NHL Player News

Merilainen will patrol the road paint in Tuesday's clash against the Islanders, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic.

Merilainen will return to action Tuesday after avoiding his first loss of the season in Saturday's clash, where he was off the ice having his skate repaired when Kevin Lankinen allowed the game-winning goal. Outside of Saturday's game, the 24-year-old Merilainen has fared well to begin the new season, where he has a 1-0-0 record, a 2.18 GAA and a .929 save percentage across four appearances. While the young netminder's fantasy stock is on the rise, he'll have to prove himself in a tough matchup with the Islanders on Tuesday. He's a spot start option for fantasy managers in a pinch, but he should be left on waivers for the time being in standard formats.

Saros was the first goalie to exit the ice Tuesday, Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean reports, indicating he'll tend the twine at home versus Vegas.

Saros started the first four games of the season, posting a 2-1-1 record, 2.72 GAA and .916 save percentage. If the 31-year-old backstop can continue to hold those ratios across the year, he should be capable of hitting the 30-win mark for the first time since 2023-24.

Oettinger will guard the home crease in Tuesday's clash against the Avalanche, per Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine.

Oettinger has been excellent over the last three contests, as he's allowed just one goal. Overall, the 27-year-old netminder has a 2-1-1 record, a 0.74 GAA and a .963 save percentage across four outings this season. He'll look to extend his undefeated-in-regulation streak Tuesday against the high-powered Avalanche offense that currently leads the league with 5.20 goals per game. Regardless, Oettinger is a strong start in all fantasy formats for Tuesday.

Hofer is slated to patrol the crease on the road versus Ottawa on Tuesday, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.

Hofer started the season with a 25-save shutout before dropping his last two outings while allowing five goals on 46 shots (.891 save percentage). Look for Hofer to continue serving as the No. 1 option for the Blues, though he'll need to stave off any challenges from Jordan Binnington.

Bedard (shoulder) is expected to be in the lineup against the Penguins on Tuesday, Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio reports.

Bedard is set to make his season debut nearly a month ahead of schedule from his original return date. With the 21-year-old center back in the lineup, he'll jump back into the top line while linking up with the No. 1 power-play unit. Given his offensive upside, Bedard should still be an elite fantasy option and is capable of generating above a point-per-game pace.

Bourque (upper body) is considered a game-time decision ahead of Tuesday's home clash against the Golden Knights, per Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site.

Bourque missed Saturday's contest after he exited Thursday's game against the Canadiens, where he sustained the upper-body injury during the second period. Prior to the injury, he posted an assist, a plus-1 rating, two PIM, seven shots on net and four hits across his first four regular-season appearances with Nashville. If he can't go Tuesday, Vitali Pinchuk will likely be his replacement in the lineup once again.

Annunen (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision versus the Knights on Tuesday, Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site reports.

Even if Annunen is cleared and activated off injured reserve, he is likely to serve as the backup to Juuse Saros. With no back-to-backs on the short-term schedule, it's not clear when Annunen might make his season debut for the Predators, though he's unlikely to see a significant number of starts regardless.

Schmid will defend the road crease in Tuesday's clash against the Blue Jackets, per George Richards of Florida Hockey Now.

Schmid was called upon in relief during Monday's contest after Jacob Markstrom exited the contest due to tightness. Overall, the 26-year-old Schmid has an 0-1-1 record, a 4.16 GAA and an .868 save percentage across two appearances. While Markstrom avoided an injury, Cooper Black was recalled from AHL Charlotte on Tuesday in case the former can't back up Schmid. The Blue Jackets offense has been steady to open the 2026-27 season with 3.00 goals per game, making Schmid a risky fantasy option, especially after playing in Monday's contest.

Hildeby is questionable to serve as the backup against the Rangers on Tuesday for an undisclosed reason, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

While it's not clear why Hildeby may not be available, the Bolts did call up Mads Sogaard from the minors just in case. Regardless of Hildeby's status, the Bolts are expected to utilize Andrei Vasilevskiy in the crease versus the Rangers.

Vasilevskiy is slated to be in goal for Tuesday's road matchup with the Rangers, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Vasilevskiy will make his fifth start in the Bolts' first six games of the year, having gone 3-1-0 with a 2.29 GAA to open the season. With no back-to-backs on the short-term schedule, the 32-year-old netminder could see a run of starts here, especially if Dennis Hildeby (undisclosed) is unavailable to serve in relief.