NHL Player News

Cizikas posted an assist and four hits in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Panthers.

Cizikas is a bottom-six mainstay for the Islanders, but that hadn't come with much offense prior to Saturday. The 33-year-old got on the scoresheet following a move to the wing on the third line. The natural center has added five shots on net, 19 hits, seven blocked shots and a minus-2 rating through eight appearances. Cizikas is more valuable on the ice than in fantasy, though he can chip in above-average production for a forward in hits and blocks most of the time.

Nelson scored a goal on three shots in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Panthers.

Nelson has three points over his last two games. The 33-year-old center continues to play on the second line, offering a bit of depth scoring for the Islanders. He has six points, 28 shots on net and a plus-2 rating through eight appearances. Nelson is shooting 14.3 percent early on, which is in line with his efficiency in topping the 30-goal mark in each of the last three years, so this appears to be a pretty stable start to the campaign.

Backlund scored a goal in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Jets.

Backlund has a point in four of his last five games. The 35-year-old center is off to a decent start in 2024-25, earning two goals, three assists, 17 shots on net, six hits, six PIM and a plus-2 rating over eight contests. He continues to play an important two-way role for the Flames, though his usefulness in fantasy is often limited to deeper formats since center is a position of abundance around the league.

Kadri scored a goal on three shots and added 12 PIM in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Jets.

Kadri tied the game at 3-3 early in the third period, but his slashing penalty with five minutes left led to the Jets' game-winning goal. He blew a fuse and earned a 10-minute misconduct on his next shift after the penalty. Kadri started the season with a pair of two-point games, but he's been limited to two goals over his last six outings. He has six points, 30 shots on net, 16 PIM, five hits and a minus-5 rating through eight contests.

Lowry logged two assists, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Flames.

One of Lowry's helpers came on a shorthanded goal by Kyle Connor in the first period. This was Lowry's first multi-point effort since Opening Night, but he has been consistent as a depth scorer for the undefeated Jets. The center has two goals, five helpers, 13 shots on net, 13 hits and a plus-8 rating over eight appearances. While he'll rarely see power-play time, he gets enough ice time and adds strong non-scoring numbers in a middle-six role to earn a look in fantasy.

Perfetti scored a power-play goal in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Flames.

Perfetti cashed in at 16:16 of the third period to break a 3-3 tie. The winger's slow start is quickly becoming a distant memory -- he's earned nine points over his last five games, accounting for all of his offense on the year. Perfetti has added 19 shots on net, six blocked shots and a plus-7 rating across eight outings this season, and he's seeing steady time in a second-line role.

Carlsson logged an assist and two shots on goal in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Rangers.

All five of Carlsson's points this season have come over the last five games. The 19-year-old center has added 16 shots on net, four blocked shots, three hits and a plus-1 rating over seven appearances. Carlsson is playing on the first line, but with a lot of flexibility in the Ducks' lineup, he may not always lead the team's centers in ice time. He should continue to be consistent on offense, though his upside in non-scoring areas is limited.

Chytil notched an assist and four shots on goal in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Ducks.

Chytil earned the secondary helper on Will Cuylle's goal at 11:53 of the third period, which stood as the game-winner. Those two forwards, along with Kaapo Kakko, have formed an effective third line for the Rangers early in the season. Chytil has six points, 20 shots on net and a plus-9 rating over eight appearances, matching his point total from 10 regular-season contests in an injury-plagued 2023-24.

Rasmussen scored a goal on three shots, added two hits and blocked two shots in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Sabres.

Rasmussen's offense is coming around -- he has three points over his last four games. The 25-year-old opened the season with no points in the first four contests. He continues to bring a physical edge in a bottom-six role, adding 17 hits, five blocked shots, nine shots on goal and a plus-2 rating over eight appearances. Rasmussen's power-play time has been inconsistent, so his scoring ceiling is low if he can't secure at least second-unit minutes.

Pinto (undisclosed) won't play Sunday against Colorado and is considered week-to-week, per TSN 1200 Ottawa.

Pinto will miss his second straight game and could be out significantly longer than that. He has collected one goal, three points, 10 shots on net and four hits across six appearances this season. Due to Pinto's absence, Cole Reinhardt will probably remain in the lineup versus the Avalanche.