NHL Hockey Player News
Pettersson was not present at Vancouver's practice on Tuesday due to an illness and is hopeful to be good to go for Game 1 on Wednesday vs. Edmonton. The 25-year-old superstar struggled in Vancouver's opening-round victory over Nashville, with only three assists, eight SOG and a -2 plus/minus in six games played.
Andersen allowed four goals on 23 shots (.826 SV%) as he struggled in Carolina's opening game loss vs. New York on Sunday but will have a chance for redemption as he takes the crease on Tuesday. The 34-year-old has been up and down so far in the playoffs, with his 4-2-0 record, 2.54 GAA and .899 SV% through six games played. He takes on the New York Rangers on the road Tuesday, who are looking to take a 2-0 series lead after their 4-3 victory last game.
Reichel just finished his second season in Chicago and had six goals, 16 points, 84 SOG, 12 PIMs and a -29 plus/minus in 65 games played and signed a two-year, $2.4 million contract ($1,200,000 AAV) on Tuesday. The 21-year-old was Chicago's 2020 first-round pick (17th overall) and has 32 points (12G/20A) in his first 99 career games played in the NHL.
Wagner has yet to appear in the playoffs for Colorado but will draw into the lineup for Nikolai Kovalenko and play on the third line. The 32-year-old had one goal and one assist in 13 games played with the Avalanche during the regular season while averaging just 7:27 TOI/GP.
Kovalenko appeared in two games during Colorado's opening series win over Winnipeg but will head to the press box for the Avalanche's opening game in Dallas. The 24-year-old will be replaced by Chris Wagner after failing to pick up a point while averaging just below 7 minutes TOI.
Despite allowing seven goals in Colorado's playoff-opening loss, Georgiev led the Avalanche to four straight wins and a series-opening victory over Winnipeg with his stellar play and 4-1-0 record, .900 SV% and 3.03 GAA. The 28-year-old will unsurprisingly take the crease on Tuesday for Game 1 in Dallas after leading the NHL in wins (38) for a second straight season in 2023-24. He will head to Dallas to take on the Stars, who finished a hard-fought seven-game series vs. Vegas on Sunday with a 2-1 victory at home.
Demko has been out since Vancouver's opening game of the playoffs and is expected to remain out until at least Game 4 of the Canucks' second series vs. Edmonton. The 28-year-old will be highly welcomed back if he can return after going 35-14-2 during the regular season and having a 2.45 GAA and .918 SV%.
Henrique (lower body) was absent from Edmonton's first two practices ahead of their second-round series vs. Vancouver and appears unlikely to dress for Game 1 on Wednesday but will have a full update after the morning skate. The 34-year-old appeared in all five of Edmonton's opening series games and had a goal, an assist, and four SOG while averaging 15:51 TOI.
Legault was Carolina's 2023 fifth-round pick (139th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday. The 20-year-old is coming off a successful second season with Quinnipiac University (NCAA) and had nine goals, and 24 points in 39 games played.
Head coach Paul Maurice announced last week that he was hoping to get Sam Bennett back for Florida's second series and the forward returned to practice on Tuesday in his next step of recovery. The 27-year-old is still considered day-to-day for the time being but will make a welcome return when he does find himself back in the lineup, having picked up a goal and an assist in his first two playoff games before his injury.
Oettinger was sensational in the Stars' opening seven-game series as he helped lead Dallas over Vegas with a 4-3-0 record, 1.95 GAA and .925 SV%. The 25-year-old surpassed the 30-win mark for a third straight season (35) but had his first ever below .910 SV% since joining the NHL four seasons ago (.905 SV%). He will host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, who have won their last four games after taking down the Winnipeg Jets in a five-game opening series.
Legare was acquired mid-way through the season from Montreal for Arnaud Durandeau and has signed a one-year, two-way contract with New Jersey into the 2024-25 season. The 23-year-old former captain of Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) finished his third season in the AHL in 2023-24 and had eight goals, and four assists in 54 games played this season with Laval and Utica.
Willman appeared in 18 games for New Jersey in 2023-24 and had three goals and four points to go along with 17 SOG and has signed a two-way, contract extension worth $775,000 on Tuesday. The 29-year-old has appeared in 68 games across three NHL seasons and has seven goals and 10 points.
Hogberg will return to North American soil for the first time since 2020-2021 after signing a two-year contract with the New York Islanders. The 29-year-old just finished a successful season with Linkoping HC of the SHL, where he posted a 2.51 GAA and .914 SV%. The 2013 3rd round pick (78th overall) has appeared in 42 career NHL games, with a 9-17-9 record, 3.39 GAA and .894 SV%.
Shattenkirk played in six of the seven games during the Bruins' round one win over the Maple Leafs. He had one assist and just four shots on goal and will be replaced by Derek Forbort in Game 1 in Florida. Expect either Hampus Lindholm or Mason Lohrei to take over for him on one of the Bruins' power-play units.
This will be Forbort's first game since March 2nd. He was initially sidelined due to injury but sat as a healthy scratch for most of round one vs. the Maple Leafs. Forbort will replace Kevin Shattenkirk in the lineup for Game 1 against Florida.
Carlo missed Monday's morning skate while with his wife to welcome the birth of their son, but he made it to Florida in time for Game 1 vs. the Panthers. Carlo had one goal, one assist, 11 shots on goal, 16 blocks and 16 hits in round 1 vs. the Maple Leafs.