NHL Hockey Player News

The Kings are battling to stay in playoff contention but have not been able to secure victories regularly, including games with Kuemper tending the twine. The 35-year-old veteran goalie has lost four of his last five starts (1-3-1), posting an ugly 3.84 GAA and .857 SV%. The Kings enter Friday's contest as +125 road underdogs against the New York Islanders, a team they defeated 5-3 less than two weeks ago.

Wallstedt returned from the Olympic break with a poor performance, allowing five goals on 37 shots (.865 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth. That said, the 23-year-old Swedish goalie has turned things around since, despite losing both of his subsequent outings (0-0-2), posting an excellent 1.86 GAA and .935 SV%.

Minnesota acquired Brink in a trade from Philadelphia last week, but he is battling an upper-body ailment and missed Thursday's game against his former team. The 24-year-old has played three games with Minnesota so far and scored a goal for his first point with the team in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Utah Mammoth.

Gustavsson seemed to be suffering some mid-season fatigue, posting a pedestrian 2.96 GAA and .893 SV% in 13 games (8-1-3) leading into the Olympic break. That said, the 27-year-old Swedish goalie has returned to action well rested and motivated, posting a dazzling 1.21 GAA and .960 SV% in five games (4-1-0) since NHL action has resumed.

Stjernberg is an undrafted 23-year-old defenseman that has earned himself an entry-level contract after wrapping up collegiate hockey career. He had 10 points (6G / 4A) in 25 games with Bowling Green State University this season.

Cernak has not played since suffering an upper-body injury on Sunday, missing two games, but should be ready to return to the lineup on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 28-year-old Slovak defenseman is averaging 17:57 time-on-ice, recording seven points (1G / 6A), 77 blocks, and 81 hits in 43 games this season.

Pearson only played 8:58 time-on-ice in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals and seems to be battling an ailment after missing practice on Friday. The 33-year-old has only played one game with the Sabres since being acquired in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. He has 13 points (7G / 6A) in 53 games this season.

Samuelson didn't seem to show any ill effects during Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, playing 20:30 time-on-ice, but he was absent from practice on Friday. The 25-yer-old defenseman is averaging 23:07 time-on-ice, recording 36 points (12G / 24A), 109 hits, and 130 blocks in 64 games this season.

Mittelstadt was a seventh-round pick of the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft who has been awarded an entry-level contract after impressing at the collegiate level. The 23-year-old defenseman had 21 points (2G / 19A) in 36 games with the University of Minnesota this season.

Jensen only played 14:28 time-on-ice in Ottawa's 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, and was absent from practice on Friday. It is unclear if he will be ready to play when Ottawa returns to action on Saturday afternoon against the Anaheim Ducks.

Tuch was absent from practice on Wednesday and did not play on Thursday, but was back to practice on Friday, indicating he could be ready when Buffalo returns to action on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 29-year-old forward has 57 points (28G / 29A) in 64 games this season, including nine points (6G / 3A) during a seven-game point streak.

With Yarsolav Askarov (lower body) battling an injury, the Sharks have recalled Brossoit from the San Jose Barracuda (AHL). The severity of Askarov's injury is unclear, but Brossoit will likely serve primarily as Alex Nedeljkovic's backup while he is with the Sharks.

After a tremendous performance by Jacob Fowler in Ottawa's previous game, a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, the Canadiens will return to Dobes, who has also performed well in recent outings. The 24-year-old Dobes saved 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%) in his most recent contest, a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, and has a 2.00 GAA and .930 SV% in his last two games (2-0-0).

Caufield was limited to 10:27 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens, leaving the game due to an illness, and subsequently missing Wednesday's game against the Ottawa Senators. The 25-year-old Caufield is pacing for career-bests in all major offensive categories this season, scoring 64 points (37G / 27A) through 63 games and appears ready to rejoin the team for Saturday's game against the San Jose Sharks.

Santini drew into Tampa Bay's lineup earlier this week, but with Darren Raddysh (personal) returning to the lineup, he will head back to the AHL. The 31-year-old Santini has played 10 games with Tampa Bay this season, averaging 11:20 time-on-ice and scoring one assist.