NHL Player News

Stephenson scored a power-play goal and won 18 of 26 faceoffs in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Flames.

Stephenson saw 23:28 of ice time in the contest, as he continues to look like one of the Kraken's most trusted forwards. He started slowly offensively but has four points over his last three outings, including his first goal of the season in Saturday's appearance. The 30-year-old has added just three shots on net, a minus-1 rating, one hit and no blocked shots. Stephenson sees time in all situations, but if he can't bring back a bit of physical play, his fantasy value will be tied solely to his offense while playing for a team that tends to spread out the scoring.

Cooley recorded an assist and two shots on goal in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Bruins.

Cooley is up to six assists through six appearances this season, though he's yet to score on any of his 13 shots on net. The 20-year-old center is known for his playmaking, so it's not surprising to see him rack up the helpers while playing on the second line and second power-play unit. As long as he maintains those roles, Cooley will be a solid depth option in most fantasy formats.

Schmaltz posted an assist and two shots on goal in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Bruins.

Schmaltz set up Vladislav Kolyachonok's third-period tally, which tied the game at 1-1. This was the first time Schmaltz has logged just one assist in a game -- he had a trio of two-assist performances and two pointless outings to begin the year. The 28-year-old playmaker is up to seven helpers, 15 shots on net and a minus-1 rating through six appearances. He often plays in a pass-first role on the top line, but he's had enough shot volume for one of them to get through soon.

Keller notched an assist, two shots on goal and two PIM in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Bruins.

Keller has gotten on the scoresheet in five of six appearances, doing so with a secondary helper on a Vladislav Kolyachonok goal in this clash. The 26-year-old Keller has four goals, four assists, 17 shots on net, six PIM and a plus-1 rating so far this season. Utah has scored four or more goals in four of its six games, and those high-scoring tendencies should allow a star forward like Keller to shine on offense.

Miller is "dealing with some stuff," per head coach Rick Tocchet, who is hopeful the center will be able to play Tuesday versus the Blackhawks, Adam Kimelman of NHL.com reports.

Miller usually takes the faceoffs on his line, but he participated in just two draws in Saturday's contest. He saw 17:01 of ice time in a 3-0 win over the Flyers, though he briefly exited the game in the first period. Miller is an integral part of every aspect of the Canucks' scheme, so any potential absence is concerning for the team and his fantasy managers, but this may be something he could play through.

Pettersson picked up an assist in Saturday's 3-0 win over Philadephia.

Pettersson is off to a disappointing start, contributing two assists and no goals through five appearances. It's convenient to hang his slow start on the hangover from his lucrative contract extension, but Pettersson hasn't scored an even-strength goal in 30 games, dating back to the 2024 playoffs. He has logged 450:29 of even-strength time on ice in that span, recording just 32 shots. The Canucks, and fantasy managers, need more from him.

Smith scored twice on five shots and added four hits in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Sabres.

Smith's goals were separated by 6:20 in the middle of the second period. The 35-year-old winger has been a part-time option for the Blackhawks this season, but he was in the lineup for a third straight game due to the absences of Joey Anderson (illness) and Patrick Maroon (lower body). Smith had 20 points in 75 regular-season outings in a similar bottom-six role with the Stars last year, though the Blackhawks' offense is not nearly as deep or productive, so it wouldn't be surprising to see his scoring drop in 2024-25.

Krebs managed an assist, two hits and two PIM in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Krebs has been confined to a fourth-line role this season. His helper came on linemate Beck Malenstyn's first-period tally. Through six appearances, Krebs has two assists, three shots on net, 14 hits and seven PIM. A first-round pick of Vegas in 2019, Krebs has rarely had a chance to play on a scoring line throughout his career. Saturday's outing marked the third time in six games that he's topped 10 minutes of ice time this season, and his usage is trending in the wrong direction after he averaged 12:30 per game in 2023-24.

Cozens provided an assist in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Cozens has earned both of his helpers this season over the last two games. The 23-year-old center's slow start can be partially attributed to the Sabres' 0-for-21 mark on the power play. Cozens' line has also been a bit sluggish on offense, but he appears to be turning things around. He's added 23 shots on net, 12 hits, 12 PIM and a minus-2 rating over seven contests.

McLeod scored an empty-net goal in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Blackhawks.

McLeod has scored in three straight games, and his point streak is at four contests thanks to an assist last Saturday versus the Panthers. The center appears to be settling in with his new team after a short adjustment period. He's picked up nine shots on net, three hits and a plus-4 rating over seven appearances. For fantasy purposes, his lack of a power-play role reduces his upside. Still, the Sabres haven't scored with the man advantage yet, making changes to the personnel a distinct possibility.