Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Utah Mammoth forward Lawson Crouse contributed a goal in Tuesday's 5-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils in Newark. Crouse joined teammates Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, MacKenzie Weegar, and Vincent Trocheck on the scoresheet as Utah secured its first-ever franchise win against New Jersey. Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots to anchor the Mammoth, who look to carry momentum into Thursday's matchup against the Boston Bruins.
Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar contributed a goal in Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Weegar scored early in the second period off an assist from teammate Mikhail Sergachev, helping power Utah's offense as they secured their first-ever win against New Jersey. The Mammoth capitalized on a strong power-play performance to improve their early-season standing before heading to Boston for their upcoming matchup on Thursday.
Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord will guard the home goal against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, marking his third start in four games this season. Daccord has won both of his previous outings, stopping 56 of 58 shots in two games against the Calgary Flames. The Golden Knights will present more of a challenge as one of the top teams in the Pacific Division as Daccord looks to extend his strong early-season performance between the pipes for Seattle.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart will start on the road versus the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. Hart has gone 1-1-0 with six goals allowed on 46 shots over his first two games of the season. The 28-year-old will be making his third start in four contests for Vegas, facing a Seattle squad that has started the year hot with 13 goals over three games, though 12 of those tallies came in two matchups against the Calgary Flames.
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros is slated to start Tuesday's road game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Saros started the Predators' first two games of the season and is coming off a stellar home win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday, in which he turned aside 29 of 30 shots. During the matchup, he surrendered the first career NHL goal to top draft pick Gavin McKenna in the second period as Toronto secured a victory at Scotiabank Arena.
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury sustained after going down awkwardly on his left leg during a board battle against the San Jose Sharks. Coach Paul Maurice announced the diagnosis on Tuesday. Barkov avoided surgery, opting for non-surgical rehabilitation, and was placed on long-term injured reserve. He previously missed the entire 2025-26 season following right knee surgery for torn ACL and MCL injuries.
Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk returned to full team practice after recovering from a bout of the flu that forced him to sit out the first two games of the regular season. DeBrusk revealed his illness began during the Edmonton game. Facing a grueling six-game road trip against top opponents starting in Carolina, DeBrusk tested his lungs during a demanding bag-skate to ensure he is ready for game action as he looks to officially jumpstart his 2026-27 season.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov makes his first NHL start since November 29, 2024, facing the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The 38-year-old veteran returns after missing a year and a half recovering from two partial knee replacements and grueling physical therapy. Serving as Ilya Sorokin's backup to begin the 2026-27 campaign, Varlamov brings an elite career record of 10-3-1 with 4 shutouts at MSG, displaying incredible determination and commitment.
The winless Philadelphia Flyers signed veteran winger Michael Bunting to a prorated $1.2 million contract for the rest of the season to spark an offense outscored 17-5 through four games (0-2-2). Bunting, joining his seventh NHL team, was an unrestricted free agent after recording 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 74 games last season split between Nashville and Dallas. Philadelphia next plays Ottawa on Thursday night, hoping the aggressive forward brings much-needed energy.
NHL legend Alex Ovechkin announced the 2026-27 season will be his final year before retirement, culminating in a farewell game against Philadelphia on April 10, 2027. The all-time goal leader with 929 goals has one assist and one shot through two games, averaging 13:10 of ice time. His retirement announcement has caused ticket prices for Washington Capitals games to soar by a staggering 90.3% across both home and away matchups as fans rush to see his final campaign.
Ottawa Senators goaltender Samuel Ersson draws his first start of the season against the Detroit Red Wings. Ersson replaced Linus Ullmark in the third period of a 4-1 win over Boston after Ullmark suffered an undisclosed injury in a crease collision and was ruled out for the back-to-back set. Ersson made 33 appearances for Philadelphia last year going 14-11-5 with a 3.12 GAA, while Jonas Johansson operates as the backup against Detroit.
San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky announced that forward Macklin Celebrini is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Celebrini was a late scratch for Monday's game against the Dallas Stars and is being evaluated to determine the severity, though he did not sustain the issue during warmups. He is expected to remain with the team to conclude their road trip, and it remains uncertain if he will be available to play Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.
Ottawa Senators winger Ridly Greig is set to return to the lineup after serving a two-game suspension. His return alters coach Travis Green's lineup decisions as the undefeated 2-0 Senators prepare to face the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night following a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins.
Colorado Avalanche forward Zachary L'Heureux could make his season debut this week during the team's upcoming two-game road swing. The banged-up forward is aiming to return to action and provide depth to the lineup during Colorado's road trip. His status will be closely monitored as the team evaluates whether he is ready to take the ice for his first official game appearance of the current season.
Colorado Avalanche forward Logan O'Connor could make his season debut this week as the team begins a two-game road swing. The banged-up forward has yet to play this season, but his potential return provides a welcome boost to Colorado's lineup during their upcoming road trip. Further updates on his exact status and game availability are expected as the Avalanche evaluate his progress throughout the trip.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is not expected to play in Tuesday's matchup against the Kings as he tends to a personal matter. The 30-year-old blueliner has recorded one power-play assist and two hits across two appearances this season. Uvis Balinskis is expected to remain active in his absence, with Ekblad's next chance to return coming Saturday against the Wild.
Darcy Kuemper will guard the home crease in Tuesday's clash against the Florida Panthers. Kuemper looks to bounce back after struggling in the Los Angeles Kings' opener Wednesday, where he allowed eight goals across 29 shots in an 8-4 loss to Colorado. Operating as the lead option between the pipes for now alongside backup Anton Forsberg, the 26-year-old netminder faces a tough challenge against a deep Panthers lineup in search of his early-season form.
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight will patrol the home crease against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. Knight has gone 0-2-0 to begin the 2026-27 campaign, surrendering eight goals on 64 shots. Meanwhile, St. Louis enters with a 1-1-0 record and has scored five goals through two games. During the 2025-26 regular season, Knight went 1-1-0 while allowing six goals on 56 shots across two previous outings against the Blues.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt will make his third consecutive start Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. Wallstedt enters in exceptional form with a 2-0-0 record, 1.01 GAA, and .957 save percentage, stopping 45 of 47 shots. With Filip Gustavsson sidelined following offseason hip surgery, Wallstedt commands a heavy early-season workload as he looks to keep the Wild perfect against a Sabres offense averaging 3.5 goals per game.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Colten Ellis will make his regular-season debut, starting Tuesday's home game against the Minnesota Wild. Last year across 16 appearances, Ellis posted an 8-4-2 record with a 2.90 GAA and .903 save percentage. He previously defeated Minnesota on Nov. 29, 2025, stopping 22 of 24 shots in a 3-2 shootout win. While he draws the start, Alex Lyon participated in morning skates, meaning Ellis could see reduced action upon Lyon's return.
