NHL Player News

Dunn (upper body) isn't expected to return to action before the end of the 2023-24 season, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reports.

Dunn is not with the Kraken for the team's four-game road trip, which begins Saturday in Dallas, and there are no plans for him to join the team at this time. He has only played in two of Seattle's past 17 outings because of injuries. Dunn is poised to conclude the 2023-24 campaign with 11 goals, 46 points, 120 shots on net, 64 blocked shots and 39 hits in 59 appearances.

Krug (upper body) won't play Sunday versus Seattle, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.

Krug will miss a second straight game Sunday, though he could return Wednesday for the Blues' season finale. Overall, the 33-year-old blueliner has four goals, 39 points and a minus-31 rating through 77 games this campaign.

Dobson (upper body) will not be in the lineup versus the Rangers on Saturday, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.

Dobson was injured early in the first period of Thursday's matchup versus Montreal and did not return. The Islanders will miss their top offensive threat on the blue line, as Dobson has 10 goals and 70 points in 79 appearances this season. He will be replaced in the lineup by Robert Bortuzzo. Consider Dobson day-to-day at this time.

Liljegren (upper body) will return to the lineup versus Detroit on Saturday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

Liljegren has missed the last eight games and is expected to play alongside Morgan Rielly on the first unit. Liljegren has three goals, 20 assists and 115 blocked shots in 52 appearances. Liljegren will replace Joel Edmundson (undisclosed) in the lineup.

Slavin recorded a goal and an assist in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blues.

Slavin has deposited a goal and six helpers to complement a plus-6 rating over the last four games. The playoff-bound Hurricanes are flush with defensemen that hustle on both ends of the ice, and Slavin is no exception as the owner of six goals, 31 assists, 55 hits and 120 blocked shots. While Slavin isn't utilized on the league's eighth-ranked power play (3.38 percent), he does enough at even strength and even shorthanded (two goals, one assist) to stay relevant with the playoffs looming.

Skjei recorded an assist and six shots on goal in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blues.

Skjei has an assist in five straight games as he puts the finishing touches on a career-best campaign. The 30-year-old defenseman has played in all 80 games with just two more to go in the regular season, adding 13 goals and 34 assists to complement 69 hits and 90 blocked shots. Heading into the 2023-24 campaign, Skjei had never cleared seven points on the power play in a given season, but he's stepped up on special teams, adding a goal and 11 helpers on the man advantage and dropping four more points shorthanded. Skjei could hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent this summer, so the 30-year-old blueliner picked a lucrative time to post the best offensive numbers of his career.

DeAngelo recorded an assist and two blocked shots in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blues.

DeAngelo has appeared in just nine NHL games since the calendar flipped to 2024, with the eighth-year defenseman often labeled a healthy scratch. Despite adding 42 points with the Flyers last season, DeAngelo has largely fallen out of favor in the fantasy realm, as the playoff-bound Hurricanes simply don't need him for heavy minutes. He's averaging 14:01 of ice time in Carolina as measured against his career-high 22:04 average for Philadelphia in 2022-23.

LaCombe notched an assist and blocked four shots in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Flames.

LaCombe has two helpers over five outings in April, matching his output from 12 contests in March. The 23-year-old defenseman has seen steady top-four minutes this month. He's up to 15 points, 53 shots on net, 126 blocked shots, 49 hits and a minus-24 rating through 69 outings in his rookie campaign.

Gudas notched an assist, five hits, two blocked shots and two PIM in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Flames.

Gudas has a helper in each of the last two contests, and he's added 13 hits and eight blocked shots over four games since he returned from an upper-body injury. The 33-year-old defenseman remains a physical and reliable defensive presence. He's at 18 points -- his most since 2018-19 -- with 226 hits, 150 blocked shots, 128 PIM and 86 shots on net through 64 appearances.

Fowler provided an assist and blocked two shots in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Flames.

This was Fowler's third straight game with an assist, and he has a point in five of the last seven outings. The defenseman has taken a step back on offense this season, but he's still managed 37 points, 107 shots on net, 115 blocked shots and a minus-37 rating through 79 appearances. With tough road matchups versus the Kings and Golden Knights left on the Ducks' schedule, Fowler is not a particularly strong fantasy option to finish the season.