Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Yaroslav Askarov will protect the home net for the San Jose Sharks against Seattle on Saturday, per Sheng Peng. Askarov has won his last two outings, allowing eight goals on 73 shots during that span. This season, he boasts a 12-8-1 record with a 3.23 GAA and a .900 save percentage through 21 appearances. Seattle ranks 31st in the league with 2.47 goals per game.
Brandon Hagel (upper body) has been placed on injured reserve, confirming he will miss Saturday's game against Carolina and Monday's matchup against St. Louis. This marks his second consecutive missed game, and his return after the Christmas break is uncertain. The move to IR means he is not eligible to play Monday. This season, Hagel has accumulated 18 goals, 31 points, 95 shots on net, and 25 hits through 32 appearances, making his absence a notable loss for the team.
Matt Boldy is looking to extend his goal streak to four games as the Minnesota Wild prepare to face the Edmonton Oilers. Boldy has already reached 20 goals this season, a milestone he shares with teammate Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild are currently the only team in the NHL with multiple players hitting the 20-goal mark. If Boldy and Kaprizov both extend their streaks, it would mark only the second time in Wild history that teammates have achieved simultaneous four-game goal streaks.
Kirill Kaprizov is poised to extend his goal streak to four games as the Minnesota Wild face the Edmonton Oilers. He currently has 20 goals this season. Kaprizov is tied for second in franchise history with 145 power-play points (70 goals, 75 assists). According to NHL Stats, he is the only player across all 32 NHL clubs to hold or be tied for the franchise record in goal streak, assist streak, and point streak milestones.
Leevi Merilainen will get the starting nod for the Ottawa Senators at home against Chicago on Saturday. He will be looking to snap a personal four-game losing streak. This season, Merilainen holds a 3-5-0 record with a 3.22 GAA and an .877 save percentage across eight games. He faces a Blackhawks team that has a 5-10-3 record in their last 17 games and is tied for 25th in NHL scoring.
Stuart Skinner will start in goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. This follows his Pittsburgh debut on Tuesday, where he surrendered five goals on 22 shots in a 6-4 loss to Edmonton. Across 24 appearances this season for both the Penguins and Oilers, Skinner holds an 11-9-4 record with two shutouts, a 2.93 goals-against average, and an .887 save percentage. Montreal is tied for eighth in the league with 3.18 goals per game this year.
Devin Cooley is set to start in goal for the Calgary Flames at home against Vegas on Saturday. This marks only his second start in the last eight games, as Dustin Wolf has re-established himself as the team's primary goaltender. Cooley's season record stands at 3-4-2 with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage over 12 appearances. The Golden Knights are generating 3.00 goals per game this season, ranking 18th in the league.
Joel Hofer will be in the visiting net for the St. Louis Blues against Florida on Saturday. He is coming off a strong performance on Wednesday, where he shut out the Jets by stopping all 24 shots, marking his third shutout of the season. Overall, Hofer holds a 6-7-2 record with a 2.96 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage this season. The Panthers could be a tired team Saturday after scoring three times in the last 10 minutes of the third period Friday.
Jeremy Swayman is confirmed to start in goal for the Boston Bruins at home against Vancouver on Saturday. He has shown significant improvement this season (2025-26), posting a 14-9-2 record with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage through 23 starts. This marks a rebound from his 2024-25 campaign, where he finished with a 22-29-7 record, a 3.11 GAA, and an .892 save percentage. The Canucks are a tired team Saturday, coming off a 4-1 win over the Islanders.
Samuel Ersson will defend the road net for the Philadelphia Flyers against the Rangers on Saturday. He has struggled recently, going 0-2-1 in his last three appearances while allowing 10 goals on 76 shots. Overall this season, Ersson holds a 5-4-3 record with a 3.05 GAA and an .869 save percentage through 12 appearances. With Dan Vladar (upper body) out, Aleksei Kolosov has been recalled from AHL Lehigh Valley to serve as Ersson's backup.
Dan Vladar (upper body) is listed as day-to-day and will not be in the lineup for Saturday's road game against the Rangers. Philadelphia has recalled Aleksei Kolosov from AHL Lehigh Valley on an emergency basis to serve as Samuel Ersson's backup. Vladar has posted a 12-5-3 record this season, with a 2.41 GAA and a .910 save percentage across 20 appearances.
Mike Matheson (upper body) will return to the Montreal Canadiens' lineup against Pittsburgh on Saturday, replacing Jayden Struble. Matheson missed the past two games due to the injury. The 31-year-old defenseman has recorded four goals, 16 points, 39 shots on net, 69 blocked shots, and 22 hits through 32 appearances this season.
Joseph Woll will be between the pipes for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Nashville on Saturday. He recently returned to action Tuesday after missing four games due to a lower-body injury. Since his return, Woll has won three straight games, allowing only four goals on 75 shots for an impressive .947 save percentage. Overall this season, he holds a 5-3-1 record with a 2.39 GAA and a .923 save percentage over nine starts. The Predators are 31st in the overall NHL standings and 27th in scoring, averaging 2.76 goals per game.
Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) will return to the lineup for Saturday's game against the Hurricanes. He was injured in the third period of Thursday's game and did not return, but has been cleared to play. Cirelli has recorded nine goals and 19 points in 30 games this season and is expected to resume a top-six role for the Lightning.
Jacob Fowler will patrol the home crease for the Montreal Canadiens against Pittsburgh on Saturday. This will be Fowler's fourth start in his last six games, where he has posted a 1-1-1 record with a 3.31 GAA and an .885 save percentage. Considered the Canadiens' goalie of the future, Fowler appears to be getting significant opportunities to secure the top spot. The Penguins rank 12th in NHL scoring, averaging 3.12 goals per game.
Igor Shesterkin will start in goal for the New York Rangers at home against Philadelphia on Saturday. He recently returned to form with 26 saves in a 2-1 overtime win Thursday, after allowing 10 goals on 67 shots in his prior three appearances (1-2-0). This season, Shesterkin holds a 14-11-3 record with a 2.49 GAA and a .910 save percentage across 28 starts. The Flyers rank 23rd in the NHL, averaging 2.85 goals per game.
Artemi Panarin (illness) is set to return to the New York Rangers' lineup Saturday against Philadelphia. He missed Thursday's game in St. Louis due to the illness. The 34-year-old forward has recorded 11 goals and 23 assists through 35 contests this season. Panarin will immediately reclaim his spot on the top line and first power-play unit, providing a significant boost to the Rangers' offense.
Logan Thompson will be in the home crease for the Washington Capitals on Saturday against Detroit. He is coming off a strong performance, recording a 22-save shutout in Thursday's 4-0 victory over Toronto. This season, Thompson boasts a 14-7-3 record with an impressive 2.00 GAA and a .925 save percentage through 24 appearances. The Red Wings are currently tied for 15th in the league, averaging 3.03 goals per game.
Timo Meier (personal) has been activated from the non-roster list by the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. In corresponding moves, Xavier Parent and Calen Addison were assigned to AHL Utica. Meier missed the last five games while designated as a non-roster player but is now expected to return to the lineup against Buffalo on Sunday. Through 30 appearances this season, he has recorded 11 goals, 23 points, 93 shots on net, and 61 hits.
Calvin Pickard, the Edmonton Oilers' current No. 1 goaltender, is confirmed to start Saturday's road game against Minnesota. This move comes as Tristan Jarry is sidelined on injured reserve with a lower-body injury sustained Thursday versus Boston. Pickard has posted a 3-4-2 record this season, accompanied by a 3.91 GAA and an .858 save percentage. The Wild's offense averages 3.03 goals per game. He will be between the pipes as announced by Oilers play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels.
