NHL Player News
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Mark Scheifele C | WPG
Jets' Mark Scheifele: Availability unclear for Game 6
Scheifele (personal) is questionable for Game 6 against Dallas on Saturday, per Ken Wiebe of The Winnipeg Free Press.
Scheifele's father, Brad, passed away Friday night, and it is too early to know right now if the 32-year-old forward will be available to play against the Stars. Scheifele could be a game-time decision for the matchup. He has four goals and 10 points through 10 contests this postseason. If Scheifele sits out, David Gustafsson, Dominic Toninato or Rasmus Kupari could face Dallas on Saturday.
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Bobby McMann C | TOR
Maple Leafs' Bobby McMann: Ends lengthy slump with helper
McMann notched an assist and two hits in Friday's 2-0 win over the Panthers in Game 6.
The helper was McMann's second of the postseason, ending a 10-game slump after he supplied an assist in Game 1 of the first round versus the Senators. The 28-year-old winger has added 15 shots on net, 16 PIM, 44 hits and a minus-2 rating. McMann has found success in a larger role at times, and he may be an option to play in the top six if Matthew Knies (undisclosed) can't suit up in Sunday's Game 7. However, McMann's lack of offense compared to Max Pacioretty could cause the former to be held back on the third line.
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Max Domi C | TOR
Maple Leafs' Max Domi: Logs assist Friday
Domi provided an assist in Friday's 2-0 win over the Panthers in Game 6.
Domi has a helper in each of the last two contests. The 30-year-old forward has a goal and three assists over six games in the second round, but he's also racked up 29 PIM, with those trips to the sin bin being a point of criticism in his playing style. For the playoffs, he's at six points, 18 shots on net, 14 hits, 33 PIM and a plus-1 rating over 12 appearances.
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Auston Matthews C | TOR
Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Tallies in Friday's win
Matthews scored a goal on four shots and added two PIM in Friday's 2-0 win over the Panthers in Game 6.
Matthews broke a 0-0 deadlock with his tally off a turnover at 6:20 of the third period. This was his first career goal in the second round or later of the playoffs, and it snapped a five-game stretch in which he was limited to three assists. Matthews is at three goals, eight helpers, 45 shots on net, 28 hits, 16 blocked shots and a plus-2 rating over 12 postseason contests.
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Nicklas Backstrom C | WAS
Nicklas Backstrom: Heading back to homeland
Backstrom (hip) will sign a contract with Brynas IF of the SHL for the 2025-26 season, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports Friday.
Backstrom's NHL career has essentially been confirmed as over since he stepped away from the Capitals early in the 2023-24 campaign. He played in 1,105 regular-season games, earning 271 goals and 762 assists, all with the Capitals. He is the team's franchise leader in assists. The 37-year-old's return to Sweden will allow him to end his playing career in a part-time role for his hometown club.
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Evan Rodrigues C | FLA
Panthers' Evan Rodrigues: Unavailable Friday
Rodrigues (undisclosed) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's Game 6 versus Toronto, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.
Rodrigues was injured during Game 4 on Sunday and missed Wednesday's tilt in Toronto. Jesper Boqvist will remain on the top line, alongside Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart during Rodrigues' absence. Rodrigues has contributed three assists across 10 games in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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Nico Hischier C | NJ
Devils' Nico Hischier: Suffers lower-body injury
Hischier suffered a lower-body injury at the 2025 IIHF World Championship and will miss the remainder of the tournament, Daniel Amoia of The Hockey Writers reports Friday.
The injury should not affect Hischier as far as next season is concerned, as he is expected to return to full health well before training camp. Hischier had 35 goals and 34 assists across 75 regular-season games in 2024-25, leading the Devils in goals while finishing third on the team with 69 points.
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Cole Perfetti C | WPG
Jets' Cole Perfetti: Notches helper in win
Perfetti registered a shorthanded assist, four shots on goal, six hits and two PIM in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Stars in Game 5.
Perfetti had been held off the scoresheet in the first four games of the second round. The 23-year-old is still in a second-line role, but he's been under 15 minutes of ice time in four of five games versus the Stars in this series. The winger has contributed six points, 27 shots on net, 29 hits and a minus-3 rating across 12 playoff outings.
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Vladislav Namestnikov C | WPG
Jets' Vladislav Namestnikov: Earns pair of points
Namestnikov scored a power-play goal on three shots, dished a shorthanded assist, logged three hits and added two PIM in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Stars in Game 5.
Namestnikov was involved in the Jets' last two goals of the game to help them stay in the playoffs for at least one more contest. These were his first points in the second round. The 32-year-old center is at three goals, three helpers, 14 shots on net, 29 hits, 16 PIM and a plus-1 rating over 12 playoff outings. Since Mark Scheifele returned from an upper-body injury at the start of the second round, Namestnikov has been back in his usual middle-six role.
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Mark Scheifele C | WPG
Jets' Mark Scheifele: One of each in win
Scheifele scored a goal on three shots, added a power-play assist and logged two PIM in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Stars in Game 5.
Scheifele's tally at 6:17 of the second period stood as the game-winner in the shutout. He also helped out on Nikolaj Ehlers' goal early in the third. Scheifele has two goals and two assists over five games in the second round. The center is at four goals, 10 points, 21 shots on net, 12 hits, 14 PIM and a plus-4 rating through 10 appearances this postseason.