NHL Player News

Johnston (lower body) is seemingly available for the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune reports Monday.

Johnston hasn't played since March 10 against Winnipeg, but he has been a regular at playoff practices. According to Cavanagh, head coach Joel Quenneville said ahead of Game 6 of Round 1 against Edmonton on Thursday that Johnston was "capable of playing." However, it seems that Johnston will be a healthy scratch for Monday's Game 1 matchup against Vegas.

Gudas (lower body) could return to the lineup ahead of Game 1 versus Vegas on Monday, per Derek Lee of The Hockey News.

Gudas has appeared in just two of the Ducks' last 14 games due to injuries, and he could be a healthy scratch even if he's given the all-clear ahead of Game 1. In those appearances, the defenseman failed to register a point while dishing out six hits. Tyson Hinds would be the most likely player dropped from the lineup if Gudas suits up in Game 1.

Dostal will be between the road pipes in Game 1 against the Golden Knights on Monday, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports.

Dostal's ratios during the first round against the Oilers weren't great; he posted a 3.87 GAA and .874 save percentage, but he still managed to get the necessary four victories in six games. In the playoffs, the Ducks have averaged 4.33 goals per game, which is second-most in the league, so the netminder doesn't need to be perfect thanks to the quality offense around him.

Stockselius agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with Calgary on Monday.

Stockselius made the jump to the professional ranks this season, logging 16 regular-season games for Djurgardens IF of the SHL, though he produced just one helper. The 18-year-old center was significantly more productive with the club's junior team, notching 16 points in 11 games. While Stockselius could come over for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, it's likely he'll be loaned back to Djurgardens unless he really impresses in camp.

Hart was the first goalie to leave the ice ahead of Game 1 versus the Ducks at home Monday, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports.

Hart played in all six games against the Mammoth, going 4-2 with a 2.72 GAA and .892 save percentage. At this point, the 27-year-old netminder figures to be a lock to keep the crease for the Golden Knights, especially considering Adin Hill hasn't played since April 9 versus the Kraken.

D'Astous notched a power-play assist and two hits in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Canadiens in Game 7.

D'Astous missed Games 2-5 in the first round due to an undisclosed injury. The 28-year-old went from a relative unknown to a staple in the Lightning's lineup this year, logging 29 points, 80 shots on net, 96 hits, 74 blocked shots and 112 PIM over 70 regular-season outings. D'Astous signed a one-year contract extension in January, so expect him to be in the Opening Night lineup to begin 2026-27.

James scored a power-play goal on four shots and added two hits in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Canadiens in Game 7.

James ended the playoffs on a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist). The 23-year-old added 12 shots on net, 10 hits and a minus-4 rating over seven postseason contests. James put up 15 points across 43 regular-season outings and should be in the mix for bottom-six minutes heading into 2026-27.

Suzuki scored a goal on three shots, added three hits, blocked three shots and went plus-2 in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Lightning in Game 7.

Suzuki had gone seven games without a goal before his opening tally Sunday. He ended the first-round series with a goal, five assists, 10 shots on net, 17 hits, 10 blocked shots and a minus-3 rating over seven appearances. The Canadiens leaned on their top line a lot in the regular season, leading to a 101-point effort over 82 contests for Suzuki, but more contributions from depth players in the first round is an encouraging sign as the team pivots to face the Sabres in the second round.

Lauzon (undisclosed) probably won't be an option for Vegas' second-round series against Anaheim, SinBin.vegas reports Monday.

Lauzon sustained the injury in Friday's series-clinching 5-1 win over Utah in Round 1. He didn't have a point in six games against the Mammoth, but he registered five shots on goal, eight blocked shots and 14 hits. Ben Hutton or Dylan Coghlan will replace Lauzon in the lineup for Game 1 against the Ducks on Monday.

Karlsson (lower body) will be activated from long-term injured reserve ahead of his return to the lineup in Game 1 against Anaheim on Monday.

After being limited to only 14 appearances during the 2025-26 regular season, Karlsson could occupy a middle-six role in Vegas' second-round playoff series against the Ducks. He had four goals, seven points, 30 shots on net and 13 blocked shots before getting hurt.