NHL Player News
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Logan O'Connor RW | COL
Avalanche's Logan O'Connor: Scores in Saturday's win
O'Connor scored a goal in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Panthers.
O'Connor snapped an 11-game goal drought, putting the Avalanche ahead for the first time at 4:04 of the second period. During the slump, he had just two assists. The 28-year-old forward is up to four points, 23 shots on net, 28 hits and a minus-4 rating over 21 outings this season. With the Avalanche closer to full strength at forward, O'Connor has been more firmly in a bottom-six role after occasionally playing up on the second line earlier in the campaign.
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Oliver Kylington D | COL
Avalanche's Oliver Kylington: Shows up on scoresheet
Kylington scored a goal on two shots, added an assist and went plus-2 in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Panthers.
Kylington missed time earlier in the season due to an illness, but he's also struggled to get in the lineup when healthy. He's primarily competed for a third-pairing spot that is usually filled by Calvin de Haan, though Kylington has now played in three straight games. Kylington's two points Saturday were his first scoring contributions of the season, and he's added two shots on net, two hits, six blocked shots and a minus-2 rating over seven outings. Without more offense, the 27-year-old won't be an option in most fantasy formats.
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Samuel Girard D | COL
Avalanche's Samuel Girard: One of each Saturday
Girard scored a goal and added an assist in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Panthers.
Girard put the Avalanche ahead 4-2 with a second-period tally and set up Mikko Rantanen's game-winner later in the frame. With six points over his last seven contests, Girard's offense has sparked to life. The blueliner is up to two goals, 10 assists, 21 shots on net, 21 hits, 41 blocked shots and an even plus-minus rating through 21 appearances this season.
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Adam Larsson D | SEA
Kraken's Adam Larsson: Stuck in scoring slump
Larsson was held off the scoresheet for the 16th straight game in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Kings.
Larsson is a top-four defenseman who plays in a shutdown role, so it's not unusual for him to have long stretches without offense. This is a pretty bad slump even in that context, though he also opened last year on a 13-game drought and ended the 2023-24 campaign with no points over his last 20 outings. Overall, the 32-year-old has three points, 32 shots on net, 31 hits, 43 blocked shots, 15 PIM and a plus-2 rating over 21 contests this season.
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Shane Wright C | SEA
Kraken's Shane Wright: Loses lineup spot
Wright was scratched for a third straight game Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Kings.
The Kraken rotated Wright out of the lineup Nov. 17 versus the Rangers. Seattle has lost two of the three games he's sat out, scoring just four goals in that span, so it's possible he gets a look again soon. Prior to the scratches, Wright had gone 13 games without a point. He has just two points over 18 appearances this season -- dynasty managers will want to weather the storm, but Wright is not an option in redraft leagues at this time. If he can't up his game soon, he may be ticketed for a trip to AHL Coachella Valley.
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Oliver Bjorkstrand RW | SEA
Kraken's Oliver Bjorkstrand: Earns helper in loss
Bjorkstrand notched an assist in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Kings.
Bjorkstrand snapped a three-game slump with the helper. The winger is back on the third line after seeing more ice time in mid-November. He's produced nine points, 43 shots on net, 16 hits and a plus-2 rating through 20 outings this season. Few Kraken forwards produce offense at an elite rate, so Bjorkstrand will need to be steadier to be an option for most fantasy managers.
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Andreas Englund D | LA
Kings' Andreas Englund: Getting short end of playing time
Englund has been scratched for seven of the Kings' first 10 games in November after sitting out Saturday's 2-1 win over the Kraken.
Englund doesn't add much outside of toughness, and his ice time has been under 10 minutes in each of his last three appearances. The Kings have been more willing to give Jacob Moverare a look on the third pairing. Englund has a goal, 17 hits, 12 PIM and five blocked shots over eight outings this season, and with another tough guy in Kyle Burroughs also on the outside looking in, Englund's unlikely to see steady playing time.
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Kevin Fiala LW | LA
Kings' Kevin Fiala: Snags power-play assist
Fiala registered a power-play assist in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Kraken.
Fiala snapped a six-game point drought when he set up a Quinton Byfield tally in the second period. It's been a tough first quarter of the campaign for Fiala, who has gotten into the doghouse with head coach Jim Hiller over penalties. Putting up offense is Fiala's one path to productivity, so it's not a good sign when he goes streaky. The winger is at seven goals, six helpers, 55 shots on net and 16 PIM through 20 contests overall.
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Anze Kopitar C | LA
Kings' Anze Kopitar: Dishes two assists
Kopitar notched two assists, including one on the power play, in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Kraken.
Kopitar continues to serve as a high-end playmaker on the Kings' top line. He's gone eight games without a goal, but he has nine helpers in that span, with three of them coming on the power play. The 37-year-old center is up to 23 points (five goals, 18 assists), 26 shots on net, 12 blocked shots and a plus-6 rating through 21 appearances.
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Adrian Kempe RW | LA
Kings' Adrian Kempe: Opens scoring in win
Kempe scored a goal on four shots and added two PIM in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Kraken.
Kempe is up to 10 goals this year, and he's scored half of them over the last four contests. The 28-year-old forward is in a groove on the top line, and his recent burst of production has been mostly at even strength. For the season, he's produced 19 points (three on the power play), 60 shots on net, 24 hits and a plus-7 rating through 21 appearances.