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NHL News

Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.

Thursday, October 1

Kevin Lankinen Denied Assist by NHL After Block Against Oilers

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Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen was denied an assist on Paul Cotter's shorthanded goal against the Edmonton Oilers. Lankinen stopped Leon Draisaitl with his blocker and deflected the puck to Cotter, but the NHL ruled it did not qualify as a pass because the goalie lacked intent. The Canucks submitted a request to review the play, highlighting a scoring rule discrepancy between goaltenders and skaters who receive assists off unintentional deflections.

Jesper Wallstedt Slated to Start Season Opener Against Nashville

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Entering his sophomore NHL campaign, Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is slated to start Thursday on the road against Nashville. Coming off a franchise-record rookie season with 18 wins, a .916 save percentage, and four shutouts, Wallstedt will shoulder an increased early workload while Filip Gustavsson recovers from hip surgery until at least early November. Wallstedt previously posted a league-best .931 save percentage against playoff teams.

Adam Jiricek Set to Run Power Play in Rookie NHL Season With Blues

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St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery confirmed that 20-year-old defenseman Adam Jiricek will run a power play unit, stating "when you have a thoroughbred, you let'em out of the stable." Standing 6-foot-3, Jiricek is slated to start on the third pairing alongside Cam Fowler. Last season in the OHL, Jiricek posted 19 goals and 59 points in 55 games, including 31 points on the man advantage, leading all OHL defensemen in 2025-26.

Alex Lyon Placed On Injured Reserve With Upper Body Injury

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Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon was placed on injured reserve Thursday due to an upper-body injury sustained during a preseason game last Thursday. Because the placement is retroactive, Buffalo retains the flexibility to activate him at any time. Meanwhile, Mattias Samuelsson was activated off injured reserve in a corresponding move, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is set to start in Columbus, and Colten Ellis will serve as the backup.

Bowen Byram Mentioned In Buffalo Sabres Blueline Updates

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Bowen Byram was previously acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade involving defenseman Louis Crevier and draft picks. As the Sabres restructured their defensive pairings and handed out long-term extensions ahead of the regular-season opener, Byram's former team prepares to face Buffalo in upcoming early-season matchups as roster moves and injury updates shape the conference landscape.

Louis Crevier Signs Four-Year, $16M Extension With Buffalo Sabres

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Louis Crevier signed a four-year, $16 million contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres before suiting up for a regular-season game. Acquired in the Bowen Byram trade, the 25-year-old blueliner is coming off a 2025-26 campaign with seven goals, 25 points, 124 hits, and 95 blocked shots across 78 games. Crevier expressed excitement over the long-term stability and is projected to open the year on the second defensive pairing for the Sabres.

Rutger McGroarty Assigned To AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

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The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned forward Rutger McGroarty to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins following a practice on Thursday. The move came after McGroarty was a healthy scratch for Wednesday's season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. McGroarty has compiled four goals and nine points across 32 career NHL games. The organization hopes he can help WBS start strong while maintaining readiness to return to the NHL club later this season.

Zach Hyman Facing Two-Week Absence With Undisclosed Injury

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Zach Hyman is expected to miss at least two weeks and six games due to an undisclosed injury, per play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels. Hyman was initially ruled out for Thursday's rematch against Vancouver after logging 20:33 of ice time with three shots, two hits, and a plus-1 rating in Tuesday's opener. With Hyman sidelined and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on IR, Max Jones will move into a top-six role until Hyman returns to his spot on Connor McDavid's wing.

Devon Levi Set to Start on the Road Against Vancouver

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Devon Levi is set to start on the road against Vancouver on Thursday, per Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton. Levi had a 2-7-0 record, 4.12 GAA and .872 save percentage in nine regular-season appearances with Buffalo in 2025-26. The Oilers hope the 24-year-old takes a step forward, with an opportunity to play a meaningful role as Frederik Andersen is out until December with a knee injury and Tristan Jarry has struggled recently.

Darcy Kuemper Surrenders Eight Goals in Nightmare Opener vs. Avalanche

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Darcy Kuemper endured a rough season opener for the Kings, surrendering eight goals on 29 shots—including four power-play tallies—in an overwhelming loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The performance followed a shaky preseason, raising questions about head coach Peter Laviolette's decision to start the $5.25 million netminder over Anton Forsberg. Los Angeles now turns its focus to Saturday's matchup against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks.

Akira Schmid Set to Draw Road Start Against San Jose

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Akira Schmid was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, indicating that he'll draw the road start against San Jose. Jacob Markstrom drew the Opening Night start for the Panthers on the road against Carolina on Tuesday and led Florida to a 1-0 overtime win, but Schmid will have an opportunity to defend the crease Thursday. Schmid made 34 regular-season appearances for the Golden Knights last year, going 16-10-6 with a 2.59 GAA and .893 save percentage.

Joonas Korpisalo Placed on IR With Lower-Body Injury

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Joonas Korpisalo sustained a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve Thursday by the New York Rangers. Labelled week-to-week, the 32-year-old netminder will be sidelined for the short term. Last season, Korpisalo went 14-9-6 in 31 regular-season outings with a 3.15 GAA, .894 save percentage, and one shutout. With Korpisalo out, Dylan Garand has been called up to serve as the No. 2 option for New York, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Yaroslav Askarov to Guard Crease in Sharks' Home Opener

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Yaroslav Askarov will guard the home crease in Thursday's Opening Night matchup against the Panthers, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News. The 24-year-old backstop put together a 21-20-4 record, 3.63 GAA and .883 save percentage across 47 regular-season outings last year. With San Jose's young offensive core and new veteran defensemen Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba, Askarov could see improved numbers while competing with Alex Nedeljkovic.

Joseph Woll Set to Make Debut for Philadelphia Flyers

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Joseph Woll will defend the road crease in Thursday's matchup against New Jersey, making his regular-season debut for the Philadelphia Flyers after being acquired from Toronto in the offseason. The 28-year-old backstop looks to bounce back from a 2025-26 campaign where he posted a 15-16-7 record, 3.34 GAA, and .898 save percentage across 39 outings. Woll projects as Philadelphia's No. 2 netminder and serves as a solid streaming option in fantasy.

Mattias Samuelsson Returns to Lineup for Sabres Against Blue Jackets

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Mattias Samuelsson (lower body) will be in the lineup against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The 26-year-old blueliner blew his previous career-best numbers out of the water last year by racking up 13 goals and 28 assists in 78 regular-season games. While Samuelsson provides notable offensive upside from the blue line, his lack of a power-play role limits his ceiling for elite fantasy value.

Dylan Larkin to Miss First Two Games of Regular Season With Injury

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Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan announced that Dylan Larkin (upper body) will miss the team's first two regular-season games against the Rangers and Jets. Larkin was sidelined during training camp after getting hurt working out and is considered day-to-day. The 30-year-old center logged 34 goals and 33 assists in 74 games last year. Having requested a trade in the offseason, Larkin remains with the franchise under a five-year contract.

Charlie Lindgren Scheduled for First Start Saturday Against Lightning

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Charlie Lindgren will guard the road crease in Saturday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning, making his season debut in the second half of the Washington Capitals' back-to-back. The 32-year-old netminder's previous campaign was riddled with injuries and a dip in production, posting a 9-8-3 record, 3.52 GAA, and .879 save percentage across 21 games. He aims to trend back toward fantasy relevance with a solid outing.

Logan Thompson Set to Start in Goal for Capitals on Friday

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Logan Thompson will tend the twine on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. Thompson is coming off a strong 2025-26 campaign where he set new personal bests in games played (58), GAA (2.44), and shutouts (four). The 29-year-old backstop is expected to see significant opportunities in the crease for the Washington Capitals this season with the potential of reaching a new career high in wins.

Jet Greaves Projected as Starting Goalie for Blue Jackets' Opener

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Jet Greaves was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, indicating he will draw the Opening Night start at home against the Buffalo Sabres. Greaves saw a career-high workload during the 2025-26 campaign, making 55 regular-season appearances and going 26-19-9 with a 2.60 GAA and .908 save percentage. While new backup Cam Talbot is capable of handling a hefty workload, Greaves should begin the regular season as the Blue Jackets' clear number-one netminder.

Arber Xhekaj Plays Prudent Game on Third Pairing Against Maple Leafs

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Montreal Canadiens blueliner Arber Xhekaj played a prudent game on the third pairing alongside Jayden Struble against the Toronto Maple Leafs, logging 12:20 of ice time including 1:29 on the penalty kill. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenseman kept things simple and avoided unnecessary altercations after a big hit from Brandon Duhaime. Xhekaj is battling for his roster spot as the Canadiens manage a crowded blue line that includes returning and rookie prospects.