DENVER , CO - MARCH 5: LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers writes in pain after taking a bump from Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 120-113 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
After a short string of games at full health, the Lakers walked out of Thursday’s game in Denver with 40% of their starting lineup unable to finish the game.
Deandre Ayton played only briefly on in the first quarter before exiting after just 4:30 with left knee soreness. LeBron James, meanwhile, played much more of the contest before suffering his own injury that forced him out of the game.
With four minutes to go in the fourth quarter, LeBron drove to the rim and finished through contact from Nikola Jokić. That contact, however, knocked LeBron to the ground and into a cameraman, where he hit his elbow.
Immediately, LeBron clutched his arm in clear pain. Eventually, he walked off the court while still flexing his arm, trying to get feeling back into it.
After a short stint on the bench, LeBron returned to the game, but never took a shot during his time on the floor. While he attempted to tough it out, though, he could not finish the game, opting out of attempting to in-bound the ball with the Lakers down five and 20 seconds left.
“It’s pretty sore right now,” LeBron said. “What was I feeling? Feeling like one of them funny bone situations but super more intense.”
Honestly, that’s a very funny description that everyone also immediately understands the pain he was feeling. Take a hit to the funny bone and you need 10 minutes for it to stop tingling. Take a “super more intense” hit to the funny bone and not be LeBron James and you might need 2-3 business days to recover.
LeBron was icing his elbow after the game, but didn’t have much more in the way of clarity of how severe his injury was.
“We’ll see what happens over the next couple days,” LeBron said. “Hopefully I wake up tomorrow and it doesn’t feel too much worse than it is now or if it feels better, that’d be great.”
The Lakers immediately return to the court on Friday against the Pacers, so we’ll learn pretty quickly the severity of his injury. In theory, a game against one of the worst teams in the league is a good one to miss if injured.
Following that game, though, the Lakers play New York and Minnesota at home, two games that will be far tougher challenges.
Hopefully, LeBron’s “super more intense” funny bone situation is a short term injury and not another thing that lingers this season.
DENVER — Lakers star Luka Dončić was confused as to why he was assessed a technical foul during the second quarter of Thursday’s 120-113 road loss to the Nuggets at Ball Arena on Thursday night, which was his 15th technical of the season.
If Dončić is assessed one more technical foul over the Lakers’ final 20 games of the regular season, he will have to serve a one-game suspension.
“Just because I yelled at him I guess,” Dončić said, referring to the explanation he was given from referee Dedric Taylor, who gave the Lakers star the tech. “That’s what he said. But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn’t get a tech. And that’s my problem; I was trying not to talk at all. [That was] the first thing I said, no warning or nothing. But I heard three other players say the exact same thing and nothing. So it’s just … I don’t know what to say.”
Luka Doncic on why he was assessed the technical foul, which is Luka's 15th of the season:
"Just because I yelled at him I guess. That's what he said. But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn't get a tech. And that's my problem. I was trying not to… pic.twitter.com/WSgNrzx9Tk
Dončić appeared to be unhappy after not receiving a shooting foul when Nuggets guard Bruce Brown made contact with him when he missed a pull-up midrange shot at the 5:52 mark of the second quarter.
After grabbing the defensive rebound, Christian Braun raced out in transition and assisted Jamal Murray on a corner 3-pointer to put the Nuggets up 49-39.
Shortly after the made 3, Doncic was assessed the technical foul, with Murray making the free throw to put the Nuggets up by 11.
“Dončić was issued a technical foul for using profanity directed towards a referee,” Crew Chief Ed Malloy said in the postgame pool report. “We are trained not to stop an offensive transition when calling a technical foul on the defense.”
Players who receive 16 technical fouls in a regular season receive an automatic one-game suspension and a fine.
Luka Dončić is assessed his 15th technical call after arguing a call during the second quarter of the Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Nuggets in Denver on March 5, 2026. Getty Images
There has been three times in his NBA career (2020-23) that Dončić has finished a season with 15 technical fouls.
He finished with 13 techs in 50 games last season with the Mavericks and Lakers after having 13 in 2023-24 with the Mavericks.
Dončić also picked up a 16th technical foul late in the 2022-23 season, which was also rescinded, resulting in him not having to serve a one-game suspension then either.
“Don’t get another tech,” Doncic responded when asked how he can avoid the suspension.
When asked whether he was committing to not picking up another technical foul, Doncic responded: “We’ll see. Can’t predict the future.”
Dončić didn’t say whether he thought there was a chance his technical from Thursday’s game would be rescinded.
“I mean if three other people say it and I’m the only one that [gets] a tech, what’s the point of that?,” Dončić said. “I really wasn’t trying to talk at all and that was the first thing I said and immediately.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 29: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs rebounds the ball during the game on January 29, 2025 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Entering this season with the oldest roster in the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers had an absolutely brutal start to the year, a 2-13 November being the biggest indicator that it would be a challenging season. Summer acquisition Bradley Beal fractured his hip just 6 games into the season and was lost for the year, while the team moved off James Harden before the trade deadline following the latest financial dispute between the Beard and an NBA front office.
The seemingly forever-injured Kawhi Leonard missed time early on and was on a minutes restriction upon his eventual debut, but he’s actually had one of the strongest seasons of his career and has the Clippers firmly in the play-in picture after a dreadful 6-21 start for LA’s other team. They catch the Spurs on a SEGABABA, following an epic clash with the East-leading Detroit Pistons nonetheless, but San Antonio has to at least be happy that they’re home for this one.
San Antonio Spurs (45-17) vs Los Angeles Clippers (30-31)
March 6, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN, FanDuel | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Harrison Barnes, ankle (OUT), Mason Plumblee, reconditioning (OUT), David Jones-Garcia, OUT
Clippers Injuries: Darius Garland, toe (OUT), Bradley Beal, hip (OUT), John Collins, neck (OUT), Yanic Konan Niederhauser, foot (OUT)
What to watch for
Contrasting offensive styles will be on display tonight. Largely due in part to fielding the oldest roster in the NBA this season with an average age of around 33 years old, the Clippers are near the bottom of the league in terms of pace. Their opportunities in transition are few and far between, forcing them to rely on what has actually been a very good half court offense this season thanks to Leonard and the recently departed Harden. San Antonio on the other hand is in the upper half of the league when it comes to pace, fueled by a tough-nosed, young defense that’s among the most disruptive in the Association.
Following the trade of longtime center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers, veteran big man Brook Lopez will be Victor Wembanyama’s main match-up. Lopez has always been great at using his massive wingspan to make up for comparatively limited athleticism, helping to anchor more than a few really good Milwaukee Bucks’ defenses in his run there. Lopez, in his 17th season, will be 38 years old in a little less than a month.
In his 14th season, Kawhi Leonard is averaging the most points per game of his career. He’s shooting 50/38/90 from the field on his way to that 27.9 PPG average, all while still being a more than capable defender even at age 34 and with numerous lower body injuries over the years. As has always been the case with him, the biggest knock on Leonard is his availability, but he’s played in 47 of the Clippers’ 61 games this season. Leonard has only played more than 55 games for the Clippers twice in 7 seasons with the club. Here’s to hoping the next great San Antonio perimeter defender Stephon Castle draws the main assignment on the former Spur.
With the offensive breakout of all the young talent on this team, Devin Vassell has scored for at least 20 points just 9 times this season, but 3 of those performances have come since the All Star break.
Carter Bryant is becoming a player that fans just have to watch when they tune into a game. Bryant has made a substantial leap throughout the course of the season, especially on the defensive end where he can use his frame to really disrupt all sorts of players. He scored just 2 points in last night’s win over the Detroit Pistons, but he was everywhere defensively in his 19 minutes of action.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
LeBron James finished Thursday's game with a career tally of 15,842 field goals [Getty Images]
LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals scored in NBA history as the Los Angeles Lakers lost at the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.
James scored 16 points for the Lakers in the 120-113 defeat and passed Abdul-Jabbar's tally of 15,837 during the first quarter.
The 41-year-old, who is playing in an unprecedented 23rd NBA season, passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the top scorer in NBA history in February 2023.
"Being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling," said James, the league's four-time Most Valuable Player.
"I grew up watching, reading [about], idolising a lot of the greats, and if I was able to be part of the NBA, I wanted to put myself in position that I can be named with some of the greats by doing something right.
"It's a pretty cool feat, but it's hard for me to kind of wrap my head around it or what it looks like."
Lakers coach JJ Redick likened the evolution of James' career to that of Bruce Springsteen, saying: "You get to the end and you're like, 'this guy's greatest hits are like insane'.
"And LeBron's greatest hits, he just keeps adding to them. He just plays and plays and plays and the greatest hits, he's got a hell of a catalogue."
James passed Abdul-Jabbar's points record before field goals as three-point shots were introduced midway through the NBA legend's career.
The six-time champion spent most of his 20-year career with the Lakers and retired in 1989 having scored 55.9% of his 28,307 shots. James has a 51.6% scoring rate.
The four-time champion is set to claim another record as Thursday's game was his 1,606th in the regular season, putting him five behind Robert Parish.
Fellow All Stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 28 points for Denver, who stayed fifth in the Western Conference standings, one spot above the Lakers.
Second-placed San Antonio claimed their 13th victory from 14 games, with Victor Wembanyama returning to top form with 38 points and 16 rebounds as the Spurs won 121-106 at home against the Detroit Pistons, who lead the Eastern Conference.
DENVER — LeBron James said after the Lakers’ 120-113 road loss to the Nuggets on Thursday night that his left elbow was “pretty sore” after his fall late in the game at Ball Arena, with the Lakers star adding that the injury is day-to-day.
The Lakers star, who was icing the elbow during his postgame media availability inside the visitor’s locker room, fell onto the court after Nuggets star Nikola Jokic made contact with him in the air while James made a layup to cut the Lakers’ deficit to 110-106 with just over four minutes left.
No foul was called, with James immediately grabbing at his left elbow and staying down on the court during the Nuggets’ ensuing possession.
LeBron James was holding his left elbow area after his fall. He's on the bench being tended to by his longtime trainer right now. pic.twitter.com/Oy676TN19U
“It’s the same s—, James said. “‘Marginal.’ It’s the same s—. It’s, it’s, it’s … whatever. That’s all they keep saying is, ‘marginal.’ I’m so f—— tired of that word.”
Reserve big man Jaxson Hayes subbed in for James once James got up and the Lakers called timeout with 3:58 left.
LeBron James grimaces in pain after falling while going up for a basket past Nikola Jokić during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Nuggets in Denver on March 5, 2026. AP
“It felt like one of those funny bone situations,” James said. “But like, super more intense.”
Mike Mancias, James’ longtime trainer and the Lakers’ athletic performance liaison, tended to James’ elbow while he was on the team’s bench after the timeout.
James subbed back in for Rui Hachimura with 2:05 remaining but wasn’t on the court for after-timeout play when Luka Dončić missed a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with 20 seconds left, with the Nuggets maintaining a 116-111 lead.
“It was bothering [him] enough that he didn’t feel comfortable doing the inbound pass when we called timeout down five,” Redick said. “So we put Luke [Kennard] in for him. He’s got ice on it. Get it looked at.”
The Lakers next will host the Pacers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, with James’ status up in the air.
“We’ll see what happens over the next couple days,” James said. “Hopefully I’ll wake up [on Friday] and it doesn’t feel too much worse than it is now. Or, if it feels better, that would be great. So, it’s day-to-day, we’ll see what happens.”
Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts at the end of a 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Lakers star Luka Doncic is one technical away from receiving an automatic one-game suspension after he picked up his 15th technical of the season in a 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
Doncic, who had 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, was charged with a technical with 5:43 left in the second quarter.
“Just because I yelled at him, I guess. That's what he said,” said Doncic about his interaction with referee Ed Malloy. “But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn't get a tech. And that's my problem, you know, I was trying not to talk at all. This is the first thing I said — no warning or nothing."
Malloy said after the game that Doncic was issued a technical for "using profanity directed towards a referee."
The NBA automatically suspends any player who receives 16 technical fouls during a season. Doncic has reached the threshold twice in his career, but the NBA rescinded the 16th technical each time, allowing him to avoid suspension.
Doncic wasn't making any guarantees about whether he'll be able to avoid another technical.
Premier League champions have looked slow and lacked tempo with the spotlight on their wingers
Winger is “the hardest position to play” in modern football, according to Arne Slot, and Liverpool’s wide men would find it hard to disagree. A lot of Liverpool’s problems this season can be attributed to their attacking flair being stifled, leaving the champions 19 points adrift of Premier League leaders, Arsenal.
Liverpool return to Molineux on Friday, three days after a stoppage-time defeat by Wolves in the league. The FA Cup fifth-round fixture will be an opportunity for Slot to test his bullpen of wingers and see whether they can do better. Liverpool have scored 48 goals in 29 league matches, the average of 1.66 a game a long way short of the 2.26 when winning last season’s title.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 26: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 26, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After dropping Thursday’s game to the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers will immediately return to Los Angeles where they will begin a five-game home stand, starting with the Pacers on Friday.
This is the first meeting between the two teams this season.
The Lakers will be greeted back at Crypto.com Arena by a Pacers team that’s currently struggling. The Pacers are lottery-bound and there’s really no reason for them to aim for anything but a top pick at this point of the season. It’s understood league-wide that this season was a gap year for them after Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the Finals.
That said, the Lakers will still have to earn this one. In fairness to them, they’ve been performing well on the second night of back-to-backs as of late, winning three of their last four. They should win this one simply because they’re the better team. It’s also the perfect opportunity to quickly bounce back after losing a close game in Denver.
Without Haliburton, Indiana ranks dead last in the league in offense. They average just 111.4 points per game and don’t rebound the ball very well. Outside of Pascal Siakam, they don’t have much of a consistent threat on offense. Their defense doesn’t make up for their offense either because they don’t have the pieces to protect the rim, especially with Ivica Zubac out. More notably, Indiana doesn’t have an answer for Los Angeles’ main guys.
That’s why it would be nice to see the Lakers put together a nice bounceback game, one that will begin this crucial five-game home stand on a strong note. Hopefully, they shoot better than they did on Thursday night, especially if this one goes down to the wire.
The Lakers should be able to feast in the paint even more and defend without fouling so much. It’s the defense’s responsibility to make sure that Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard don’t play extraordinary well.
One of the perks of the NBA regular season is that there’s always an opportunity to bounce back, especially after losing such a winnable game. Let’s see if the purple and gold can do just on Friday against the Pacers.
Notes and Updates
This is the Lakers’ 11th back-to-back this season. After this one, they will play three more.
Since the Lakers played on Thursday, there’s no injury report yet.
As for the Pacers, Tyrese Halliburton (Achilles injury), Johnny Furphy (right ACL tear), Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain) are all out.
Pascal Siakam (left wrist sprain), Aaron Nesmith (right ankle and lower back sprain) and Andrew Nembhard (lower back and neck soreness) are probable.
Luka Dončić was called for his 15th technical foul of the season on Thursday against the Nuggets. If he gets called for one more, he will be automatically suspended for one game.
Carlson, 36, has been a career Capital, appearing in 1,143 games for the franchise over 17 seasons after he was selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He owns basically every major franchise record for a defenseman — games played, goals (166), assists (605) and points (771) — and was a key component of the franchise's breakthrough Stanley Cup win in 2018. He finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting three times, including a runner-up finish in 2019-20.
"Since joining our organization 17 years ago, John Carlson has exemplified what it means to be a Washington Capital every day,” Capitals GM Chris Patrick said in a statement. “John’s determination, leadership, persistence and skill helped our franchise reach new heights and cemented him as a cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Capitals history. His contributions to our organization and the Washington, D.C., community both on and off the ice have been immeasurable.
"We are incredibly grateful for everything John has given to our team and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward with Anaheim.”
So ... who won the deal?
Capitals trade grade: A-
Sentimentality aside, getting a first-round pick — either this summer if the Ducks make the playoffs or next year — and third-round pick for a 36-year-old defenseman who will be a free agent this summer is a tidy bit of business. The Capitals are just four points out of the playoffs, but they are tied for the most games played in the conference. They made a shrewd decision to throw in the towel in what seems to be a seller's market, earlier on Thursday trading another veteran in Nic Dowd.
The Capitals now have 22 picks in the next three NHL drafts and clearly have their eyes on the future ... which could also see franchise icon Alex Ovechkin depart this summer with the 40-year-old's contract set to expire. A trade of a franchise icon is never fun, but this move helps set the Capitals up for more winning down the road.
Ducks trade grade: B+
This trade feels very much like a win-win as the Ducks are adding a defenseman who can still get it done, particularly on the offensive end. Carlson has been quite productive again this season, scoring 10 goals and dishing 36 assists for 46 points in 55 games. He carries a plus-11 rating.
He also brings loads of playoff experience for a team that hasn’t played spring hockey in a while, having appeared in 137 postseason contests, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. That's the last year the Ducks made the playoffs. Maybe you'd like to keep your first-round pick, but getting a player like Carlson comes at a price; plus, Anaheim is already oozing with young talent thanks to its years in the wilderness.
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 5: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a layup against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Ball Arena on March 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Swann/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers might just be cursed to always have an injury.
After a short string of games where they had a clean injury report, they came away from Thursday’s game against the Nuggets with plenty of bumps and bruises to go along with their loss. Two starters did not finish the game, one being LeBron, who suffered an elbow injury late in the contest.
The other, perhaps more serious injury was Deandre Ayton, who only played the opening 4:30 of the game before leaving with a knee injury. Ayton was eventually ruled out at halftime.
From the Lakers — Deandre Ayton (knee) will not return to tonight’s game at Denver.
After being asked to clarify, Redick reiterated that it was left knee soreness. That’s relevant because in early February, Ayton dealt with right knee soreness that limited him to one appearance in the team’s four games prior to the All-Star break.
It’s possible this is the same injury resurfacing, but either way, it’s concerning. As much as Ayton has struggled in recent weeks, when he was at his best early in the season, the team was at its best.
That being said, in his absence, Jaxson Hayes looked fantastic against the Nuggets. Maxi Kleber has also had some solid showings in recent games, though he’s been dealing with a back injury. The Lakers found success in Denver with a small ball lineup as well.
While the Lakers do clearly have options they can turn to, any hit to the team’s depth is a blow, especially as they look to make their playoff push.
DENVER, CO - MARCH 5: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 5, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Morgan Engel/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Don’t let the score fool you. The Lakers never had a shot in this one.
The Nuggets started the game on an 11-0 and never trailed. Anytime LA made a push, Denver responded and closed the door.
When Deandre Ayton played, he was bad, and when Lakers head coach JJ Redick went to players he hadn’t used in a while like Jarred Vanderbilt, it didn’t work.
Besides LeBron James, few Lakers can hold their heads high when looking back at how they played in this game.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Luka was offensively aggressive in this game and played at his typical level. It was good to see him taking some shots late, though Marcus Smart took a few that would’ve been nice to see Luka or LeBron attempt. Beyond that, though, he was adequate.
On the one hand, Smart played hard and was one of the Lakers who showed up the entire game. On the other hand, the flopping was a bit much and the threes he missed in the final quarter sealed LA’s fate.
Still, other players underperformed and Smart was the only starter who was a positive in the plus-minus.
It was another slow start for Reaves. He had just four points at the half. Reaves improved in the third and fourth quarters, but this was still another game where he had underperformed. This has been a trend over the past seven games, and an end does not seem in sight.
Perhaps since LA plays Indiana next, he’ll look good in a low-stakes contest.
If LaRavia isn’t going to knock down his shots, continue to be passive when he’s open and get burnt on defense, then he can take a seat.
Grade: F
Deandre Ayton, Jarred Vanderbilt,
This pair didn’t play long enough to earn a grade, and if they did, it wouldn’t be positive.
JJ Redick
If the Lakers weren’t ready to start this game, that’s going to fall on the coach. Ayton has been making a case to get benched and he hasn’t been. Before he exited the game with a knee injury, he was terrible. These games are tests for the Lakers and they failed.
Grade: D
Thursday’s DNPs: Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James
Thursday’s inactives: Maxi Kleber, Chris Mañon, Nick Smith Jr, Drew Timme,
It's NHL Trade Deadline day. A couple prominent players have already changed locations, including a couple late blockbusters on Thursday and probably a lot more activity going into the 3 p.m. ET cutoff.
Sit down. Strap in. And get ready for some excitement. Or not.
So while you're waiting for your favorite team to complete a couple trades that will surely please/surprise/anger/confuse most fans, you can kill at least 10 minutes (15, tops) reading through the following waiver wire recommendations.
(Rostered rates as of Mar. 6)
Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog, COL (Yahoo: 52%): It's incredible that Landeskog is still around 50% coverage. The only logical explanation for this is his extensive injury history, but that just means most poolies aren't taking advantage of a player who's gone off for six points, 15 shots and a plus-7 in the five games since coming back from the Olympics while skating alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas at both five-on-five and the power play. The mission — should you choose to accept it — is to get Landeskog well over the halfway mark.
Tyler Bertuzzi, CHI (Yahoo: 46%): Bertuzzi has already equaled his personal-best with 20 power-play points that put him even with Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, Sebastian Aho and Miro Heiskanen entering Thursday's action. He's also set to approach his top scoring campaign at only four goals under his peak of 30 and another 17 points required to match his 2021-22 output. The latter may be too much to ask for, though you know Bertuzzi will give it his all to try and get there.
Jordan Eberle, SEA (Yahoo: 27%): Eberle was first mentioned at the end of October after starting off great, and he's back here having consistently produced since. He went on a six-week run across December/January where he found the scoresheet in 17 of 21 outings. And even after a couple lulls, Eberle registered two goals on three shots with a PPA Saturday and often logs major minutes. There's no shame adding someone from a bottom-third offense who can immediately help.
Chris Kreider, ANH (Yahoo: 23%): The Ducks boasted a top-10 attack for a while and are currently just below that, though they've scored at least four goals eight times over their last 11 outings. During that same span, Kreider has accumulated five goals, five assists, three PPPs and 20 shots at nearly 17 minutes per game. He's been reunited with Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier on the lead trio and man-advantage. As long as Kreider is favorably positioned, he'll continue to help the Ducks as they attempt to reach their first playoffs since 2017-18.
Cole Perfetti, WPG (Yahoo: 22%): Winnipeg has turned it around enough where the lineup probably won't be dismantled by the deadline. Perfetti has also gotten back on track thanks to seven points through eight matchups to go with 29 shots on a 17:32 ice time average, with 4:00-plus of that on the first PP. He may not be achieving what was projected for him as a former top-10 pick, though he is on a solid run while maintaining the skills and responsibilities to keep it going.
Luke Evangelista, NSH (Yahoo: 11%): Evangelista is similar to Eberle in that he's regularly been hot on a weaker scoring side. The fourth-year pro has already blown past his career high for points at 47 and PPPs with 15 — including PPAs from three of the last four games. Evangelista won't do much when it comes to secondary stats but can contribute in scoring and shots (over two per outing) as a fixture in the upper-half of Nashville's depth chart.
Taylor Hall, CAR (Yahoo: 9%): Let's discuss another positive-trending over-30 forward. Hall may not have achieved anything while up a man since mid-January and the ice time is somewhat lower than recent campaigns, yet is once again on the fantasy radar via two goals, four assists and 10 shots across the last four appearances. He's also been helped by having talented linemates like Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake. Carolina has been lethal of late for finding the back of the net and will be facing a couple weaker defenses the next week (Oilers, Blues), so Hall could be set to pile on some more points.
Matt Savoie, EDM (Yahoo: 6%): It became immediately obvious Savoie was too good for the AHL, yet it took a season to fully integrate him on the Edmonton roster. The first month or so didn't amount to much (1G/1A through 17 matchups), and it wasn't until a regular even-strength partnership with Leon Draisaitl that things got going. Savoie is riding a four-game scoring streak where he's posted a PPG, six assists and nine shots. It probably doesn't hurt to take a chance on him and see how long this upswing can last.
Defensemen
Simon Edvinsson, DET (Yahoo: 19%): In case you missed it, Edvinsson is back after a brief spell on the sidelines. And in the four games since, he's recorded two goals, an assist, six shots, five hits and nine blocks while averaging 23:04 of ice time. While Edvinsson doesn't appear on the power play, he'll be able to supply enough stats across multiple categories to boost any fantasy squad.
Dmitry Orlov, SJ (Yahoo: 16%): The Sharks remain a solid source of scoring where any of their more prominent players will be able to benefit. Orlov immediately clicked to start his tenure with the club by racking up 11 assists from the first 16 contests and four of those coming on the man-advantage. He continued to do well before his offensive stats dipped and temporarily lost the PP1 QB gig to John Klingberg, but he's back on that unit and produced a PPA on Tuesday (now at 12 overall). With that type of upside and a decent haul of shots, hits and blocks, Orlov needs to be on more rosters.
Zayne Parekh, CGY (Yahoo: 15%): Parekh was originally brought up here in early January as it was assumed he'd soon be able to join the Flames after the World Junior Championship, yet it took him a few weeks and a minor-league conditioning stint to return to the NHL. And even though no offense has come during the six appearances, he participates on Calgary's top power play. That placement should hold after MacKenzie Weegar's departure and the fact Parekh totaled 87 goals and 153 assists in three OHL seasons with another two and three over an abbreviated AHL run.
Philip Broberg, STL (Yahoo: 5%): Broberg is a key piece of the Blues' 24-and-under core. He recently signed a six-year deal and is also in line for more responsibilities the rest of the way, as the team isn't competing for a playoff spot. Broberg is already logging 23 minutes a night while providing sufficient — though not spectacular — stats. He has also picked up the point pace with five of them over his last eight outings and an increased man-advantage role that's guaranteed to get him additional coverage.
Goaltenders
Akira Schmid, VGK (Yahoo: 28%): Schmid's 5-4-2 record in 2026 may not look great, though he's only allowed more than three goals once during that stretch. Meanwhile, Adin Hill has posted a 3.68 GAA and .850 save percentage since returning from injury. The duo has more or less been alternating starts, so Schmid should be receiving enough action behind a solid offense on a Vegas side looking to keep the top spot in the Pacific.
Joel Hofer, STL (Yahoo: 21%): Jordan Binnington has lost his last eight appearances, in which he's compiled a 4.19/.844 line. Since Jan. 13, Hofer has gone 6-2-1 alongside a 2.41 and .909 that includes a shutout over the 'Canes and back-to-back impressive wins at Minnesota and Seattle. As Binnington has been slumping and the subject of trade talk with St. Louis looking to the future, Hofer's time as the No. 1 could come sooner than expected.
