NHL Player News

Gregor (not injury related) will not play Saturday against the Islanders, Max Miller of NHL.com reports.

Gregor is going through the immigration process, so his 2024-25 debut with the Sharks will have to wait until at least Tuesday against Nashville. The Sharks acquired the 26-year-old forward in a trade from the Senators on Friday -- he should be a staple in the bottom six once he's eligible to play. Before being dealt, Gregor contributed four goals, two helpers, 17 PIM, 76 hits and 25 blocked shots while averaging 11:21 of ice time over 40 appearances with the Senators.

Helenius was called up from AHL Ontario on Saturday.

Helenius has played 28 games with the Kings this season, tallying one goal and a pair of assists. The 22-year-old center had two goals and four assists in 20 AHL contests before his recall.

Bedard scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in Friday's 4-3 overtime win over Utah.

Bedard came through when the Blackhawks needed him the most, and he notched his 17th goal of the season with only 1:50 left in overtime. The goal snapped Bedard's seven-game pointless drought. The 19-year-old posted 61 points in 68 games as a rookie last season, and he's up to 51 points across 63 contests this campaign. If he stays healthy, Bedard could set career-high marks in both goals and points once the regular season ends in April.

Kulich (illness) will miss Saturday's game in Florida, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.

Kulich had had a solid rookie season, earning 12 goals and 19 points in 47 outings. He has yet to pick up a point on the man advantage despite averaging 1:31 of ice time on the power play. Kulich could return as early as Monday versus Edmonton. Josh Dunne or Isak Rosen could replace Kulich in Saturday's lineup.

Schmaltz recorded a goal in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Blackhawks. He also notched four shots on goal, a hit and three blocked shots.

Schmaltz has found the back of the net in three of Utah's last four games. He has eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven contests since the league resumed following the 4 Nations Face-Off break, cracking the scoresheet in all but two outings.

Keller scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Blackhawks.

Keller tied the game at 3-3 with less than eight minutes left in the third period when Utah had the man advantage. He has 23 goals and 72 points through 62 appearances this season. The 26-year-old winger has been on an absolute tear since the league resumed following the 4 Nations Face-Off break, tallying 12 points (three goals, nine assists) across seven games, including a five-point performance against the Wild on Feb. 27, when he posted a goal and four assists in a 6-1 win.

Protas notched two goals, including one shorthanded, and an assist in Friday's 5-2 win over the Red Wings. He also posted a plus-3 rating, three shots on goal and a hit.

Protas recorded three points in a single game for the third time in 2024-25. He has accomplished the feat twice in seven outings since the regular season resumed following the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Protas has posted eight points (three goals, five assists) in eight games since the resumption of the league. He has exploded offensively this campaign, producing 25 goals and 29 helpers through 63 appearances.

Mercer scored a goal on his lone shot on net in Friday's 6-1 loss to the Jets.

Mercer found the back of the net less than a minute into the third period. Overall, the 23-year-old center has 14 goals, 27 points or 106 shots on net in 64 games this season. With Jack Hughes (shoulder) out for the rest of the season, Mercer is one of the top names to watch for New Jersey in fantasy. Mercer moved up to the second line and should maintain that role for the rest of the way. However, his offensive production has been sparse since the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Mercer is known for his durability and hasn't missed a game in his four-year career, which should lead to more opportunities. Mercer is a strong waiver-wire option in all formats if he can find offensive consistency.

Vilardi registered an assist and registered two shots on net in Friday's 6-1 victory against New Jersey.

Vilardi had the secondary assist on Kyle Connor's goal in the third period. The 25-year-old Vilardi has 33 assists, 59 points and 120 shots on net in 64 games this season. He is currently tied for 34th in points across the league and has the third-most points for Winnipeg behind linemates Connor and Mark Scheifele. Vilardi has four assists in his last two games and has taken a drastic leap in his playmaking totals while skating on Winnipeg's top line. Vilardi has had the best campaign of his career and should challenge for the 70-75-point mark by the end of the regular season.

Scheifele tallied an assist and posted three shots on net in Friday's 6-1 win over New Jersey.

Scheifele was the primary helper on linemate Kyle Connor's goal late in the third period. The 31-year-old Scheifele is up to 37 assists, 72 points and 138 shots on goal in 64 games this season. Winnipeg's top-line center is having an excellent showing and is currently tied for 10th in the league with 72 points. Following Friday's effort, Scheifele tied his point total from a season ago and is just 12 away from tying his previous best. He has 18 points in his last 14 games and is on a roll offensively. Scheifele has a strong chance to make the 2024-25 campaign the best of his 14-year career.