NHL Player News

Howden scored a goal on three shots and added two hits in Thursday's 4-3 shootout win over the Maple Leafs.

The goal was Howden's first of the season. The 28-year-old has gotten a chance to open the season in the top six, but with two points through five games, he may cede his spot to a younger forward like Trevor Connelly or Braeden Bowman at some point. Howden has added 10 shots on net, seven hits and a plus-1 rating while seeing minimal power-play time.

Stone scored a goal on five shots, added three hits, blocked two shots and logged two PIM in Thursday's 4-3 shootout win over the Maple Leafs.

Stone has gotten on the scoresheet in each of the last three games. He's also logged at least one hit in every contests this season, providing a little more physicality than he's typically known for early in the year. He has three goals, two assists, 13 shots on net, 10 hits, six blocked shots, nine PIM and a plus-6 rating over five appearances while filling a top-line role.

Ekman-Larsson (undisclosed) didn't finish Thursday's game versus the Golden Knights, and there was no update on his status after the contest, David Alter of The Hockey News reports.

Head coach Jim Hiller didn't sound too concerned about the defenseman's status, but Ekman-Larsson wasn't given the all-clear. The 35-year-old tends to take a few knocks throughout the season, though the play that injured him Thursday was a hit from the punishing defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Ekman-Larsson will be on the more favorable side of questionable to play in Colorado on Saturday, but check in during warmups to confirm his status.

Cossa allowed three goals on eight shots before being replaced in the first period of a 6-1 loss to Boston on Thursday.

Boston rang up those three goals in a 5:45 span, culminating with Mason Lohrei's quick snipe stick side at 15:51. He had delivered an outstanding performance against Columbus in a win Saturday night, but Boston plays an entirely different level. Cossa will get another chance soon, but his matchup will matter. This was his third NHL start of his career, so his development will take priority. Cossa may get 20-25 starts this season.

Eichel scored a goal on a penalty shot, added an assist, fired six shots on net, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 4-3 shootout win over the Maple Leafs.

Eichel played a key role during the Golden Knights' second-period comeback from a 3-0 deficit. His penalty shot conversion tied the game at 3-3, and it gave him a fourth multi-point effort in five outings this season. The star center is at three goals, nine assists, 14 shots on net and a plus-5 rating. Keep Eichel firmly in your fantasy lineups.

Hill stopped 21 of 24 shots in Thursday's 4-3 shootout win over the Maple Leafs.

Hill gave up three goals in the first 8:37 of the game. The Golden Knights answered back in the second period to tie the game, and Hill was locked in as the game went to overtime. He also turned aside four of five shootout attempts. The 30-year-old netminder has allowed five goals on 44 shots over his two outings this season, but he's come away with a pair of wins. It's too soon to tell if he'll work primarily as a true backup or in a more even timeshare with Carter Hart, and a lot could depend on both goalies' performance. The Golden Knights are set to host the Kings on Saturday. At the worst, Hill should see a start during a road back-to-back next week with stops in Minnesota on Monday and Nashville on Tuesday.

Poitras scored a goal and added an assist in Thursday's 6-1 win over Utah.

It was his second game this season after missing three contests with a lower-body injury. Poitras is the Bruins' fourth-line pivot. His ice time will be limited in that role, but it will be a great learning experience. Poitras' fantasy value will come in the future.

Bahl scored a goal in Thursday's 7-3 loss to the Avalanche.

Bahl tallied in the third period. It's just the 12th goal of his NHL career over parts of seven seasons. The 26-year-old defenseman has added two shots on net, four hits, two blocked shots, six PIM and a minus-3 rating over four appearances this season. Bahl could put up some ugly numbers, particularly in plus-minus rating, while seeing heavy defensive minutes on a rebuilding team.

Backlund scored a goal on eight shots in Thursday's 7-3 loss to the Avalanche.

This was Backlund's first point of the season, to go with 17 shots on net, four hits, one blocked shot and a minus-3 rating. The veteran center is in the first season of a two-year extension he signed in September of 2025. He's serving as the Flames' captain, and while the results on the ice are unlikely to be pretty, he'll serve as a mentor to many of the team's young forwards during some rebuilding years.

Klapka scored a goal and added five hits in Thursday's 7-3 loss to the Avalanche.

Klapka got the Flames on the board late in the first period. The goal was his first point over four games this season. The 26-year-old has added four shots on net, 16 hits, 27 PIM and a minus-3 rating while filling a fourth-line role. He may get some opportunities to move around the lineup, but Klapka's fantasy appeal is limited to deep banger leagues.