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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Gabriel Landeskog (upper body) is doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Sharks, but he is still expected to play in the Olympics. He has already missed the Avalanche's last 12 games and is projected to miss at least two more. Before his injury, Landeskog recorded six points in his previous seven outings. He is anticipated to be ready for Colorado after the Olympic break, assuming he plays for Tre Kronor.
Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues) will defend the road net against Nashville on Monday. He is coming off a 16-save effort in Thursday's 5-4 win over Florida, holding a 12-10-3 record this campaign with a 2.82 GAA, an .899 save percentage, and four shutouts through 29 appearances. Hofer has a 1-1-0 record with seven goals allowed on 64 shots in three outings against the Predators this season.
Justin Sourdif (Washington Capitals) is mentioned in Monday's essential fantasy hockey pickups guide. The article offers advice on players to add and strategies for the upcoming week in fantasy hockey.
Martin Necas (Colorado Avalanche) will miss Monday's game against Detroit due to a lower-body injury, marking his second consecutive absence. The team hopes he can return for Wednesday's matchup against San Jose. This season, Necas has accumulated 22 goals, 62 points, 124 shots on net, and 57 hits across 52 appearances. Valeri Nichushkin moved to the top line in Necas' absence during Saturday's 5-0 win over the Red Wings.
Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after a dominant three-game stretch, posting four goals and seven points to lead the Kraken to three victories. His week included a four-point performance (2G, 2A) against Washington, a goal and an assist against Toronto, and his 200th NHL goal against Vegas. Despite missing significant time with lower-body injuries, McCann ranks second on the team with 16 goals and sixth with 29 points in just 30 games.
Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche) is available for Monday's game against the Red Wings, returning to action after sustaining an upper-body injury in early January. This marks his return following a 13-game absence. In 40 appearances this season, the 31-year-old defenseman has recorded one goal, 12 assists, 58 blocked shots, 18 PIM, and 14 hits, while averaging 22:20 of ice time.
Yaroslav Askarov (San Jose Sharks) was the first goalie to leave the ice Monday, indicating he will guard the cage on the road versus Chicago. Askarov has picked up just one win in his last five outings, going 1-3-1 with a 3.65 GAA. The 23-year-old netminder has been splitting the workload with Alex Nedeljkovic since the start of January, and his starting spot could be in jeopardy if his struggles continue.
Karel Vejmelka (UTA) was the first goalie off during Monday's morning skate, indicating he will draw the home start against the Canucks. After an eight-game winning streak earlier in January, Vejmelka has gone 0-3-0 with a 3.36 GAA and .894 save percentage since then. He will attempt to get back on track against the Canucks, who are scoring 2.56 goals per game this year, ranking third-worst in the league.
Kirill Marchenko (Columbus Blue Jackets) did not practice Monday due to an illness and is questionable for Tuesday's game against New Jersey, according to Jeff Svoboda. His potential absence could elevate Kent Johnson to the first line and top power-play unit. The 25-year-old winger is currently on a four-game point streak, having recorded one goal on nine shots and four assists during that span. This illness could interrupt his recent offensive momentum.
Winnipeg Jets winger Cole Perfetti has significantly increased his shot volume since the holiday break, recording two or more shots in 14 of 19 games, with 39 total shots on 79 attempts. He has also been promoted to the No. 1 power-play unit and leads Jets forwards in Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5. Perfetti is expected to generate shooting opportunities against the Stars, who limit opposing shots but rank low in CF% at 5-on-5.
Mackenzie Blackwood (Colorado Avalanche) is confirmed to start Monday's home game against the Red Wings, as reported by Evan Rawal. This will be his fifth appearance in the last six contests for the Avalanche, where he has posted a 2-2-0 record with a 2.55 GAA and one shutout in his previous four starts. Despite being limited to just 20 outings this season due to injuries, the 29-year-old has accumulated 15 wins and boasts a career-best 2.32 GAA.
Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) is slated to start Monday's road contest against Dallas, per Mitchell Clinton. The goaltender has struggled recently, securing only one win in his last six outings (1-3-2) while allowing 16 goals on 175 shots. This season, he holds a 13-15-6 record with a 2.71 GAA and a .902 save percentage through 34 appearances. He will face a Stars team ranked 11th in the league with 3.27 goals per game.
Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) will be in the home crease against the Maple Leafs on Monday, according to Pat Steinberg. While he is coming off a win against the Sharks on Saturday, Wolf has been in a slump since the start of the calendar year, holding a 2-6-1 record with a 3.56 GAA and an .882 save percentage over his last nine starts. He previously faced Toronto on Oct. 28, allowing four goals on 37 shots in a road loss.
Ilya Sorokin (New York Islanders) will patrol the home crease against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, according to Andrew Gross. This start marks the second half of the Islanders' back-to-back, following David Rittich's appearance on Monday. The 30-year-old goaltender recently made 38 saves in Saturday's 4-3 loss to Nashville. This season, Sorokin has an 18-13-2 record with six shutouts, a 2.44 GAA, and a .916 save percentage through 33 appearances. He will face a Pittsburgh team tied for fifth in the league with 3.40 goals per game.
Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk is leading the team in points and expected goals, while ranking second in shots through his first seven games this season. Averaging 2.9 shots on target, he shows improved numbers at home and after rest days. Tkachuk is expected to have an active offensive performance against the high-event Buffalo Sabres, who give up many shots to wingers. He has scored in one of his seven games and is a key offensive driver for the Panthers.
Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild) is dealing with an illness and is unlikely to dress against the Canadiens on Monday, per Michael Russo. He has given up three or more goals in each of his last five contests, posting a 2-3-0 record and 4.44 GAA. The 23-year-old goalie may not have featured in Monday's game anyway, so it's unlikely he is missing a start. Filip Gustavsson will start, with Cal Petersen potentially called up as backup.
Linus Ullmark (Ottawa Senators) will defend the road net against Pittsburgh on Monday, as reported by Jackson Starr. He is coming off a 26-save performance in Saturday's 4-1 win over New Jersey. This season, Ullmark holds a 15-8-5 record with a 2.89 GAA and an .884 save percentage across 29 appearances. Pittsburgh is tied for fifth in the league, averaging 3.40 goals per game this campaign.
David Rittich (New York Islanders) was the first goalie off during Monday's morning skate, indicating he'll draw the road start against Washington, per Stefen Rosner. Rittich has seen limited playing time recently but will tend the twine in the first half of a back-to-back set. In January, he posted a 2-3-1 record with a 3.31 GAA and .838 save percentage across six appearances. The Capitals are tied for 14th in the league, generating 3.18 goals per game.
Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild) will start Monday's home game against the Canadiens, reports Jessi Pierce. After getting Saturday off, he returns to the crease. Over his last five starts, Gustavsson has posted a 4-0-1 record with a 2.95 GAA and .901 save percentage, including three overtime victories. He faces a Canadiens team that ranks fourth in the NHL, scoring 3.44 goals per game this season.
Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens) has been consistently scoring goals since not being selected for the Olympics. This trend raises questions about why some players leverage such 'snubs' to elevate their performance. His recent play is a key focus in the NHL this week, demonstrating a significant uplift in his offensive output following the decision.
