NHL Player News

Oettinger stopped 16 of 19 shots in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Wild in Game 6. The last two goals were empty-netters.

The Stars weren't able to generate much on their chances outside a pair of second-period tallies. Oettinger went 2-4 with a 2.83 GAA and an .893 save percentage over all six games in the first round. The 27-year-old will have a longer offseason than he's accustomed to, but he is under contract long term after signing an eight-year extension in October of 2024. He'll be among the top tier of goalies available in fantasy drafts in the fall.

Tarasenko scored a goal on two shots in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 6.

Tarasenko's first goal of these playoffs came at a critical time. The Stars had just taken a 2-1 lead, but Tarasenko answered just 54 seconds later to even the score late in the second period. He's added one assist, 10 shots on net, seven hits and a plus-1 rating over six playoff contests, filling a middle-six role for the most part, though his ice time has decreased since the Wild got Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin back from injuries. Tarasenko had extensive playoff experience prior to this year, earning 49 goals and 24 assists over 121 contests across 11 postseason runs.

Boldy scored two empty-net goals, added five shots on net, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 6.

Boldy ended the first round with six goals, three assists, 33 shots on net, nine hits, five blocked shots and a plus-8 rating over six appearances. The 25-year-old winger had an impressive regular season (42 goals, 85 points in 76 outings), and he has carried over that success into the playoffs. Boldy will remain a key figure in the top six and on the power play heading into the second round against the Avalanche.

Hughes scored twice on three shots, added an assist, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 6.

Hughes' first two goals of the series couldn't come at a better time for the Wild. He opened the scoring at 6:23 of the first period and then added the eventual game-winner midway through the third. He ended the first round with two goals, six helpers, 13 shots on net, six blocked shots and a plus-9 rating over six outings. Hughes will look to keep his offense up while also getting a head-to-head playoff matchup with Cale Makar and the Avalanche in the second round.

Wallstedt stopped 21 of 23 shots in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 6.

Wallstedt went 4-2 in the series with a 2.05 GAA and a .924 save percentage over six games. The Wild trailed for just 54 seconds in the decisive Game 6, and a clean third period from Wallstedt helped them secure advancement. It doesn't get any easier in the second round for the 23-year-old goalie, as he'll be tasked with stopping the Avalanche, who won the Presidents' Trophy for the best record in the regular season. A start date for that second-round series has yet to be announced.

Ehlers (lower body) is progressing in his recovery ahead of Game 1 versus Philadelphia on Saturday, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports.

During Friday's practice, Ehlers filled his regular third-line role and logged reps with the No. 1 power-play unit. The veteran winger has racked up eight points in his last nine outings, including a goal and two assists with the man advantage. If the Dane does play Saturday, he could offer decent fantasy upside given his role on the power play.

Andersen is expected to get the starting nod at home for Game 1 against the Flyers on Saturday, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports.

Andersen had a perfect 4-0 record in the opening round of the playoffs against the Senators, posting a 1.10 GAA, a .955 save percentage and one shutout. It would have been quite the shock to see him removed from the crease for the start of the second round. At this point, it would likely take multiple bad outings by the veteran netminder for him to lose the starting role in Carolina.

D'Astous (undisclosed) is poised to play in Friday's Game 6 matchup against the Canadiens, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports.

D'Astous will play for the first time since suffering an undisclosed injury in Game 1 on April 19. The blueliner hasn't earned a point in his last seven contests while chipping in 10 shots, seven hits and six blocks. During that stretch, the Quebec native also racked up 24 PIM. He'll need to avoid the sin bin in a must-win matchup for the Lightning on Friday.

Paul (illness) will rejoin the lineup versus the Canadiens in Game 6 on Friday, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports.

Apparently, Paul wasn't as coy about his availability as head coach Jon Cooper, who previously declined to provide an update on the forward's health. The 31-year-old Paul hasn't earned a point in four appearances this postseason while contributing five shots on net, 13 hits and three blocked shots. Still, his offensive limitations may cause fantasy managers to seek other options for Friday's playoff slate.

Paul (illness) will be a game-time call for Game 6 versus Montreal on Friday, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.

Paul was on the ice for the game-day skate, which would seem to indicate he'll be back in action, but the team didn't run line combinations, and head coach Jon Cooper didn't reveal any details regarding his lineup. If Paul does play, it will likely come at the expense of Conor Geekie.