NHL Hockey Player News

Utah can inch closer to locking up the top Wild Card seed in the Western Conference with a win in its penultimate game on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets. Vejmelka will tend the twine and look to build some momentum to take into his first-ever postseason. The 29-year-old Czech goalie was serviceable in his previous outing, saving 26 of 29 shots (.897 SV%), but did not receive enough goal support in a 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping a five-game winning streak for Vejmelka. The Mammoth enter Tuesday's contest as -178 home favourites against a Winnipeg Jets team that has been outscored 13-3 in their last two games (0-2-0).

Entering their final game of a disappointing 2025-26 season, the Devils will turn to Daws to tend the twine for the second consecutive game. The 25-year-old German goalie has spent most of the season in the AHL, but has been solid in very limited action with the Devils, saving 57 of 61 combined shots (.934 SV%) in two games (2-0-0). The Devils enter Tuesday's contest as +133 road underdogs against a Boston Bruins team that has clinched a playoff spot, but is still jockeying for positioning.

Hayton has been out since March 26th with an upper-body injury but returned to Utah's practice on Tuesday in a non-contact jersey. The 25-year-old is hopeful to return at some point during Utah's opening playoff series vs. Vegas but is still considered week-to-week. He had 10 goals and 25 points in 67 games played this season.

With Pittsburgh expected to sit some regulars for their final game of the season on Tuesday vs. St. Louis, they have recalled Rafael Harvey-Pinard from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL). The 27-year-old winger has earned his first call-up of the season after putting up 19 goals and 36 points in 64 games played in the minors.

With only two games remaining in the Flames' disappointing 2025-26 season, Wolf has mustered together several strong outings. The 24-year-old goalie has won four of his last seven (4-3-0), posting a serviceable 3.06 GAA and .906 SV%, including an impressive 38-save performance (.950 SV%) less than a week ago in a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Wolf will return to the crease on Tuesday, with the Flames entering action against the Avalanche as +130 home underdogs.

After appearing in his first game since March 14th in Washington's previous contest, Timothy Liljegren will head back to the press box for Washington's final game of the season on Tuesday as Dylan McIlrath returns to the lineup. Liljegren has rarely appeared for the Capitals since being acquired at the trade deadline from San Jose, with no points, two PIMs and five SOG in four games played since the trade.

Despite not appearing in the Capitals' lineup since March 3rd, Dylan McIlrath will draw back into Washington's lineup for their season finale in Columbus on Tuesday. He is expected to replace Timothy Liljegren in the lineup and will hope to pick up his first point of the season in his 13th appearances with the Capitals.

Despite having 10 points in his previous seven games, Pierre-Luc Dubois will be out for Washington's final game of the season vs. Columbus on Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old two-way centre missed a majority of the early season due to injury and will close out his 2025-26 campaign with five goals and 19 points in 29 games played.

Lapierre has been a healthy scratch for Washington's previous three contest but will draw back into the Capitals' lineup on Tuesday in Columbus. The 24-year-old has appeared in the majority of Washington's games this season, with four goals, 16 points and 31 PIMs in 73 games played.

After not being a healthy scratch for 14 seasons, Brandan Gallagher was held out of Montreal's lineup for the previous four games but will draw back in for Game 82 in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The 33-year-old gritty winger is having a down season offensively, with just six goals, 22 points and 39 PIMs in 76 games played while averaging 12:22 TOI.

Veleno was a healthy scratch for Montreal's previous contest but will draw back into the lineup for their final game of the season on Tuesday in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old has struggled to produce in a bottom-six role in his first season in Montreal, with just two goals, four points and a -12 plus/minus in 60 games played.

Engstrom was a healthy scratch for Montreal's previous contest but will draw back into their lineup in Philadelphia on Tuesday for Game 82. The 22-year-old Swedish defensemen made his NHL debut this season and has an assist, eight PIMs and 10 SOG in 14 games played.

With Montreal locked into their playoff position, Phillip Danault will be a healthy scratch for rest-related purposes in the Canadiens' final game of the season in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The 33-year-old veteran was acquired from Los Angeles earlier in the season and has six goals, 12 points and 20 PIMs in 45 games since joining Montreal.

With Montreal locked into their playoff spot, Josh Anderson will sit for rest-related purposes for Game 82 on Tuesday in Philadelphia. The 31-year-old veteran winger was a constant force in Montreal's bottom-six all season, with 14 goals, 23 points and 90 PIMs in 72 games played.

With nothing left to decide for the Canadiens in the 2025-26 season apart from who will have home-ice advantage in their opening-round playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team will opt to rest some players in the final game of the regular season. Matheson will have the night off on Tuesday, with Adam Engstrom drawing in as his replacement. The 32-year-old Matheson has had an excellent season on Montreal's blueline, averaging 24:10 time-on-ice and scoring 37 points (7G / 30A) in 78 games.

Montreal awaits a matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs, but can still secure home-ice advantage, and will turn to Dobes on Tuesday for their final game of the regular season. Dobes had a poor performance in his previous outing, allowing five goals (.848 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was a rare blip for the Czech goalie, who has been outstanding in recent weeks, posting a stellar 2.13 GAA and .929 SV% in his last 13 games (10-3-0). The Canadiens enter Tuesday's contest as sizable -202 road favourites against a Philadelphia Flyers team that won 3-2 in a shootout last night to clinch a playoff berth.

Kerins was one of the AHL top players this season with 54 points in 55 games played and has earned himself a call up from the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) for the Flames final game of the season. The 24-year-old has yet to pick up a point in his two appearances with the Flames this season and is expected to compete for a spot on Calgary's opening night roster in 2026-27.

Tsyplakov has been a healthy scratch for New Jersey's previous six games but will draw back into the lineup for their season finale vs. Boston on Tuesday. The 27-year-old was acquired earlier in the season from the Islanders but has failed to make an impact in 21 games played since the trade, with just two points and 19 SOG in 21 games played.

Dadonov has been a healthy scratch since April 2nd but with New Jersey sending a pair of forwards back to Utica (AHL) on Monday, will draw back into the lineup in Boston on Tuesday. The 37-year-old veteran forward has had a season to forget in New Jersey after a 20/20 campaign last year, with just one goal and 20 SOG in 23 games played.

With Washington officially eliminated from the playoffs last night, the team will enter their final game of the season with Stevenson tending the twine. The 27-year-old Stevenson has spent most of the 2025-26 season in the AHL, but has been serviceable in limited action with the Capitals, posting a 2.33 GAA and .904 SV% in three games (2-1-0). The Capitals enter Tuesday's contest as +134 road underdogs against a Columbus Blue Jackets team that has lost eight of its last 10 games (2-7-1).