vegas.
The veteran center helped set up Nashville's first goal of the afternoon by Steven Stamkos just 40 seconds into the first period, before potting the game's final tally late in the second. It was O'Reilly's first multi-point performance since Feb. 4, and on the season, he's delivered 24 goals and 64 points in 68 games.
-
Steven Stamkos C | NSH
Predators' Steven Stamkos: Three points against Vegas
Stamkos scored two goals, one the game-winner on the power play, and added a power-play assist in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Golden Knights.
The 36-year-old delivered his best performance since the Olympic break, producing his first three-point effort since Feb. 4 and his first multi-goal game since Feb. 2. The GWG was also Stamkos' 10th of the season, the first time he's reached double digits in that category since 2021-22. Stamkos is up to 33 goals and 55 points through 69 games on the season, and he may need to stay hot if the Predators are going to hang onto a playoff spot -- they currently sit in the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
-
Connor Hellebuyck G | WPG
Jets' Connor Hellebuyck: Third straight loss
Hellebuyck made 26 saves in a 5-4 shootout loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Hellebuyck is 0-1-2 in his last three outings and 4-3-4 with an .887 save percentage in 11 appearances since his gold-medal win at the Olympics. Hellebuyck needs to be near perfect for his team to make the playoffs. The Jets are four points behind the Kings for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
-
Justus Annunen G | NSH
Predators' Justus Annunen: Sharp again Saturday
Annunen stopped 39 shots in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Golden Knights.
A Shea Theodore power-play tally in the second period ruined his shutout bid, but Annunen was once again impressive as he fills in for the injured Juuse Saros (upper body). Annunen has allowed three goals or fewer in all five of his starts since the Olympic break, going 3-2-0 with a stellar .940 save percentage, and he'll likely see a heavy workload as long as Saros is sidelined.