NHL Player News

Mrtka was loaned from AHL Rochester to WHL Seattle on Friday.

Mrtka got a taste of AHL action, earning one assist and seven PIM in four appearances. The Sabres decided it would be better for him to develop at a lower level for 2025-26, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Czech defenseman get another look in Rochester for 2026-27.

General manager Patrik Allvin said Friday that Forbort (undisclosed) had a setback in his recovery and is now considered week-to-week, Farhan Lalji of TSN reports.

Forbort has been on injured reserve since mid-October, and while an initial timetable for his return was unclear, it's discouraging that he had a setback. The 33-year-old isn't guaranteed to be a consistent presence in the lineup once he returns to full health.

Maatta notched an assist in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Blues.

Maatta helped out on the second of Logan Cooley's three first-period goals. The helper was Maatta's first point in eight appearances this season. He started as a seventh defenseman early in the campaign, but he's moved into a more typical role on the third pairing since Sean Durzi (shoulder) exited the lineup. Maatta has added one shot on net, six blocked shots and an even plus-minus rating while averaging 10:43 of ice time. When the Mammoth are at full health, he's unlikely to be in the lineup.

Lohrei scored a power-play goal on two shots and went minus-2 in Thursday's 7-5 loss to the Ducks.

Lohrei's goal tied the game at 3-3 late in the second period, but the offense was just getting going on both sides. This was Lohrei's first goal and first power-play point of the campaign, as he's been moved into a smaller role with Charlie McAvoy leading the Bruins' blue line. Through nine contests, Lohrei has three points, eight shots on net, 11 blocked shots and a minus-2 rating, and he remains firmly in a top-four role.

Helleson scored a goal on two shots and blocked two shots in Thursday's 7-5 win over the Bruins.

Helleson has two goals and a helper through seven appearances this season. The defenseman has been steady enough to move up to the top pairing alongside Jackson LaCombe after beginning the season on the third pairing. Helleson has some sneaky offense -- he put up 13 points in 56 regular-season games for the Ducks in 2024-25. This year, he's added 10 shots on net, six blocked shots, five hits and a minus-3 rating, but he should get better over time as he adjusts to a larger role. Helleson is in line for bigger minutes as long as Radko Gudas (lower body) is unavailable.

Broberg netted a goal in Thursday's 7-4 loss to Utah.

Broberg tallied the fourth goal of the game for St. Louis before the Mammoth denied the Blues' late comeback attempt with two goals to cement their lead. Broberg's twine finder was his first of the season and proves to be a good sign that another strong year for the 24-year-old could be in store. After recording 29 points in 68 regular-season appearances a year ago, Broberg should be in the mix to be a common contributor from the blue line once again. If he can string together back-to-back games with a point, he's a name to roster sooner rather than later in most formats.

Parayko had two assists and added a blocked shot in Thursday's 7-4 loss to Utah.

Both of Parayko's apples came at even strength on goals scored by Pius Suter and Philip Broberg. The 32-year-old Parayko is up to four assists, 13 shots on goal and 14 blocks in seven games this season. The team's top blueliner continues to show no signs of aging as he had a career year offensively with 36 points in 64 regular-season outings in 2024-25. He holds great value in all fantasy formats due to his category coverage and solid offensive stats out of the gate.

Ahcan was called up from AHL Colorado on Friday.

Ahcan was a healthy scratch in four Colorado games before he was sent to the minors Saturday. Ahcan was recalled because the Avalanche are in need of a seventh defenseman with a pair of upcoming road games in Boston and New Jersey on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Cole scored a goal, fired two shots on net, blocked two shots and dished out two hits in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Blues.

Cole opened the floodgates for the Mammoth with a goal just beyond the first three minutes of the game. Overall, the 36-year-old blueliner has three points, a plus-nine rating, 16 blocks and 11 hits through eight games this season. With the Mammoth taking a step forward in the early stages of this season, Cole is among those contributing to their success. He provides solid category coverage from a fantasy perspective and saw 22 minutes of ice time Thursday, which was the third most among defenseman. He has some fantasy appeal in deep leagues and is a name to keep an eye on if he can string together a few more consecutive outings with a point.

Rielly (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Sabres, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.

Rielly was considered questionable for Friday's matchup due to an undisclosed injury, and he'll be unavailable for at least one game. However, head coach Craig Berube said Friday that Rielly could be an option for Saturday's rematch against Buffalo, so the defenseman is unlikely to be facing a lengthy absence.