NHL Player News

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.

Geekie logged a pair of assists in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

Geekie has been known for his prolific scoring the last two years, but he's turned playmaker to begin 2026-27. The 28-year-old forward has earned a goal, five assists, seven shots on net, 15 hits and a plus-1 rating across seven appearances. Geekie was on the top line for Tuesday's contest, and he'll carry a bit more fantasy value as long as he stays in that role.

Borgen scored an empty-net goal, doled out five hits, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

Borgen has been a stabilizing defensive presence in the Bruins' top four to start the campaign. He's chipped in a goal, two assists, three shots on net, 21 hits, 10 blocked shots, eight PIM and a plus-10 rating over seven appearances. With Charlie McAvoy making his season debut Tuesday, Borgen is likely set to see fewer minutes moving forward, but his strong start to the year should keep him in the lineup. He'll have some appeal in banger leagues, but he's never had more than 25 points over a full season, so there's not much offense to be found here.

Poitras scored a goal on three shots and added three hits in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

Poitras is currently centering the fourth line. He's earned two goals, one assist, six shots on net, six hits and a plus-3 rating across four appearances this season. The 22-year-old isn't a lock to stay in the lineup, but maintaining a decent pace on offense should keep him ahead of Sean Kuraly for playing time. Poitras has already logged more NHL action in 2026-27 than he saw in 2025-26.

Zacha scored a goal in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

Zacha has scored in consecutive contests and is riding a three-game point streak. The Bruins haven't yet settled on which centers will slot into the top six -- Zacha is currently on the top line, but he'll have to compete with Elias Lindholm and Fraser Minten to keep that spot. Zacha has racked up three points, 11 shots on net, four hits, five blocked shots and a plus-3 rating across seven appearances this year.

McAvoy scored a goal on three shots and added four hits in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

McAvoy is finally free of a carryover suspension for his playoff slash against Buffalo's Zach Benson. The 28-year-old looked good while leading the Bruins' blue line Tuesday, logging 24:41 of ice time in the win. When he doesn't cross the line, he has all-around appeal in fantasy with steady contributions across the board. He'll play on the top pairing and first power-play unit -- any fantasy manager who got him at a discount on draft day should keep him active moving forward.

Minten scored twice on four shots, added two PIM, logged two hits, blocked two shots and went plus-4 in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sharks.

This was Minten's second multi-point game in a row and his third such effort of the campaign. He had a four-game drought in there as well, but there's signs of a breakout season on the horizon. Minten has four goals, three assists, 19 shots on net, six hits, 14 PIM and a plus-6 rating across seven appearances so far. He had 35 points in 82 regular-season outings last year while shooting 14.7 percent. If everything clicks in 2026-27, Minten should be a top-six fixture with a power forward profile.

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.

Laughton notched an assist and two hits in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Oilers.

This was Laughton's first point in five games this season. The 32-year-old center has filled a middle-six role with minimal power-play time, and the Kings' struggles on offense certainly have helped his output. He has earned eight shots on net, 12 hits, four blocked shots, seven PIM and a minus-2 rating. The Kings are still tinkering with line combinations under new head coach Peter Laviolette, so Laughton could move around a bit more until something clicks.

Clarke scored a goal on six shots and added two PIM in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Oilers.

While the Kings have started the year poorly, Clarke's offense has been a bright spot. The goal was his first of the year to go with three assists and 15 shots on net. The 23-year-old defenseman hasn't been credited with a hit yet, but he has racked up 15 PIM and nine blocked shots, showing multiple ways to frustrate opponents. As long as the penalties don't become reckless, Clarke is a lock to handle top-four minutes.