NHL Player News

Oettinger stopped 22 of 25 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Avalanche.

Oettinger surrendered the opening goal midway through the first period before allowing two more in the second, including Martin Necas' eventual game-winner during a five-on-three power play. This was a step in the wrong direction for Oettinger, and this defeat ended a stretch in which he had allowed just three goals over his previous four appearances. Despite the disappointing result, Oettinger remains Dallas' primary option between the pipes and a valuable fantasy asset across all formats. He has a 1.20 GAA and .943 save percentage over his first five outings in 2026-27.

Blackwood stopped 24 of 26 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Stars.

Blackwood delivered a solid performance between the pipes en route to a tight victory against one of the top contending teams in the Western Conference. More importantly, the 29-year-old snapped a brief two-game losing skid after dropping his previous two starts against the Jets and Maple Leafs. This was just the second time Blackwood posted a single-game save percentage above .900, however, so there's work to be done. He has a 3.04 GAA and an .879 save percentage in his first five starts this season.

Sorokin turned aside 22 of 24 shots on net in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Canucks.

After a shaky second period, Sorokin gathered himself and kept the Canucks off the board in the third to help guide the Islanders to Tuesday's victory. Overall, the 31-year-old netminder now holds a 3-2-0 record, a shutout, a 1.81 GAA and a .934 save percentage across five appearances. He appears to be on track for another successful season, which makes the veteran netminder an elite fantasy option between the pipes moving forward. Expect Sorokin to challenge the 30-win threshold for the third time in the past five seasons.

Merilainen halted 33 of 36 shots on net in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Islanders.

While the end result of Tuesday's contest didn't go his way, Merilainen continued to be a bright spot for the Canucks with his performance in net. He allowed just three goals against 36 shots on net, which helped Vancouver have a chance at winning throughout the entire contest. With Tuesday's contest in the books, the 24-year-old goalie now has a 1-1-0 record, a 2.40 GAA and a .926 save percentage across five appearances. He's proven to be the more-reliable option between the pipes for the Canucks compared to Kevin Lankinen, who has struggled mightily to open the 2026-27 campaign. If Merialinen's rise in production continues, he'll not only be on the fantasy radar in standard formats, but also one of the best waiver claims in recent memory. For now, he's a solid spot start in deep fantasy leagues with a bundle of upside.

Askarov let in five goals on 25 shots in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Bruins. The sixth goal was an empty-netter.

Askarov is not having a good start to the year. This was his third straight loss and the second time in that span he's been on the hook for five goals. The 24-year-old netminder has given up at least three tallies in all five games he's played, which isn't a great look when Alex Nedeljkovic allowed just two goals in his lone start so far. The Sharks will want to give Askarov a chance to get things right, but he'll need to do his part. The Sharks begin a six-game road trip in Nashville on Thursday.

Swayman allowed three goals on 38 shots in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

Swayman was tested by the Sharks' young offense, but he met the challenge for his third straight win. The 27-year-old netminder has gone 5-1-0 to begin the year, adding a 1.99 GAA and a .930 save percentage as well as one shutout. Swayman's playing like a true No. 1 between the pipes and will likely continue to see most of the starts ahead of Michael DiPietro. Expect the two goalies to split the next two games, as the Bruins visit the Ducks on Friday and the Kings on Saturday.

Forsberg stopped all nine shots he faced in relief of Darcy Kuemper in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Oilers.

The only goal Edmonton scored over the final two periods was an empty-netter. Forsberg obviously didn't face a lot of traffic, but he took care of what came his way, which is better than he did in his Oct. 3 start against the Sharks. He's given up five goals on 34 shots over two outings this season. With the Kings starting the year 0-3-2, the starting job in goal is up for grabs. Their next game is at home versus the Bruins on Saturday.

Kuemper stopped four of seven shots in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Oilers.

Kuemper only last through the first period. The 36-year-old remains winless on the year, going 0-3-1 with 15 goals allowed on 98 shots. Anton Forsberg stopped all nine shots he faced over the final two periods, though the Kings weren't able to get back into the contest. Kuemper's status as the starting goalie is on thin ice, especially if he can't some positive results soon. The Kings are off until they host the Bruins on Saturday.

Vasilevskiy made 19 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday. He allowed three goals.

This was not on Vasilevskiy -- the Bolts failed to execute on passes and plays that they typically do in their sleep. Big Cat will be fine, although he has allowed three or more goals in three of his five starts this season. His save percentage so far is .886, significantly lower than his career average of .917.

Garand made 25 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Lightning on Tuesday.

Garand's performance is the best-case scenario for the Rangers, who lost Igor Shesterkin for the season because of a lower-body injury. The home crowd was chanting his first name by the end of the game. Garand has started two straight games and won both. Overall he's 3-1-0 with just four goals allowed in four starts. His 1.15 GAA and .951 will revert to the mean over time, but right now he's an outstanding story and a solid fantasy addition.