NHL Player News
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Brett Kulak D | PIT
Penguins' Brett Kulak: Included in Jarry deal
Kulak was flipped to the Penguins from the Oilers on Friday, along with Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round pick, in exchange for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin.
Kulak joins a crowded blue line that already includes veterans Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba, which makes it difficult to see where he fits into the lineup. In 31 games this year, the 31-year-old Kulak notched two helpers but has yet to find the back of the net while registering 33 shots. With general manager Kyle Dubas stockpiling defensemen, it's possible he's not done wheeling and dealing.
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Spencer Stastney D | EDM
Oilers' Spencer Stastney: Shipped up to Edmonton
Stastney was traded to the Oilers from the Predators on Friday in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports.
Stastney won't offer much in the way of offensive upside for the Oilers; he is currently stuck in a 20-game goal drought during which he has chipped in five helpers, but he will give them some defensive depth on the blue line, especially with Jake Walman (lower body) still on long-term injured reserve.
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Erik Karlsson D | PIT
Penguins' Erik Karlsson: Strikes on power play in loss
Karlsson scored a power-play goal on five shots and blocked two shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Canadiens.
Karlsson keeps rolling on offense with a goal and seven helpers over his last eight games. The goal was his first since Nov. 3. The defenseman is at two goals, 21 points, 64 shots on net, 29 blocked shots and a plus-4 rating through 29 appearances. The Penguins have been better than expected, and Karlsson is on pace for his best year in black and gold.
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John Klingberg D | SJ
Sharks' John Klingberg: One of each in overtime win
Klingberg scored a goal, dished an assist, added two PIM, logged two hits and went plus-2 in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over the Maple Leafs.
Klingberg has a three-game point streak consisting of two goals and three helpers. This was a revenge game for the 33-year-old, who spent the 2023-24 campaign with Toronto, though he was limited to five assists in 14 appearances. He's having a bit of a revitalization with the Sharks this year, earning five goals, 12 points, 33 shots on net, 31 blocked shots, 18 hits, 14 PIM and a minus-4 rating over 23 appearances, though he has been an occasional healthy scratch on a crowded blue line.
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Colton White D | NJ
Devils' Colton White: Plucks first apple
White notched an assist, four hits and two blocked shots in Thursday's 8-4 loss to the Lightning.
White has been in a part-time role recently, sharing a third-pairing spot with Dennis Cholowski. The helper Thursday was White's first point in 11 outings for the Devils this season. He's added five shots on net, 12 hits, nine blocked shots and a plus-2 rating. He can play a decent physical game, but the 28-year-old offers minimal scoring upside and won't be a factor in the vast majority of fantasy formats.
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Simon Nemec D | NJ
Devils' Simon Nemec: Picks up pair of helpers
Nemec notched two assists, three shots on goal, two PIM and a minus-2 rating in Thursday's 8-4 loss to the Lightning.
Nemec is heating up again with three points over his last two games. The 21-year-old blueliner has contributed decent offense regardless of his spot in the lineup this season, and he's bounced around semi-frequently. For the year, he's up to seven goals, 11 helpers, 50 shots on net, 46 blocked shots, 16 PIM and a plus-4 rating through 31 outings. He needs two more points to reach the 20-point mark for the first time in his three-year career.
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Rasmus Dahlin D | BUF
Sabres' Rasmus Dahlin: Supplies two points in win
Dahlin scored a goal on three shots, added an assist, blocked three shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Canucks.
Dahlin opened the scoring at 7:36 of the first period and helped out on Tage Thompson's game-tying goal in the second. With two goals and six helpers during his four-game point streak, Dahlin is starting to find a rhythm again after a quiet end to November. The defenseman is up to three goals, 25 points, 75 shots on net, 34 blocked shots, 24 hits, 33 PIM and a minus-10 rating over 28 appearances. He can contribute across the board from a top-pairing role, so Dahlin should continue to see ample ice time.
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Samuel Girard D | COL
Avalanche's Samuel Girard: Pockets assist Thursday
Girard logged an assist and three blocked shots in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Panthers.
Girard ended a 10-game point drought in a game that saw 13 of the Avalanche's skaters get on the scoresheet. He set up Nathan MacKinnon's tally in the second period. Girard's lack of offense and the overall health of the blue line has led to the 27-year-old slipping into a third-pairing role with minimal power-play time. He's produced three helpers, 11 shots on net, 19 blocked shots and a plus-4 rating over 16 appearances this season.
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Josh Manson D | COL
Avalanche's Josh Manson: Adds pair of helpers
Manson logged two assists, three hits and two PIM in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Panthers.
Manson has been steady in December with five helpers over six games. The 34-year-old blueliner continues to handle a bottom-four role, providing a bit of grit to complement his teammates' skills. Manson is up to nine points, 42 shots on net, 81 hits, 43 blocked shots, 32 PIM and a plus-19 rating over 31 appearances. His offense alone isn't fantasy-worthy, but his physical play could get him onto some rosters in formats that reward the rough stuff.
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Sam Malinski D | COL
Avalanche's Sam Malinski: Goal, assist in win
Malinski scored a goal on three shots, dished an assist, went plus-2 and blocked two shots in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Panthers.
Malinski earned his first multi-point effort of the season. He has two goals and four assists over his last nine outings as continues to provide quality play from the third pairing. Malinski is up to three goals, a career-high 17 points, 32 blocked shots, 55 shots on net and a plus-16 rating over 31 appearances. He's doing enough to be worth consideration in deeper fantasy formats, though his place in the lineup invites some risk for consistency.