NHL Player News

Engstrom notched an assist in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Stars.

Engstrom stepped in for Mike Matheson (lower body), who was sidelined Thursday. The helper was Engstrom's first point across seven outings. He'll have steady playing time as long as Matheson is out, though Engstrom's part-time usage early in the season could eventually see him get sent to AHL Laval for more consistent ice time. He's earned five shots on net, five blocked shots and a plus-3 rating across seven appearances so far.

Hagens scored a goal on two shots in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Blues.

Hagens has three goals and an assist over his last five outings. The 19-year-old forward continues to impress from the third line, though the Bruins have given him power-play time and are rolling three scoring lines this year. Hagens has five goals, five assists, 27 shots on net, 16 blocked shots and a plus-6 rating over 14 appearances. He ranks second to Gavin McKenna (15 points) in rookie scoring, and they're tied on goals, along with Roman Kantserov. Expect Hagens to remain in the Calder Trophy conversation throughout the year.

Neighbours scored a power-play goal and five hits in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Bruins.

Neighbours ended a six-game goal drought with the tally. The 24-year-old winger saw just 13:45 of ice time Thursday, his lowest total in two weeks, but he remains involved on the power play. That should bolster his offense, though it would be better if he was generating more shot volume. Through 13 games, he has four goals, three assists, 24 shots on net, 44 hits, eight blocked shots, 11 PIM and a plus-2 rating.

Boldy scored a goal on four shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders.

Boldy snapped a six-game goal drought with the tally. He had five assists in that span. The winger hasn't quite locked in his scoring touch this season, though he remains heavily involved on the top line and first power-play unit. Boldy is at six goals, seven assists, 65 shots on net, 13 hits, 12 blocked shots, 15 PIM and a plus-11 rating across 15 appearances. Considering his current 9.2 shooting percentage is the lowest of his career, he should be able to improve as the season progresses.

Pelech scored a goal on three shots, blocked three shots and added two PIM in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Wild.

This was Pelech's first goal of the season. The 32-year-old defenseman has added two assists, 17 shots on net, 13 hits, 24 blocked shots, 19 PIM and a minus-2 rating over 13 appearances. Pelech could be in line for increased defensive duties if Ryan Pulock (upper body) is forced to miss time with the injury he sustained Thursday. While Pelech has topped the 20-point mark four times in his career, his heavy playing style often leads to missed time, making him unreliable in most fantasy formats.

Horvat scored a power-play goal on three shots, added two hits and blocked two shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Wild.

Horvat continues to chip in offense at a steady rate with seven points over his last six games. He's earned two of his points in that span on the power play. The 31-year-old center is up to seven goals, seven assists, 41 shots on net, 24 hits and a plus-2 rating across 13 appearances this season.

Parayko didn't practice Friday due to an upper-body injury but is considered probable for Saturday's game against the Red Wings, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.

Head coach Jim Montgomery called Parayko's absence from practice Friday a maintenance day related to an upper-body issue that forced him to briefly exit Thursday's game against the Bruins. Montgomery said that Parayko will "probably" be able to play against Detroit, but the Blues will wait to see whether he's ready Saturday morning. If Parayko is unavailable, Montgomery said that the team feels comfortable inserting Quinton Burns into the lineup for his NHL debut.

Chinakhov notched an assist in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Mammoth.

Chinakhov has played in just two of the Penguins' last six games due to lower-body issues. He has a point in each of those contests, which suggests his early struggles on offense could be coming to a close if he can stay in the lineup. He's at four points, 14 shots on net and a minus-1 rating through nine appearances.

Rakell scored a shorthanded goal on three shots, added three hits and blocked two shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Mammoth.

Rakell started the year cold, but he has three goals and an assist over his last four contests. He's involved on both sides of special teams while seeing top-line minutes at even strength, so it's no surprise he's gotten his offense going. The 33-year-old tends to run a little streaky with his scoring. He has three goals, three helpers, 33 shots on net, 15 hits, 12 blocked shots and a minus-4 rating across 13 appearances.

Karlsson scored a goal, added two PIM and went minus-2 in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Mammoth.

Karlsson continued his steady start to the season, which has seen him get on the scoresheet in 10 of 13 games. The veteran blueliner has a total of two goals, 11 assists, 21 shots on net, eight blocked shots and a minus-3 rating over 13 appearances. Karlsson's early production is a positive sign that this won't be the year his numbers decline, so he should be a good contributor for his fantasy managers.