NHL Hockey Player News

The Penguins will turn to Nedeljkovic between the pipes on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. Nedeljkovic is coming off an incredible performance where he saved 40 of 42 shots (.952 SV%) in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He also scored a goal and an assist in the contest, becoming the first netminder to score a goal and an assist in the same game. The Penguins enter Monday's contest as +161 road underdogs against a Kings squad coming off a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken.

Ryan has played 33 games this season, averaging 9:25 time-on-ice primarily in a fourth-line role, and has five points (1G / 4A). The 38-year-old forward's has not played in the AHL since a nine-game stint with the Charlotte Checkers in the 2016-17 season when he scored 13 points (5G / 8A).

Kulich has not played since January 6th due to a lower-body injury but will return to the lineup on Monday against the Seattle Kraken. The Czech forward has nine points (2G / 7A) in 31 games this season. In a corresponding move, the Sabres have loaned Tyson Kozak to Rochester (AHL).

Kozak made his NHL debut this season, scoring one goal in seven games, but will return to the Rochester Americans (AHL), allowing Jiri Kulich to be activated from IR and return to the Sabres lineup. The 22-year-old Kozak has 12 points (6G / 6A) in 24 games with Rochester this season.

The Kings are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken and will revert to Rittich between the pipes on Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rittich has only played once this month, a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames when he saved 16 of 18 shots (.889 SV%). The Czech netminder has a 2.52 GAA and .887 SV% in 21 appearances this season (11-9-0). The Kings enter Monday's contest as -185 home favorites against a Penguins club without offensive threat Rickard Rakell (personal).

Levi has not played an NHL game since December 15th when he allowed for goals on 40 shots (.900 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, where he has a solid 2.33 GAA and .913 SV% in 17 games (12-3-2). The Sabres enter Monday's contest as +109 road underdogs against the Kraken.

Daccord saved 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%) in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings and returns to the crease on Monday against the Buffalo Sabres. He has a 2.43 GAA and .916 SV% in 29 games this season (15-10-2). Seattle enters Monday's contest as -121 home favorites against Buffalo.

The Penguins will likely turn to Nedeljkovic between the pipes on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. Nedeljkovic is coming off an incredible performance where he saved 40 of 42 shots (.952 SV%) in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He also scored a goal and an assist in the contest, becoming the first netminder to score a goal and an assist in the same game. The Penguins enter Monday's contest as +161 road underdogs against a Kings squad coming off a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken.

Namestnikov has been sidelined over a week due to a lower-body injury but will re-enter the lineup on Monday against the Utah Hockey Club. The 32-year-old Namestnikov is averaging 14:38 time-on-ice and has 20 points (9G / 11A) in 43 games this season.

Tanev is battling an undisclosed ailment and his status for Monday's game against the Winnipeg Jets is up in the air. The 33-year-old Tanev is averaging 14:22 time-on-ice, recording 15 points (8G / 7A), 78 blocks, and 99 hits in 45 games this season.

McCann is battling an undisclosed ailment and his status for Monday's game against the Winnipeg Jets is up in the air. The 28-year-old McCann is averaging 17:40 time-on-ice and has 33 points (13G / 20A) in 47 games this season.

Klingberg hasn't played since undergoing hip surgery over a year ago after a brief 14-game stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he scored five points (0G / 5A). The 32-year-old Klingberg isn't far removed from being one of the league's elite powerplay quarterbacks. He scored a career-high 67 points (8G / 59A) in 82 games with the Dallas Stars in the 2017-18 season. However, his production has dipped significantly in recent years, tallying only 85 points (16G / 69A) and a -60 plus/minus in his 155 most recent games. Given Evan Bouchard's dominance on Edmonton's top powerplay unit, it's unlikely that Klingberg will find himself in that position. Yet, he could still see an uptick in production considering the star power of his surrounding cast.

Makar is battling an undisclosed injury but will not miss any time, remaining in the lineup on Monday against the Minnesota Wild. The talented offensive defenseman scored two goals in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars, rebounding from a stretch where he only had one point (0G / 1A) in his previous six games.

Blackwood had a rest day in Colorado's 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday, but the club will return to him between the pipes on Monday against the Minnesota Wild. The 28-year-old netminder allowed four goals on 28 shots (.857 SV%), his worst performance in an Avalanche uniform, in his most recent outing, a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. He has a 1.87 GAA and .932 SV% in 13 games with Colorado (9-3-1). Colorado enters Monday's contest as sizeable -233 home favorites against a Minnesota squad coming off a 6-2 loss to the Nashville Predators.

The Jets' three-game winning streak snapped in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames, and they will attempt to return to the win column on Monday, reverting to Hellebuyck between the pipes. Hellebuyck was excellent in his previous outing, saving 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%) in a 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. He is a near-unanimous favorite for the Vezina trophy, boasting an immaculate 1.97 GAA and .929 SV% in 36 games (28-6-2). The Jets enter Monday's contest as -170 road favorites against the Utah Hockey Club, coming off a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Blues.

Friedman has 91 games of NHL experience, including three games with Vancouver this season, but has primarily played at the AHL level the past several seasons. The 29-year-old defenseman has six points (1G / 5A) in 20 games with the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) this season.

Brandon Saad will draw back into the Blues' lineup on Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights, sending Bolduc to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 21-year-old Bolduc is averaging 12:12 time-on-ice and has 15 points (5G / 10A) in 39 games this season.

Zack Bolduc will be a healthy scratch on Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights, allowing Saad to return from a two-game absence. The 32-year-old Saad is averaging 14:37 time-on-ice and has 16 points (7G / 9A) in 39 games this season.

The Wild's original plan was for Gustavsson to start Monday in Colorado, but he hasn't skated in a couple of days due to illness, so he'll serve as Marc-Andre Fleury's backup. Expect Gustavsson to be back between the pipes on Thursday vs. Utah.

Filip Gustavsson was projected to start for Minnesota on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche, but he has been battling an illness that has prevented him from skating for a few days, resulting in Fleury being between the pipes for a second consecutive game. Fleury allowed five goals on 37 shots (.865 SV%) in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Nashville Predators. The veteran netminder has a 2.72 GAA and .906 SV% in 16 appearances this season (9-4-1). Minnesota enters Monday's contest as +199 road underdogs against a Colorado Avalanche squad coming off a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars.