NHL Player News

Steel logged an assist in Tuesday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

Steel snapped a five-game slump when he set up Thomas Harley's game-tying goal late in the third period. Mason Marchment's (face) injury has opened the door for Steel to more regularly play middle-six minutes in recent weeks. The offense hasn't been there, but Steel's overall game has been good enough on the ice to keep him in that span. He's now at 15 points, 40 shots on net, 38 hits and a minus-2 rating through 38 appearances, putting him on pace to achieve a 30-point campaign for the first time in his career.

Duchene scored a goal on three shots in Tuesday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but Duchene set the Stars on the comeback trail. With three goals and five assists over his last five outings, Duchene has put his December slump to rest. He's up to 16 goals, 22 helpers, 72 shots on net and a plus-11 rating over 39 contests this season as a fixture on the Stars' second line.

Cousins logged an assist and three hits in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Red Wings.

Cousins snapped a four-game slump with the helper. The 31-year-old forward was moderately productive with seven points over 13 outings in December while filling a third-line role. He's up to 12 points, 52 shots on net, 64 hits and 25 PIM through 37 appearances, and he should continue to offer depth scoring and a bit of agitation in a bottom-six spot.

Veleno scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win over the Senators.

Veleno ended a six-game goal drought, during which he had two assists. The 24-year-old forward has been one of the biggest beneficiaries under new head coach Todd McLellan, who has Veleno in a top-six role at even strength. He rarely saw anything other than fourth-line usage early in the season, and he's earned seven of his nine points this campaign over the last 11 contests. Veleno has added 33 shots on net, 54 hits and a minus-4 rating through 36 appearances.

Crosby dished two assists, one on the power play, in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Blue Jackets.

The future Hall of Famer helped set up tallies by Michael Bunting in the second period and Rickard Rakell in the third, but Crosby couldn't beat Elvis Merzlikins in the shootout. Crosby hasn't gone consecutive games without getting onto the scoresheet since late October, and over the last 12 contests he's surged for three goals and 17 points. On the downside, Crosby's minus-12 rating on the season would be the worst mark of his career, as would his 9.0 percent shooting, but some slippage in the 37-year-old's skills isn't a big surprise.

Rakell scored two goals in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Blue Jackets.

The veteran winger broke open a 1-1 tie with two rockets in the third period to beat Elvis Merzlikins, but the Penguins' defense couldn't make the lead hold up over the final 10 minutes of regulation. Rakell has been locked in over the last month, producing 10 goals and 19 points in the last 14 games, and the surge has already carried him to his sixth career 20-goal campaign in only 42 appearances. While he's been streaky throughout his career, if Rakell continues skating on a line with Sidney Crosby and maintaining a spot on the No. 1 power-play unit, his career-high mark of 34 goals from 2017-18 seems well within reach.

Kyrou scored a power-play goal in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Wild.

Kyrou has been one of the Blues' most productive players in recent weeks, and he extended that solid stretch with another strong showing Tuesday. He's scored in three of his last four games, tallying five points in that stretch, but his sizzling run dates back to December. Since the beginning of that month, Kyrou has registered 16 points (11 goals, five helpers) in his last 17 contests.

Eriksson Ek scored a goal in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Blues.

Eriksson Ek found the twine in the second period to reduce the Blues' lead to one goal, and his tally would end up sparking a third-period comeback where Minnesota scored three unanswered goals. Eriksson Ek has notched seven goals and 11 assists this season.

Fantilli scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout win over the Penguins.

With the Blue Jackets in a 3-1 hole midway through the third period, Fantilli sparked a comeback by setting up Dmitri Voronkov for one goal before scoring the tying tally himself with 2:36 remaining in regulation. Fantilli has a modest three-game point streak going, and if the upper-body injury Sean Monahan picked up Tuesday proves to be serious, the third-overall pick in the 2023 Draft could find himself thrust into a top-six role and a prominent spot on the power play.

Kulich (lower body) is week-to-week, head coach Lindy Ruff told Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550 on Wednesday. The 20-year-old forward was put on injured reserve, per the NHL media site.

Kulich suffered the injury during Monday's 4-3 shootout win over Washington. He has seven goals, nine points and 64 shots over 31 appearances in 2024-25. Tyson Kozak, who was recalled from AHL Rochester on Wednesday, might serve in a bottom-six role during Kulich's absence.