NHL DFS News & Updates

Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Conor Garland (upper body) is week-to-week, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports. Garland was placed on Injured Reserve Friday and will miss a third straight game on Saturday night against Philadelphia. It's been a horrible year for Garland, who hasn't scored in 15 games and has only one assist. Steven Lorentz recently entered the lineup and will likely see regular action until Garland is ready to return, though he offers nothing to fantasy squads as a fourth-liner. Luca Del Bel Belluz may be worth a look, however, as Sean Monahan's (upper body) replacement in the top six.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (lower body) will miss a second straight game on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, Diandra Loux of The Hockey News reports. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Cirelli and Yanni Gourde (rest) joined Brayden Point (undisclosed) on the sidelines Thursday against Columbus, leaving Tampa Bay shorthanded in the middle. Gourde will jump back into action against Detroit and should get plenty of usage on the scoring lines and the power play, making him a good fantasy option.

Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin (personal) won't play on Saturday against the Calgary Flames. He will miss his first game of the season for personal reasons. Panarin's absence is a huge blow for the Kings, as he leads the team in goals (eight), assists (11), and points (19) after 17 games. Alex Turcotte will be Panarin's replacement on the first line. Playing with Adrian Kempe and Alex Laferriere boosts Turcotte's fantasy appeal, but he's averaged just 0.26 points per game in his NHL career.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (knee) was activated from Injured Reserve and is expected to make his season debut on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. Barzal sat out the first month and a half after re-aggravating a knee injury before training camp. His absence has been a huge blow to the Islanders' power play, as the team has converted only 16.4 percent of their chances. The Islanders' overall offensive record hasn't been great either, with 2.94 goals averaged. Anaheim ranks 30th in goals allowed, so Barzal will have a good opportunity to make an immediate impact.