NHL Player News

Gudas (lower body) could return to the lineup ahead of Game 1 versus Vegas on Monday, per Derek Lee of The Hockey News.

Gudas has appeared in just two of the Ducks' last 14 games due to injuries, and he could be a healthy scratch even if he's given the all-clear ahead of Game 1. In those appearances, the defenseman failed to register a point while dishing out six hits. Tyson Hinds would be the most likely player dropped from the lineup if Gudas suits up in Game 1.

D'Astous notched a power-play assist and two hits in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Canadiens in Game 7.

D'Astous missed Games 2-5 in the first round due to an undisclosed injury. The 28-year-old went from a relative unknown to a staple in the Lightning's lineup this year, logging 29 points, 80 shots on net, 96 hits, 74 blocked shots and 112 PIM over 70 regular-season outings. D'Astous signed a one-year contract extension in January, so expect him to be in the Opening Night lineup to begin 2026-27.

Lauzon (undisclosed) probably won't be an option for Vegas' second-round series against Anaheim, SinBin.vegas reports Monday.

Lauzon sustained the injury in Friday's series-clinching 5-1 win over Utah in Round 1. He didn't have a point in six games against the Mammoth, but he registered five shots on goal, eight blocked shots and 14 hits. Ben Hutton or Dylan Coghlan will replace Lauzon in the lineup for Game 1 against the Ducks on Monday.

Legault was assigned to AHL Chicago on Monday.

Legault was a healthy scratch in Carolina's 3-0 playoff win over Philadelphia on Saturday in Game 1 of Round 2. His demotion to the minors makes him an option for AHL Chicago's postseason matchup against Texas on Tuesday.

Nikishin (concussion) isn't expected to play in Monday's Game 2 against the Flyers, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports.

Nikishin sustained a concussion during Game 4 of the Hurricanes' first-round series against Ottawa, and he'll be unavailable for a second consecutive matchup to begin the second round. However, he was cleared for contact late last week and seems to be trending in the right direction in his recovery process.

Siegenthaler (undisclosed) won't participate in the 2026 IIHF World Championship because of an injury, Sam Kasan of the Devils' official site reports Monday.

Siegenthaler still plans on being around the Swiss team during the tournament, but he won't be an option to play due to a late-season injury. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 16 assists, 60 shots on goal, 135 blocked shots and 92 hits across 82 appearances.

Engstrom was assigned to AHL Laval on Monday.

Engstrom had 10 goals and 34 points in 45 minor-league games during the 2025-26 regular season. It wouldn't be surprising if he played in Tuesday's playoff matchup against AHL Toronto.

Guhle notched two assists in Sunday's win over the Lightning in Game 7.

The 24-year-old blueliner helped set up tallies by Nick Suzuki in the first period and Alex Newhook in the third to propel Montreal into the second round. Guhle has four assists in the last four games, giving him plenty of momentum heading into a Game 1 of the second round versus the Sabres on Wednesday.

Hughes scored a goal on two shots and added two assists in Sunday's 9-6 loss to the Avalanche in Game 1.

Hughes was one of 11 skaters for the Wild to get on the scoresheet, though he was the only one to earn multiple points. With this series being billed as a battle between top defensemen in Hughes and Colorado's Cale Makar, it's encouraging to see the headliners each earn three points in the opener. Hughes is up to three goals, eight assists, 15 shots on net, seven blocked shots and a plus-9 rating over seven playoff contests.

Blankenburg scored a goal on two shots and went minus-2 in Sunday's 9-6 win over the Wild in Game 1.

Blankenburg has played the last two games due to the absence of Josh Manson (upper body). This is Blankenburg's first year in the postseason, though he won't play all the time if the Avalanche's defense gets back to full health. He earned 24 points, 62 shots on net, 59 blocked shots and 55 hits over 61 regular-season appearances between Colorado and Nashville. Expect the 27-year-old blueliner to primarily work on the third pairing when in the lineup.