NHL Player News

Smith (upper body) will not be in the lineup Saturday in Florida, according to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now.

Smith will be replaced in the lineup by Ethan Cardwell. Smith, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 Draft, has five goals and six assists across 24 games this season. Consider him day-to-day at this time.

Aston-Reese notched an assist and nine PIM in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Canucks.

Aston-Reese helped out on a Mathieu Olivier tally in the first period. In the second stanza, Aston-Reese fought Noah Juulsen amid a fracas with five minutes left in the frame. The 30-year-old Aston-Reese didn't spend any time in the penalty box before Friday's game and isn't known for racking up PIM. He's added nine points, 41 shots on net and 57 hits over 25 contests in a bottom-six role.

Sillinger notched an assist and five shots on goal in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Canucks.

Sillinger has a goal and five assists over his last five games, and he was only held off the scoresheet in Tuesday's shutout loss to the Flames. The 21-year-old has often played on the wing this year, but he functioned as the third-line center Friday, though his 17:31 of ice time makes him look like a de facto top-six player. He's at 18 points, 63 shots on net, 35 hits, 15 blocked shots, 10 PIM and a minus-3 rating through 25 contests. He is trending toward a career year in his fourth NHL campaign.

Olivier scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Canucks.

Olivier snapped a four-game point drought with the opening tally at 7:10 of the first period. The 27-year-old winger is up to eight goals and 11 points through 26 outings this season -- that's already a career-high in goals, and he's four away from matching his high-water mark in points from 2022-23. He's added 31 shots on net, 47 PIM, 86 hits and 30 blocked shots while regularly filling a third-line role.

Blueger notched an assist in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets.

Blueger ended a five-game slump when he set up a Kiefer Sherwood goal in the second period. The helper gave Blueger 11 points through 25 contests this season. He's added 28 shots on net, 35 hits, 14 blocked shots, 13 PIM and a plus-1 rating over 25 appearances. Blueger won't have widespread fantasy appeal, but he chips in a little bit across the board to carry value in formats that reward balanced production.

Pettersson notched an assist, two hits and two PIM in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets.

Pettersson fed Pius Suter for an empty-net tally in the third period. The helper extended Pettersson's point streak to five games (one goal, eight assists). The center has multiple points in seven of his last 13 outings, turning things around after a lackluster October. Pettersson is up to seven goals, 17 helpers, 48 shots on net, 32 hits, 33 blocked shots and a plus-2 rating over 25 contests this season.

Suter scored twice on three shots in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets.

Suter's first goal stood as the game-winner, and he also added an empty-netter. He's tallied five times and added two assists over his last six contests, playing well while maintaining a second-line role. Overall, Suter is at 11 goals, 16 points, 48 shots on net and a plus-3 rating through 24 appearances. He's not much of a factor on the power play, but his spot in the lineup at even strength makes him worth a look in fantasy formats with a focus on offense.

Back notched an assist in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights.

Back snapped a seven-game point drought when he set up Mavrik Bourque's second-period tally. The 24-year-old Back has been in the lineup most of the season, but he's a fixture on the fourth line when he plays. He's contributed just one goal, four assists, 14 shots on net, 11 hits, four blocked shots and a plus-3 rating over 21 appearances.

Blackwell notched an assist and two shots on goal in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights.

Blackwell has just two points over six contests since he returned from a five-game stint as a healthy scratch. The 31-year-old probably won't be scratched often going forward since Tyler Seguin (hip) is out until at least April, but Blackwell looks to be confined to the fourth line. The forward has six points, 23 shots on net, 35 hits and an even plus-minus rating over 21 appearances this season. His production is fairly limited across the board, giving him low fantasy value in most formats.

Johnston notched an assist, three shots on goal and two hits in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights.

Johnston remains warm on offense, earning three goals and six helpers over his last nine outings. He assisted on Mason Marchment's tally late in the third period of this loss. Johnston's recent run of success has him up to 16 points, 70 shots on net, 17 hits, 14 blocked shots and 10 PIM through 26 appearances. He's behind the pace that yielded a 65-point regular season last year, but Johnston remains in a prominent role in the Stars' offense, so he could make up ground over the rest of the campaign.