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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Paul missed practice due to an injury after logging just 4:42 of ice time in a pre-season game against the Ottawa Senators. Head coach Jim Hiller stated the team is not overly concerned but is treating his status day-to-day. Paul will travel with the team to Arizona for an off-ice bonding trip, though his availability for the regular season opener on Tuesday remains uncertain.
The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Steven Lorentz on waivers following their final practice before an Arizona trip. Lorentz, 30, recorded 7 goals and 18 points across 71 games last season while averaging a career-high 11:52 of ice time. If unclaimed, clearing him will remove most of his $1.35-million cap hit, leaving $125,000 on the payroll and allowing Toronto to free up standard contract space to officially sign PTO defenseman Nick Blankenburg for the upcoming regular season.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov will start Thursday's preseason game on the road against Columbus. He was sharp in Monday's opener against Buffalo, stopping all 13 shots he faced in a victory. Having played about half of that matchup, Murashov is expected to play the full game against the Blue Jackets as he fiercely competes for a roster spot with the Penguins ahead of the upcoming 2026-27 regular season.
St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington will guard the home crease in Thursday's preseason contest against the Blackhawks. He looks to bounce back following a tough 2025-26 campaign where he posted a 13-20-7 record, 3.33 GAA, and .873 save percentage across 41 games. Binnington enters this season as the No. 2 option behind Joel Hofer and could become a trade candidate ahead of the 2027 deadline if the Blues struggle.
Joonas Korpisalo is slated to be the first goalie off for Thursday's morning skate and will make his first preseason start against the Devils, indicating he's competing for the Rangers' backup goaltending job. Last year with Boston, he appeared in 31 games, going 14-9-6 with a 3.15 GAA and .894 save percentage. A strong performance Thursday would solidify his claim for the No. 2 role behind Igor Shesterkin.
Joseph Woll is set to defend the Philadelphia Flyers' goal in Thursday's preseason game against the Bruins. This will be his second preseason appearance, having allowed three goals in a prior 5-2 loss. Last season, the 28-year-old netminder posted a 15-16-7 record with a 3.34 GAA and .898 save percentage. With Dan Vladar injured, Woll's chances of starting opening night have slightly increased, though he's expected to be the No. 2 option once Vladar is healthy.
Alex Ovechkin (lower body) was a full participant in Thursday's practice and has a chance to play in Friday's preseason game against the Bruins, according to Tom Gulitti. While head coach Spencer Carbury noted preseason play isn't essential for opening night readiness, Ovechkin's presence at practice is a positive step. The 41-year-old star is coming off a 32-goal, 64-point campaign in 2025-26 and aims to extend his all-time goal record in what could be his final season.
Andrei Vasilevskiy will start Thursday's home preseason game against the Panthers for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He began the 2026-27 preseason strong, allowing only one goal on 13 shots in his previous outing. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner posted a 39-15-4 record, 2.31 GAA, and .911 save percentage in 58 games last season. This game is likely his final or penultimate tune-up before the regular season.
Thatcher Demko (hip) has been designated for injured reserve by the Vancouver Canucks, per the NHL media site Thursday. This move suggests Demko will not be ready for the start of the 2026-27 campaign, as he was already expected to miss training camp. The Canucks are likely to ease the veteran backstop into the lineup due to his continued injury problems, relying on Kevin Lankinen in the interim.
Cooper Black is set to start Thursday's road preseason game against the Lightning for the Florida Panthers. This will be a tune-up in the team's penultimate preseason game. Black has not yet made his NHL regular-season debut, but he posted a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 42 AHL Charlotte appearances last season.
Arshdeep Bains is making a strong case for a full-time role with the Vancouver Canucks, excelling in training camp and pre-season. The 25-year-old forward has recorded three points in two games, drawing praise from coach Manny Malhotra for his pace, energy, and aggressive play. Bains, entering the final year of his deal, prepared intensely in the off-season and is approaching this season with a "fresh mindset" to secure a permanent NHL spot after splitting time between NHL and AHL. He's among 16 forwards remaining on the roster.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel anchors a forward group where depth allows three functional scoring lines. Analyzing even-strength ice-time usage from the 2025-26 season shows top-nine forwards play comparable minutes, meaning Kindel, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Bryan Rust can produce like a second line without developmental setbacks. Special teams deployment will dictate his offensive upside, but utilizing his scoring capability gives the Penguins a competitive edge.
Tristan Luneau put on a standout performance during the Anaheim Ducks' 2-1 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. Luneau dominated ice time, leading the Ducks in even-strength ice time (18:57), power-play ice time (5:51), and shorthanded ice time (3:20). He showcased his dynamic toolkit, displaying refined puck retrievals, precise defensive gaps, strong physicality in small areas, and an impressive ability to dictate pace and manipulate defenders in the offensive zone.
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger is dealing with lower-body tightness and is questionable for Friday's preseason road game against the Minnesota Wild. Oettinger was a late scratch for Wednesday's matchup versus Minnesota, where Remi Poirier stepped in to guard the net. The 27-year-old goalie may miss remaining preseason action entirely if held out Friday, though the issue is not expected to linger into the regular season opener on Oct. 2 against the Blues.
Philadelphia Flyers starting goaltender Dan Vladar is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury after departing Tuesday's preseason game against Boston following a minor crease collision. Head coach Rick Tocchet noted the team "dodged a bullet" regarding the severity. Vladar, who signed a five-year, $27.5M extension after securing 29 wins last season, is in good spirits, while newcomer Joseph Woll and Aleksei Kolosov remain ready to anchor the crease.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka is looking to build on his rookie campaign after scoring in a 7-4 preseason win over Pittsburgh. Entering the second year of his $940,833 cap-hit deal, the Swedish blueliner stated that last year's 68-game experience and summer training have helped him adapt and get stronger. Head coach Todd McLellan noted that Sandin-Pellikka and teammate Michael Brandsegg-Nygård have returned to training camp in a far better and more confident position.
Dallas Stars goaltender Remi Poirier will guard the home goal in Wednesday's preseason matchup against the Minnesota Wild. Poirier was pressed into action to make his second start of the preseason after teammate Jake Oettinger was scratched late with an undisclosed issue. Poirier previously stopped 11 of 12 shots in a strong outing Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub remains sidelined and is not expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. Zub is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in Game 1 of the postseason against Carolina. His continued absence creates an opening on the right side of the Ottawa defense as the team prepares to open the 2026-27 campaign without him on the blue line.
Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin returned to practice for the first time this fall after missing camp with an off-ice injury. While he participated in drills, coach Todd McLellan confirmed Larkin will miss Thursday's preseason opener against Buffalo, with a chance to play Saturday. Meanwhile, Larkin continues to navigate an offseason trade request and has played without the team captaincy he previously held.
Anthony Stolarz will protect the road net for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Wednesday's split-squad game versus the Ottawa Senators. The 32-year-old enters the 2026-27 campaign as the expected backup to Sergei Bobrovsky, a role projected to afford him 25 to 30 starts.
