NHL Hockey Player News

Saad will take a seat on Monday in favour of Reilly Smith. Saad has three goals and six assists in 49 games this season.

Smith will make his first appearance since April 4th when the Golden Knights host the Jets on Monday. Brandon Saad will sit in his place.

Hellebuyck struggled in his previous outing, allowing five goals on 20 shots (.750 SV%) in a 7-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, severely crippling Winnipeg's slim playoff hopes. That said, they will need a win on Monday, along with some luck elsewhere in the league, to stay in the race. The 32-year-old Hellebuyck, the back-to-back reigning Vezina trophy winner, has had a largely disappointing 2025-26 season and hasn't been able to elevate his game at opportune times, including posting an ugly 2.81 GAA and .874 SV% in five games this month (3-2-0). The Jets enter Monday's contest as +150 road underdogs against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Bardakov will slot in for Artturi Lehkonen, who is being rested on Monday. Bardakov has one goal and nine assists in 57 games this season.

Lehkonen is presumably getting the night off for rest on Monday as the Avalanche have already clinched the President's Trophy as the best team in the regular season. Lehkonen has enjoyed another productive season in Denver, tallying 20 goals and 27 assists in 68 games.

Wedgwood will be back between the pipes for the Avalanche on Monday after serving as Mackenzie Blackwood's backup in each of the last two games. Wedgewood turned in another strong performance in his last outing, allowing just a single goal on 19 shots in a 3-1 win in St. Louis on Tuesday. The 33-year-old netminder has enjoyed a career year in Denver, posting an outstanding 29-6-6 record while leading the NHL in both SV% (.918) and GAA (2.10). Wedgewood and the Avs enter action in Edmonton as slight favourites at -120 on the money line.

With all three of the Kraken's regular netminders unavailable, Kokko made his first career start last week and dazzled between the pipes, saving 26 of 27 shots (.963 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames. The 22-year-old netminder has spent most of the 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he has gone 18-10-2 with a 3.10 GAA and .903 SV% in 34 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Seattle enters Monday's contest as +139 home underdogs against a desperate Los Angeles Kings team that has won four straight, inching them closer to a playoff berth.

Forsberg has emerged as the Kings' No.1 netminder at a crucial time of year, and comes into Monday's game having won four in a row and stopping 103 of 107 (.963 SV%) shots (.956 SV%) that he's faced. He was sensational in the Kings' previous game, saving all 27 shots he faced for a 1-0 shutout victory over the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings hope to inch closer to a playoff berth on Monday, entering the action as -159 road favourites against a Seattle Kraken team that has followed up a six-game losing streak by winning two straight.

Boisvert will take a seat on Monday in favour of Dominic Toninato. Boisvert has one goal and one assist in seven games this season.

Toninato will slot into Chicago's lineup on Monday in place of Sacha Boisvert. Toninato has zero goals and one assists in seven games this season.

The Sabres can lock up the top seed in the Atlantic Division on Monday, and will turn to Luukkonen to tend the twine against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 27-year-old Finnish goalie didn't need to be spectacular in his previous outing, allowing three goals on 20 shots (.850 SV%) in a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers. Luukkonen has allowed three or fewer goals in eight of his last nine games (6-2-1), posting a solid 2.40 GAA and .920 SV%. The Sabres enter Monday's contest as -195 road favourites against a Blackhawks team on a three-game losing streak (0-3-0).

Gustafsson was considered a bit of a game-time-decision on Monday as the Wild sorted out his work visa. The 22-year-old undrafted Swedish shutdown defensemen was signed after completing his third NCAA campaign with the University of Connecticut (NCAA), picking up 11 points and 26 PIMs in 38 games played.

With Minnesota locked into its first-round playoff matchup against the Dallas Stars, the team will rest several key players, including Brodin, on Monday. Viking Gustafsson Nyberg will make his NHL debut in Brodin's place.

Annunen has surprisingly outplayed Juuse Saros in the past few weeks, and with zero margin for error remaining in Nashville's season, they will turn to Annunen on Monday in a must-win game against the San Jose Sharks to keep their playoff hopes alive. The 26-year-old Annunen saved 21 of 22 shots (.955 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Since mid-March, Annunen has an outstanding 1.59 GAA and .949 SV% in seven games (4-3-0). The Predators enter Monday's contest as -146 home favourites against a San Jose Sharks team that has lost three straight (0-2-1), severely hampering their playoff hopes.

Akhtyamov gave up five goals on 44 shots against in his first career start last week but will look for better fortune in his second start Monday as the Leafs host Dallas with him between the pipes. The 24-year-old joins a long list of Toronto starter's used during their lost 2025-26 season after he posted a 20-12-6 record, alongside a 2.90 GAA and .903 SV% with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) earlier this year. He will likely take on a short-handed Dallas Stars team, who has locked up the second spot in the Central Division.

Sandin-Pellikka will slot into the lineup for the penultimate game of the Red Wings season in place of Jacob Bernard-Docker. Sandin-Pellikka has seven goals and 14 assists in 66 games this season.

Brandsegg-Nygard will slot into the lineup for the penultimate game of the Red Wings season in place of Dominik Shine. Brandsegg-Nygard has zero goals and one assist in 12 games this season.

Bernard-Docker will sit out the penultimate game of the Red Wings season on Monday in favour of Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Bernard-Docker has appeared in 63 games for the Red Wings this season, tallying one goal and four assists.

Shine will sit out the penultimate game of the Red Wings season on Monday in favour of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. Shine has appeared in 18 games for the Red Wings this season, tallying three goals and zero assists.

With the Red Wings officially eliminated from playoff contention, Talbot will get the nod on Monday as the Red Wings opt to give John Gibson the night off. Talbot will be hoping to bounce-back from a disappointing performance in his last start, when he allowed five goals on just 20 shots in a 5-4 loss to the Wild back on April 5th. The 38-year-old netminder has appeared in 32 games this season, logging a 12-9-5 record and an .888 SV%. The Red Wings enter action on Monday at +160 on the money line.