Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn (illness) is confirmed to be in the lineup Tuesday against the Avalanche, according to Joe Pohoryles. Dunn had missed practice on Monday but will suit up a day later. He is expected to handle a top-pairing role and receive ample power-play time. This update confirms his availability after a brief absence due to illness, providing a boost to the Kraken's defensive corps.
Liam Ohgren scored his first goal as a Vancouver Canuck at 3:24 of the second period, contributing to the team's 3-0 shutout win over the New York Rangers. Ohgren, who was acquired Friday from Minnesota in the Quinn Hughes trade, had previously played 18 games for the Wild this season without recording a point. His goal helped the Canucks, who also saw Evander Kane score and Thatcher Demko make 23 saves, defeat the Rangers.
Evander Kane scored his sixth goal of the season just 1:46 into the game, beating Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick, contributing to the Vancouver Canucks' 3-0 shutout victory over the New York Rangers. Liam Ohgren also scored, and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves for the Canucks. Vancouver, despite being described as the league-worst, smothered the Rangers, who are now 4-10-3 at home.
Thatcher Demko started in goal Tuesday against the Rangers, making 23 saves to earn his first shutout of the season and 10th of his career in the Canucks' 3-0 victory. This follows a strong Sunday performance where he saved 25 of 26 shots in a 2-1 win. Vancouver had a rest advantage over New York. Demko holds a career record of 3-1-0 against the Rangers with a .935 save percentage, further solidifying his strong play against them.
Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer is slated to start in net Tuesday against the Avalanche at home, as reported by Joe Pohoryles. This will be Grubauer's third start in six games, indicating the Kraken's recent pattern of alternating goalies. It presents a challenging matchup for Grubauer, facing one of his former teams, as the Avalanche currently lead the league with an average of 4.00 goals per game this season.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl achieved his 1,000th career point in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the fourth-fastest active player and the first German-born player in NHL history to reach the milestone. He recorded a secondary assist on Zach Hyman's power-play goal at 11:38, then added his 1,001st point just 14 seconds later on a Connor McDavid goal. Draisaitl now has 416 goals and 585 assists in 824 games. This marked his 136th assist with McDavid, surpassing Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky for fourth-most by a pair of teammates.
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin underwent surgery on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, to repair his ACL and has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. Seguin is already on long-term injured reserve and is expected to miss a minimum of 5-6 months. The Stars are awaiting an update from Seguin's doctor to determine if he will be placed on season-ending LTIR, which would rule him out for the playoffs but provide the team with significant cap relief from his $9.85 million cap hit.
Spencer Knight will protect the road net for the Chicago Blackhawks against Toronto on Tuesday. He is coming off a 23-save effort in Friday's 3-2 loss to St. Louis. Through 22 appearances this season, Knight holds a 10-7-5 record with two shutouts, a 2.52 GAA, and a .915 save percentage. Toronto is tied for fifth in the league with 3.29 goals per game this year.
Mathew Barzal (undisclosed) is now expected to play against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, centering the top line. He had been a game-time decision after skipping the morning skate for maintenance. Barzal is currently on a four-game point streak, having registered one goal, three assists, and six shots. This season, he has accounted for nine goals, 25 points, 75 shots on net, and 24 blocked shots in 32 appearances for the Islanders.
Ville Husso will guard the road goal for the Anaheim Ducks versus the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. This start comes in the second half of a back-to-back, after Lukas Dostal defeated the Rangers on Monday. Husso's playing time has predictably dropped since Dostal returned from an upper-body injury. The Blue Jackets have lost five straight games, going 0-4-1 with 12 goals scored in that span.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault has been assigned to the Laval Rocket for a conditioning stint, a move he agreed to which can last up to 14 days. Montembeault, who had started the season as the Canadiens' number one, has struggled this season, posting a 5-6-1 record with a 3.65 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage in 15 games. His last NHL appearance was December 9, giving up three goals on 13 shots in relief.
Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (undisclosed) is confirmed to be in the lineup for Tuesday's game against San Jose. He had exited Saturday's game versus the Kings after only 11:10 of ice time but appears to have recovered. Despite his return, Backlund has struggled offensively, recording just one goal and 16 shots over his last 11 outings. While his 20-goal scoring days are likely past, he is still projected to reach at least 15 goals this season.
New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick will start in net for Tuesday's home game against the Vancouver Canucks, as reported by Mollie Walker of the New York Post. This marks his second appearance in the last 12 contests and the second half of a back-to-back set. Quick is currently on a three-game losing streak, holding a 0-2-1 record with a 2.63 GAA during that span.
New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad (coach's decision) is set to return to the lineup for Tuesday's game against Vancouver, according to Mollie Walker of the New York Post. He was a healthy scratch for Monday's 4-1 loss to Anaheim after missing a team meeting. Zibanejad is expected to resume a top-six role and play on the first power-play unit. This season, he has accumulated 11 goals, 25 points, 99 shots on net, and 51 hits in 33 appearances.
Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper has been placed on injured reserve Tuesday following an upper-body injury sustained from a hit to the head during Monday's game against Dallas. He is expected to miss at least the next three games. In a corresponding move, Pheonix Copley has been called up from the minors and will serve as the No. 2 option behind Anton Forsberg during Kuemper's absence.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel left Tuesday's practice early, dealing with an illness, according to Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His availability for Wednesday's game against New Jersey is uncertain, with an update anticipated after Wednesday's morning skate or closer to game time. Despite the illness, Eichel has been productive this season, accumulating 12 goals, 41 points, and 117 shots on net through 31 appearances.
Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Shea Theodore is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Devils due to an upper-body injury, as reported by Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 30-year-old has been in good form, registering points in five of his last six contests with one goal and five assists, along with 10 blocks and 18 shots. Despite a recent drought without a power-play point in his last 12 outings, he continues to play on the No. 2 unit.
Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf will defend the road net against San Jose on Tuesday. Wolf has been in strong form, winning his last four starts while allowing only six goals on 106 shots. This season, he holds a 10-12-2 record with two shutouts, a 2.86 GAA, and an .899 save percentage through 25 appearances. San Jose ranks 21st in the league with 2.88 goals per game.
The St. Louis Blues have claimed 25-year-old winger Jonatan Berggren off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. Berggren, a 2018 second-round pick, played 15 games this season for Detroit, scoring two goals and six points before being placed on waivers. Throughout his four-year NHL career, he has 31 goals and 64 points in 169 games. His rookie campaign in 2022-23 saw 15 goals and 28 points in 67 games, but he spent most of the following season in the AHL. The Blues are expected to give him an increased role due to injuries. He signed a one-year, $1.825 million deal in the off-season and will be a restricted free agent.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is slated to guard the road goal against Seattle on Tuesday. He enters the game on a hot streak, having won his last three outings while stopping 71 of 77 shots. For the season, Blackwood has posted an impressive 9-1-1 record with two shutouts, a 2.19 GAA, and a .920 save percentage through 11 appearances. Seattle's offense ranks 32nd in the league, averaging only 2.47 goals per game.
