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Ivan Demidov Impressing in Preseason
Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov appears ready to take another "step," Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports. The 20-year-old kicked off the preseason with a power-play goal in a 4-3 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, earning praise from Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis. St. Louis highlighted Demidov's ability to create space for himself and noted that he has "another step" to his game. Last season, Demidov made the All-Rookie Team, recording 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in 82 games. He could become a point-per-game player quickly if he continues his rapid development.
Source: Eric Engels
Source: Eric Engels
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Matvei Michkov Looking "Lighter and Stronger" at Camp
Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov is aiming to bounce back from a down year and has worked hard this offseason. According to Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, Michkov looks "lighter and stronger skating" at training camp. Michkov has changed his diet and said he wants to "play better for the team." After collecting 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists) during his rookie campaign, Michkov managed only 51 points (20 goals, 31 assists) in 2025-26. He was a non-factor in the playoffs, contributing one assist and no goals in eight games. The Russian youngster will have lost some fans among fantasy managers after his poor year, but those who still have faith in his ability might be well rewarded in 2026-27.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Evgeni Malkin Not Ruling Out Returning for 22nd NHL Campaign
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin is not planning a retirement tour in 2026-27. He hasn't ruled out extending his NHL career into a 22nd year. "I mean, it's a hard question," Malkin said. "We'll see what's going on during the season, you know? Right now, I want to say, 'Yes,' (to playing longer). But we'll see how my body feels." After a couple of down years, Malkin enjoyed a renaissance last season, posting 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 56 appearances. The Russian veteran, who turned 40 in July, has shown he can still be effective when healthy, keeping him relevant in fantasy leagues.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Gabriel Landeskog Expecting to Take "Another Step"
Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog believes he can elevate his performance in 2026-27. The Avalanche captain returned from a knee injury last season, recording 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 60 games. He feels he can be much better this term. "I am expecting myself to take another step," Landeskog told NHL.com. "I've had a great summer. There's a huge difference from 12 months ago." The 33-year-old missed three regular seasons before returning. Landeskog was nearly a point-per-game player during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, building strong momentum heading into this season. Fantasy managers should keep him on their radar.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Mats Zuccarello Dealing With Minor Shoulder Injury
Los Angeles Kings right wing Mats Zuccarello (shoulder) skated in a red jersey during Day 1 of training camp, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. According to Dooley, Zuccarello is working his way back from a minor shoulder surgery. He is expected to be fully healthy next week. Zuccarello is a new man in town in L.A. and will look to impress early in the season. A strong start from him could be important, especially since the team can't count on Kevin Fiala (lower leg).
Source: Zach Dooley
Source: Zach Dooley
Kevin Fiala Unavailable for At Least Three Weeks
Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala (lower leg) won't be available for at least three weeks, according to Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site. Fiala fractured his left lower leg at the Olympics and underwent a follow-up procedure in the offseason. He is expected to begin skating individually next week and could rejoin the group in three weeks. Fiala's absence leaves the Kings without one of their primary offensive contributors, creating opportunities for other skaters early in the season.
Source: Zach Dooley
Source: Zach Dooley
Seth Jones Looking "Great" in Camp
Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (foot) looked "great" during the first day of training camp, Kacy Hintz of Local 10 Miami reports. Jones had an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign, missing 30 games. He broke his foot near the end of the regular season. Fortunately for the Panthers, Jones has recovered in time for training camp. As a versatile defenseman, Jones is highly valuable to Florida and fantasy managers alike. Last season, he recorded seven goals, 25 assists, 88 SOG, 61 blocks, and 47 hits in 52 appearances.
Source: Kacy Hintz
Source: Kacy Hintz
Jake Sanderson Cleared for Training Camp
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (concussion) participated in the first day of training camp, Sportsnet's Wayne Scanlan reports. Sanderson sustained a concussion during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Luckily, he's fully healthy heading into the new season. The 2026 Olympic champion is coming off back-to-back 50-point campaigns and will again be among the most popular defensemen among fantasy managers. In 2025-26, Sanderson recorded 14 goals, 40 assists, 147 SOG, 128 blocks, and a plus-16 rating in 67 games.
Source: Wayne Scanlan
Source: Wayne Scanlan
Stefan Noesen Back on Ice After Knee Injury
New Jersey Devils winger Stefan Noesen (knee) was on the ice Thursday during the first day of training camp, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports. Last season, the 33-year-old was limited to 38 appearances because of a knee injury. He tallied seven points (three goals, four assists) and made his final appearance of the campaign in early January. Noesen had a career year with 41 points just a couple of seasons ago. Now he's competing only for a bottom-six role and has no fantasy value.
Source: Amanda Stein
Source: Amanda Stein
Nick Bjugstad to Miss 4-6 Months After Pectoral Muscle Surgery
New Jersey Devils forward Nick Bjugstad will miss 4-6 months due to pectoral muscle surgery, the team announced Thursday. Bjugstad sustained the injury in early September during offseason training. The 34-year-old was gearing up for his first full season with the Devils. While Bjugstad has a few 40-point campaigns on his resume, his fantasy value hit an all-time low in 2025-26, when he amassed only nine points (six goals, three assists) in 61 games. He could be even less productive this term since Bjugstad won't make his season debut until January.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
William Karlsson Hits the Ice at Camp After Wrist Surgery
Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (wrist) took the ice on the first day of training camp, indicating he has recovered from his offseason surgery. The Swedish veteran injured his wrist in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals and underwent a procedure in the summer. He now appears to be fully healthy, with less than two weeks until the season opener. Health issues have limited Karlsson to just 67 regular-season games over the past two seasons. Given his injury history, it's tough to rely on Karlsson in fantasy formats.
Source: Vegas Golden Knights
Source: Vegas Golden Knights
Dominic James Nursing Broken Hand, Out for Start of Season
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Dominic James (hand) won't be available at the start of the season. He is expected to miss a few weeks after breaking his hand during offseason training. James made his NHL debut in 2025-26, registering 15 points (seven goals, eight assists), 56 SOG, and 58 hits in 43 games. The Lightning also won't have Yanni Gourde (hip) until December, opening up a pair of bottom-six spots in the lineup. Conor Geekie and Jakob Pelletier will be among the candidates to fill them.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Yanni Gourde Out Until December Due to Hip Surgery
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde (hip) is not expected to make his season debut until December. On Wednesday, it was announced that Gourde underwent offseason hip surgery. Gourde had a tough 2025-26 season, posting just 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 82 games. Now he's facing a major setback heading into the new campaign. With Dominic James (hand) also on the shelf, the Lightning have given Luke Glendening an opportunity to make the squad by signing the veteran forward to a tryout contract.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Tyler Seguin Questionable for Start of Season
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (knee) could miss the start of the season, according to general manager Jim Nill. Seguin has been cleared for contact following his ACL injury and will be a full participant in training camp, but Nill said it's unclear when he will be ready to play. Dallas opens its 2026-27 campaign on Oct. 2 against the St. Louis Blues. Last week, Seguin also said he wasn't sure whether he would be available for the season opener. Seguin underwent ACL surgery last December, and the typical recovery timeline for such a procedure is about nine months.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Kaiden Guhle Ruled Out for 4-5 Weeks
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (adductor) has been ruled out for 4-5 weeks. The team provided an official timeline for Guhle's return on Wednesday after it emerged earlier this week that the 24-year-old blue-liner underwent surgery this offseason. Guhle was also limited by injury last season, appearing in only 39 games. He recorded 11 points (two goals, nine assists), 39 SOG, 63 blocks, 86 hits, and a plus-five rating across 39 regular-season games. According to Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, he has several options to replace Guhle.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Jason Zucker Unavailable for Start of Season
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker (sports hernia) will miss the start of the season, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Wednesday. The veteran winger underwent sports hernia surgery in the offseason. According to Kekalainen, Zucker could miss "maybe a couple weeks" at the start of the year. Zucker's absence will be felt by the Sabres. He ranked fourth on the team last season with 24 goals and tallied 45 points in 62 contests. With Zucker out, Peyton Krebs is a candidate for an increased role early in the season.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Alexander Nikishin Sits Out Start of Training Camp
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin has not joined the team for training camp. The Russian blue-liner is unsigned and has been linked to a trade. Nikishin became a restricted free agent after his rookie campaign in 2025-26. He had a solid year, recording 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists), 122 SOG, 94 blocks, 132 hits, and a plus-18 rating. Given that Nikishin requested a trade this offseason, he may have already played his final game with the Hurricanes.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Adam Fantilli Absent From Camp While Awaiting New Deal
Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli missed opening day of training camp on Wednesday. Fantilli is an unsigned restricted free agent and won't join the team before he inks a new deal. Last week, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he was "100 percent" confident Fantilli would sign a new deal before camp. Although Fantilli's absence will be a distraction for the Blue Jackets during training camp, the team will likely get a deal done with him before the season starts. Fantilli was Columbus' third-highest scorer last season, totaling 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games.
Source: Reuters
Source: Reuters
Mathew Barzal Could Miss Season Opener
The New York Islanders announced Wednesday that forward Mathew Barzal (undisclosed) won't be on the ice for about two weeks. Barzal has aggravated a prior injury that has caused some inflammation. The Islanders start their season on Sept. 30, two weeks from now, leaving Barzal's availability for Game 1 very much up in the air. Barzal led the Islanders with 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists) in 81 games last season. If he's unavailable, someone else on the roster will have a big opportunity to step up and make a difference in the top six and on the first power-play unit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Dylan Larkin Misses Start of Camp Due to Injury
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (upper body) will sit out the start of training camp, interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said Wednesday. Larkin sustained an upper-body injury during off-ice training earlier this week. A week ago, it was confirmed that Larkin will participate in training camp despite his offseason trade request. However, the team stripped him of captaincy. Still, it appears that not all bridges have been burned between the two sides, and Larkin could begin the season in Detroit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Brad Marchand to Miss Start of Season
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (lower body) will be unavailable at the start of the season. A month ago, the veteran forward revealed he had undergone surgery during the offseason. On Wednesday, Panthers general manager Bill Zito said Marchand should be back "early in the season." Marchand was banged up for much of last season but still racked up points for fun. He notched 27 goals and 27 assists in 52 outings. This marked the first time in four seasons that Marchand averaged at least one point per game.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
