The LA Kings have pulled the plug on Jim Hiller, with D.J. Smith stepping in as interim head coach for the rest of the season. This has felt like it was simmering for a while. Since coming out of the Olympic break, the Kings dropped two of three, and those losses weren't quiet ones. They gave up 14 goals combined to the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers, both legitimate playoff teams.

Hiller's seat had been warm for weeks, and with the addition of Artemi Panarin raising expectations, combined with the Kings flirting with the playoff cut line, a shake up needed to happen. From a fantasy angle, expect the top six to lean heavier minutes as they try to push the pace and generate more consistent offense. Brandt Clarke is also someone who should log heavier than normal minutes as well especially with Drew Doughty listed day to day with a lower-body injury.

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No Sidney Crosby, no problem. Pittsburgh rolled Vegas anyway, pushing their heater to 7–3 in their last 10 games. That's not smoke and mirrors either. They're getting contributions throughout the lineup. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are sliding the other way at 3–7 over their last 10.

Bryan Rust keeps doing Bryan Rust things notching a power-play goal, an assist, and quietly hit the 20-goal mark yet again. That's seven straight 20-goal seasons. He's as steady as they come in fantasy and real life.

Ben Kindel notched his 15th of the year and added an assist for good measure. He's now fourth in rookie goal scoring behind Matthew Schaefer (20) and Beckett Sennecke (19).

Arturs Silovs handled the rest. Twenty-two saves, second shutout of his NHL career and coincidently the second this season. Vegas had a few looks off the rush and generated some slot chances, but Silovs tracked pucks well, and controlled rebounds for a decisive win.

On the other side, Adin Hill skated in his 200th NHL game, though it wasn't a milestone night he'll want to revisit.

The bigger concern might be Mark Stone leaving early with an injury and not returning on what looked like a very harmless play with Kris Letang. That takes a big piece out of their top-six and their two-way identity. Definitely one to monitor closely on the Injury Ward heading into the Golden Knights next game.

Mark Stone left the game injured after this play with Kris Letang and he will NOT return 🤕 pic.twitter.com/si55E8Oi24

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 1, 2026

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Chicago handled business in Salt Lake City, skating away with a 4–0 shutout. Arvid Soderblom was the backbone, stopping all 22 shots he faced for his first NHL shutout.

Up front, Teuvo Teravainen drove the offense with a pair of goals, consistently finding soft spots in coverage and setting the tone early.

Dylan Guenther's 13:37 in ice time stood out, especially in a game where Utah was chasing.

Meanwhile, Karel Vejmelka faced 28 shots, allowed four goals, and finished with an .857 SV%. It wasn't all on him, but Chicago capitalized on their chances and forced him into tough sequences.

JJ Peterka, this season has been more about recalibration than regression. Through 59 games he's sitting at 20 goals and 38 points, a 53-point pace that trails last year's 68-point breakout in Buffalo. His ice time has dipped to 16:16 per night, and the biggest shift has come on the power play. After posting 18 power-play points on the top unit last season, he has just three this year. With reduced touches in prime scoring areas, the ceiling naturally comes down.

He's still driving play in a top-six role, just not steering it. If Utah adds a true offensive driver like Robert Thomas, that could elevate the entire top six and give Peterka a clearer runway back toward last years pace.

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San Jose edged out a 2–1 overtime win over the Jets, sealed by Michael Misa's game winner. He has been strong coming out of the Olympic break, putting up four points in three games (2G, 2A). Misa also logged a season-high 15:39 in ice time, which says plenty about the trust he's starting to earn. Expect him to get an extended look as the Sharks head down the stretch.

MICHAEL MISA SCORES HIS FIRST CAREER @ENERGIZER OT WINNER 🔥

What a moment for the 2025 second overall pick! pic.twitter.com/oauE5GVLDM

— NHL (@NHL) March 1, 2026

The Sharks opened with the Smith–Celebrini–Sherwood line, but that didn't stick. Collin Graf eventually moved up alongside Celebrini, with Sherwood sliding down to skate with Philip Kurashev and Alexander Wennberg. Graf has logged time with Celebrini earlier this season and found some chemistry there, so the adjustment was not random. This feels more like ongoing tinkering than a permanent shift. Expect that top line to keep rotating pieces as the coaching staff looks to keep lines productive. Sherwood should still see opportunities up the lineup. He was recently brought in and is a pending free agent, so there's value in giving him a look in scoring roles.

Connor Hellebuyck was strong despite the loss, turning aside 31 shots and keeping Winnipeg in it most of the night.

On the other side, Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 26 of 27, coming up with timely saves in tight to secure the win.

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Robert Thomas made a strong return for the Blues after a minor leg procedure earlier this season, posting a goal and an assist to help St. Louis knock off the Minnesota Wild. His impact was immediate, showing he's still the offensive catalyst the team relies on.

That said, Thomas might not be in St. Louis much longer. According to Elliotte Friedman, there's a solid chance he could be traded by Friday's deadline, with the Utah Mammoth reportedly leading the race. Fantasy owners holding Thomas are likely excited at the prospect of him landing on a contender, which would almost certainly boost his value.

Linemate Pavel Buchnevich also had a standout night, matching Thomas with a goal and an assist. Buchnevich has been on fire recently, posting 13 points in his last 10 games, yet he's only owned in about 27% of Yahoo! leagues, making him a prime candidate for fantasy adds.

Another player to watch is Mats Zuccarello, who didn't record a point against the Blues but has been thriving since Quinn Hughes joined the Wild. Over the last 25 games, Zuccarello has 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists), including 11 on the power play, and is pacing toward a 71-point season.

The power play is where much of his value is anchored. Zuccarello has 13 power-play points already and is skating over three and a half minutes per night with the man advantage. The top unit featuring Kirill Kaprizov, Quinn Hughes, and Matt Boldy has been dominant, and Zuccarello remains the primary half-wall distributor. His PP involvement rate is healthy but not inflated and as long as he holds that spot he should be rostered in most formats.

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The New York Islanders have now won five straight games, sitting as the third seed in the Metropolitan and firmly holding a playoff spot. The streak continued thanks to Captain Anders Lee, who sealed the comeback with a late breakaway finish, burying the late game-winning goal.

CAPTAIN ANDERS LEE BURIES THE GAME-WINNER WITH 30 SECONDS REMAINING 🫡 pic.twitter.com/cMz9tpYQme

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 2, 2026

Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was the standout, posting two goals and an assist to push his season total to 20 goals, a historic pace for an 18-year-old blueliner and one of the most impressive rookie scoring seasons for a defenseman in recent memory. At this point, he's all but a lock for the Calder Trophy.

On the other side, Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves but couldn't hold the late lead, and the Panthers have now dropped seven of their last nine, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Sam Bennett had a strong night despite the loss, scoring two goals and extending his hot streak to five points over the last three games. He's quietly enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, sitting at 22 goals and 25 assists and pacing toward a career-high 64 points.

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The Anaheim Ducks came away with a shootout win over the Flames in a goaltender's duel. Lukas Dostal and Devin Cooley were both sharp, stopping 34 and 36 shots respectively, keeping the game tied through regulation and overtime before Anaheim ultimately claimed the victory in the shootout.

The Ducks are finally getting healthy, and it's showing on the ice. Leo Carlsson is back and fully engaged, driving play through the middle of the ice and contributing on special teams. In his first three games since returning, he's looked confident and seamless in Anaheim's top offensive group.

Joel Quenneville lined-up Carlsson with Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke on the top power-play unit, and the results were immediate. Gauthier posted a power-play, a career high, while Sennecke and LaCombe assisted, highlighting the chemistry on the unit.

Gauthier finished the night with two goals and nine SOG on the evening. He has been one of Anaheim's most reliable top-six forwards all season. Averaging 17:22 of ice time, he has been rotated across multiple lines, keeping him involved in scoring chances at even strength and on the power play. With 28 goals and 24 assists through 58 games, he's on pace for a career year and could easily hit 35 goals this season.

Thanks for reading! See you next week! For more fantasy hockey content and analysis, follow me on X @Punters_hockey. If you have any questions about your team or a trade? My DMs are always open, happy to help!