NHL Player News
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Urho Vaakanainen D | NYR
Rangers' Urho Vaakanainen: Game-time call Saturday
Vaakanainen (illness) is expected to be a game-time decision Saturday versus Columbus, per Mollie Walker of the New York Post.
Vaakanainen has six assists, 12 PIM, 12 hits and 29 blocks in 27 appearances between Anaheim and the Rangers this season. He's missed the past two games due to the illness. If Vaakanainen plays Saturday, it will likely be as part of the third pairing.
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Quinn Hughes D | VAN
Canucks' Quinn Hughes: Remains out Saturday
Hughes (oblique) won't play Saturday versus Toronto, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Hughes hasn't been in the lineup since Jan. 31. He has 14 goals and 59 points in 47 appearances in 2024-25. This was the Canucks' last game before the 4 Nations Face-Off, so his next opportunity to play for Vancouver will come Feb. 22 against Vegas.
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Vladislav Kolyachonok D | UTA
Hockey Club's Vladislav Kolyachonok: Placed on waivers
Kolyachonok was put on waivers by Utah on Saturday.
Kolyachonok will be sent to AHL Tucson if he passes through waivers. The defenseman has been a healthy scratch for 15 consecutive games. He has two goals and five points across 23 NHL appearances this season.
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Alexander Romanov D | NYI
Islanders' Alexander Romanov: Continues to produce in 2025
Romanov logged an even-strength assist, three shots on goal, five blocked shots and one takeaway in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Jets.
Romanov has earned a helper in back-to-back games. He helped out on Kyle Palmieri's 15th goal of the season in the third period. Romanov has two goals and nine points over 13 games in the new year -- he had just six assists through the first three months of the campaign. The left-shot blueliner makes for an interesting add in most formats, especially now that he's paired with the offensively-minded Tony DeAngelo. Romanov will look to extend his point streak to three games Saturday in Minnesota.
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Ville Heinola D | WPG
Jets' Ville Heinola: Stuck outside of lineup
Heinola was scratched for 10 straight games leading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
The Jets are carrying eight defensemen, and Heinola has not been able to pry playing time away from the current third pair of Logan Stanley and Colin Miller. The Jets don't want to lose Heinola on waivers either, so he's stuck in the press box until the team needs him to play. He didn't do much with his opportunities earlier in the campaign, earning one assist, 10 shots on net, 13 blocked shots and a plus-7 rating over 16 appearances.
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Rasmus Ristolainen D | PHI
Flyers' Rasmus Ristolainen: Not expected to play
Ristolainen (upper body) won't play against Pittsburgh on Saturday, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Ristolainen will miss his third straight game but could still represent Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He has registered two goals, 15 points, 74 shots on net, 85 blocked shots and 83 hits through 54 appearances this season.
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Joel Hanley D | CGY
Flames' Joel Hanley: Unavailable Saturday
Hanley (personal) will miss Saturday's game against Seattle to be with his wife for the birth of their child, Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun reports.
Hanley has three assists, 24 hits and 45 blocked shots across 27 games this season. He will return to the lineup Feb. 23 when the Flames face San Jose after the NHL breaks for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Ilya Solovyov will enter the lineup to replace Hanley on Saturday.
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Ryan Lindgren D | NYR
Rangers' Ryan Lindgren: Contributes helper
Lindgren notched an assist, two blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Penguins.
Lindgren has been relatively productive lately with five assists and a plus-2 rating over his last 11 games. He helped out on an Adam Fox tally in the second period of Friday's contest. Lindgren is now at 14 points, 35 shots on net, 89 blocked shots, 56 hits, 34 PIM and a minus-3 rating through 49 appearances. He's on pace for a career high in points -- his current high-water mark is 18 over 63 games in 2022-23. While his offense is up, the 26-year-old has sacrificed some physicality, keeping him at the level of a marginal fantasy option.
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Ryan Graves D | PIT
Penguins' Ryan Graves: Playing regularly again
Graves suited up in a sixth straight game in Friday's 3-2 win over the Rangers.
Graves hadn't played in that many consecutive games since December. The 29-year-old's playing-time outlook improved when the Penguins traded Marcus Pettersson to the Canucks, opening up a spot on the left side of the defense while newcomer Vincent Desharnais operates on the right side. Graves has consistently played over Ryan Shea over the last couple of weeks. For the season, Graves is still struggling -- he has yet to record a point while posting a minus-9 rating, 25 PIM, 26 shots on net, 44 hits and 48 blocked shots over 39 appearances.
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Adam Fox D | NYR
Rangers' Adam Fox: Lights the lamp Friday
Fox tallied a goal and posted four shots on net in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Penguins.
Fox's goal gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead and arrived slightly over one minute after Blake Lizotte's equalizer for Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old Fox has four goals, 43 points, 93 shots on net and 74 blocks across 54 games this season. The Rangers' alternate captain is currently riding a three-game point streak. While his goal numbers are much lower than last year, his assist total of 39 is on pace to compete with the 56 helpers he registered in 72 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. Fox has great value in fantasy for the rest of the season and is among the best playmakers from the blue line.