Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom will defend the home crease versus Tampa Bay on Thursday. He stopped 35 shots in a 4-3 win over Ottawa on Tuesday, his first victory in four starts. Overall this season, Markstrom is 8-6-1 with a 3.48 GAA and an .880 save percentage across 15 starts.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie will start Thursday's home game against the Boston Bruins, marking his seventh consecutive start. Comrie has struggled mightily in his last two outings, going 0-2-0 with a 6.19 GAA and a .771 save percentage.
New York Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin (lower back) is expected to return to action Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He will not play Thursday against Anaheim. Drouin, 30, rejoined the Islanders for a team skate Thursday morning, his first since being a late scratch a week ago against the Avalanche. He had been skating on his own and receiving treatment on Long Island.
Penguins' Tristan Jarry will draw the home start against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Jarry has been solid recently, posting a 4-0-1 record with a 2.47 GAA and a .915 save percentage over his last six appearances. He will face a Montreal team tied for ninth in the NHL with 3.14 goals per game.
Maple Leafs' 24-year-old Dennis Hildeby will make his third consecutive start Thursday at home against the Sharks. He picked up his first career shutout during Monday's win over the Lightning. Hildeby has been sharp over his last five appearances (three starts), going 2-0-1 with a 0.79 GAA and a .973 save percentage.
Dan Vladar will start in goal at home against Vegas on Thursday. The Philadelphia Flyers netminder continues a strong 2025-26 campaign with an 11-5-1 record, 2.50 GAA, and .908 save percentage. Vladar has firmly cemented himself as the No. 1 option ahead of Samuel Ersson. He is just four wins shy of setting a new career best, surpassing his 14 wins from the 2022-23 season when he was with the Flames.
Logan Thompson will start in goal at home against Carolina on Thursday. The Washington Capitals netminder has been outstanding over his last six starts, posting a 5-0-1 record with a 1.32 GAA and a .955 save percentage. For the season, Thompson holds a 13-6-2 record with one shutout, a 1.96 GAA, and a .925 save percentage across 21 starts. He faces a tough test against the Hurricanes, who are tied for fifth in NHL scoring, averaging 3.34 goals per game.
Elvis Merzlikins will get the starting nod at home against the Senators on Thursday. The Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender has struggled recently, giving up five or more goals in four of his last five outings, posting a 2-2-1 record and an .850 save percentage during that span. Due to his performance, Merzlikins has been relegated to the No. 2 role in Columbus behind Jet Greaves, though he could play his way back into a split share of duties with improved play.
Evgenii Dadonov has been placed on injured reserve by the New Jersey Devils due to a wrist injury. This marks another setback for the winger, who previously missed 17 games with a hand injury. The team has not provided a specific timeline for his return, suggesting he could be out indefinitely. Dadonov's 2025-26 season has been significantly impacted by these injuries, limiting his availability and performance.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson, 19, a Toronto native, is set to play his first NHL game in his hometown on Thursday when the Sharks visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. This marks a significant milestone for the young blueliner, who will be making his NHL debut in front of his local fans and family. His father, Steve Dickinson, noted Sam initially disliked hockey as a child.
Vince Dunn tallied a goal and two assists, all on the power play, contributing to the Seattle Kraken's 3-2 overtime victory against the Kings. This marks his first multi-point performance since November 13. The 29-year-old defenseman now has five points in his last six games. For the season, Dunn has recorded five goals, 17 points (eight on the power play), 65 shots, 25 blocked shots, 24 PIM, and a minus-5 rating over 28 appearances.
Jared McCann left Wednesday's game against the Kings with an undisclosed injury following a collision with goalie Anton Forsberg, reportedly in obvious pain. His status was not updated post-game, and a significant absence is possible given a prior lower-body injury this season. Further information is anticipated regarding his travel for Friday's game. Prior to his exit, McCann scored a power-play goal, bringing his season total to eight points through 11 appearances for the Seattle Kraken.
Anton Forsberg was involved in a collision during Wednesday's game against the Kings that resulted in Jared McCann leaving the contest in obvious pain with an undisclosed injury. The incident occurred late in the game, and McCann's status was not updated immediately after. Forsberg's team is listed as LA.
Dylan Guenther scored two goals, including a pair of breakaways, in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Panthers. The Utah Mammoth winger remains hot, accumulating four goals and two assists over his last five outings. Despite his strong game, it wasn't enough to fend off the Panthers. For the year, he's recorded 13 goals, 25 points, 104 shots on net, 33 hits, and a minus-1 rating through 32 appearances in a top-six role.
Sam Bennett delivered a three-point performance for the Florida Panthers in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Mammoth, scoring two goals on four shots, dishing an assist, and adding three hits. Bennett has been on a hot streak, accumulating seven points over his last three outings. The 29-year-old center has significantly turned his season around since mid-November, tallying six goals and nine assists over his last 11 contests. He now boasts nine goals, 11 assists, 68 shots, 58 hits, 24 PIM, and a minus-1 rating through 29 appearances.
Joey Daccord is confirmed to start in goal for the Seattle Kraken against the Kings on Wednesday. The 29-year-old netminder has been struggling recently, allowing 16 goals over his last four games, all resulting in regulation losses. Daccord has secured only one win in his last seven outings. He will face a Kings team that has scored 18 goals in their last six games, posting a 3-2-1 record during that span. This start offers Daccord an opportunity to rebound from his recent skid.
Karel Vejmelka is confirmed to start in goal for the Utah Mammoth at home against the Panthers on Wednesday, as reported by Catherine Bogart of the team's official site. Vejmelka has posted a 2-2-0 record, allowing only eight goals over his last five appearances, showcasing stingy play that positions him as a strong fantasy goalie. The Panthers, his upcoming opponent, have scored 18 goals in their last six games but have only secured two wins in that span.
Spencer Knight is set to guard the home goal for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Rangers on Wednesday. This start follows a challenging outing where Knight allowed six goals in a shutout loss to the Kings on Saturday. The Blackhawks' goaltending has struggled recently, with Arvid Soderblom giving up seven goals to the Ducks on Sunday. Knight will aim to regain consistency against the Rangers, who have scored just 12 goals over their last five games, presenting an opportunity for a rebound performance.
Trevor Kuntar has signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with the Buffalo Sabres for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. The gritty forward earned the deal after impressing with the Rochester Americans, where he recorded 9 goals, 4 assists, 13 points, and 43 penalty minutes in 24 games this season. Kuntar, originally a 2020 Boston Bruins draft pick (89th overall), previously played 54 games with the Providence Bruins last season (3 goals, 12 points). He has accumulated 22 goals, 23 assists, 45 points, and 232 penalty minutes in 148 career AHL games but has yet to make his NHL debut.
Robby Fabbri has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues, returning to his drafting team (21st overall in 2014). Fabbri, who won the 2019 Stanley Cup with the Blues, failed a Penguins PTO earlier this fall. He will earn $775K NHL / $300K AHL, joining the team immediately for Thursday's Predators game. His signing coincides with the Blues placing Jordan Kyrou (lower-body injury) on Injured Reserve. Fabbri's career has been marked by multiple ACL and meniscus surgeries.
