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Nikita Kucherov Tells Lightning He Won't Re-Sign, Wants to Be Traded
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov isn't interested in re-signing with the team and would like to be traded, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Sources have told Friedman that Kucherov has informed his teammates and the organization that he's seeking a change of scenery. The reigning MVP is in the final season of an eight-year, $76-million contract. Just a few days ago, Kucherov became the Lightning's all-time leading scorer. He has spent his entire 13-year career in Tampa Bay, recording 1,139 points (405 goals, 734 assists) in 891 games. Kucherov has averaged at least a point per game in nine consecutive seasons. At 33, he should still have plenty left in the tank, and many clubs will likely be interested in acquiring him.
Source: Elliotte Friedman
Source: Elliotte Friedman
More Recent News
Josh Manson to Miss Eight Weeks With Ankle Injury
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (ankle) is expected to miss eight weeks, head coach Jared Bednar said Friday. The veteran blue-liner, who has recorded a team-high 28 hits, suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday's win over New Jersey. Manson has four points (one goal, three assists) in 13 games this season. Colorado will bring Noah Juulsen into the lineup as Manson's replacement. Juulsen is similar to Manson but less productive. In eight outings this season, the Finnish blue-liner has recorded one assist, four SOG, 10 blocks, and 17 hits.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Colton Parayko Probable for Saturday
St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (upper body) missed Friday's practice but is probable for Saturday's game against Detroit. "Just cautionary," Blues head coach Jim Montgomery said. "Just giving him a little more rest. Probable is the way I would list him. Just upper-body. We'll just see how it feels and looks tomorrow when he does his stretching and stuff like that." Parayko leads the Blues with 26 blocks in 13 games and has chipped in with four assists offensively. The Blues have Quinton Burns as an extra defenseman to step in for Parayko if needed.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Filip Chytil Added to Injured Reserve
Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil (upper body) has been placed on Injured Reserve. The Canucks made the move Friday after Chytil couldn't practice because of an upper-body injury. He has re-aggravated an injury that sidelined him for the first eight games of the season. Injuries have ruined many campaigns for Chytil, who has already missed more games than he's played in 2026-27. In seven outings, he's contributed two assists. The Canucks recalled Jacob Quillan from the minors to fill Chytil's spot on the roster. Brendan Gallagher could see regular action again until Chytil returns, though he has zero fantasy value.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Joel Eriksson Ek Evaluated for Injury
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) is under evaluation for an injury, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. The Swedish forward was hurt in Thursday's loss to the Islanders and met with team doctors on Friday. It's unclear whether he will get the green light to play Sunday against Washington. Eriksson Ek has a four-game point streak, scoring in three of those games. Overall, he has five goals and 12 points in 15 games this season. Danila Yurov and Ryan Hartman are candidates to take over first-line center duties if Eriksson Ek isn't healthy enough to play Sunday.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
Carter Hart Dresses as Backup Friday
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (undisclosed) will serve as the backup in Friday's matchup with New Jersey, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. He's available after skipping Tuesday's game against Ottawa with an undisclosed injury. Adin Hill will guard the crease against the Devils. Vegas will start next week with a back-to-back, so both netminders should get action. So far, Hill has outperformed Hart, who is 4-3-1 for the season and has allowed 2.76 goals with a .889 save percentage. Hill has won five of his six starts.
Source: Danny Webster
Source: Danny Webster
Connor Zary Undergoes Knee Surgery
Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary (knee) will be out week-to-week after undergoing surgery. Zary failed to impress in two NHL games at the start of the season and has skated with the Calgary Wranglers in the AHL recently since being waived earlier this month. Zary has four points (one goal, three assists) in six AHL games. While his form has been good enough to earn another opportunity in the big league, his knee injury will prevent that for a while. Zary, a former first-round pick, has amassed 87 points (39 goals, 48 assists) in 193 career NHL games.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Devin Cooley Placed on Injured Reserve
Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (lower body) is week-to-week and was placed on Injured Reserve Friday. He's looking at a multi-game absence after suffering a lower-body injury in Wednesday's loss to Edmonton. Cooley has impressed with strong play in 2026-27, posting a 4-3-0 record, a 2.69 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage. Dustin Wolf will start Friday night against Seattle and will see more action now that Cooley is out. Arsenii Sergeev has been recalled from the minors to serve as Wolf's backup. Wolf is a risky fantasy option, as his save percentage stands at .839 and his goals-against average is 4.81.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Kyle Capobianco Out for Four Weeks
Dallas Stars defenseman Kyle Capobianco (lower body) will be unavailable for four weeks. He didn't play in Thursday's loss to Montreal after suffering a lower-body injury in Tuesday's meeting with New Jersey. Capobianco was initially expected to be sidelined for one week. From a fantasy perspective, Capobianco's absence doesn't matter much. He has made only five appearances this season and has no points. In Capobianco's absence, Trey Taylor made his NHL debut Thursday, logging 10:44 of ice time on the third defensive pairing. Taylor likely won't get many more opportunities, as Esa Lindell (lower body) is days away from returning.
Source: Reuters
Source: Reuters
Brock Faber Set to Resume Skating Soon
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber (skull) can start skating in a few days, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. Faber fractured his skull when a puck struck him in the side of his head in a preseason game on Sept. 25. A month later, he has cleared his return-to-play protocol and looks set to resume skating soon. Faber is a beast on the blue line and should be inserted back into fantasy lineups as soon as he's ready to return to action. Last season, Faber scored a career-high 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 80 games and recorded 173 SOG, 148 blocks, and a plus-18 rating.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
Brandt Clarke Makes Early Exit Thursday
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke (upper body) didn't complete Thursday's clash against the Ottawa Senators. He was injured midway through the second period when he was boarded by Senators forward Hayden Hodgson, who was tossed from the game. Before his exit, Clarke produced a power-play assist. He's been one of the Kings' top scorers this season, with nine points (three goals, six assists) in 12 games. If Clarke misses time, L.A. will need to rely more on Drew Doughty to generate offense from the blue line. The veteran has recently turned back the clock, amassing three points in each of his last two outings.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Kevin Fiala Remains Week-to-Week
Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (lower leg) remains week-to-week, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The Swiss forward skated in a non-contact jersey on Thursday. Fiala has been out of action since suffering a lower-leg injury at the 2026 Olympics. It's a good sign that he has resumed skating. Yet it remains unclear when Fiala is ready to return. With Mats Zuccarello (upper body) also out, the Kings are without two major offensive pieces. As a result, the team has averaged only 2.83 goals per game. The team's scoring issues make it hard to trust any player on the roster, though there have been encouraging signs of improvement in recent games, as the Kings have racked up six goals twice in their last three outings.
Source: Zach Dooley
Source: Zach Dooley
Mats Zuccarello Deemed Week-to-Week
Los Angeles Kings right wing Mats Zuccarello (upper body) is week-to-week, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. He missed a third consecutive game on Thursday night against Ottawa, and it doesn't look like the Kings expect him back anytime soon. Zuccarello also missed time earlier in the campaign and has appeared in just six games. He has no goals and one assist. The Kings have struggled offensively and have tinkered with the lineup to find the right mix. This led to Corey Perry joining the top six against the Senators. The former MVP could get more opportunities on a scoring line until Zuccarello and Kevin Fiala (lower leg) are back.
Source: Zach Dooley
Source: Zach Dooley
Warren Foegele Out for Extended Period
Ottawa Senators winger Warren Foegele (knee) will be out for an extended period, head coach Travis Green said Thursday. Foegele was involved in a knee-on-knee collision during Tuesday's loss to Vegas and wasn't in the lineup Thursday night against the Kings. In Thursday's game, the Senators also lost Andre Burakovsky (lower body). Ottawa's injury list includes William Eklund (ankle), so the team has had some tough luck with frontline injuries. As a result, Fabian Zetterlund has landed a first-line job. He has three assists over the last four games and is worth monitoring by fantasy managers.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Aleksander Barkov Back on the Ice
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (knee) resumed skating on Wednesday, George Richards of NHL.com reports. The Panthers captain has been sidelined since injuring his left knee against San Jose on Oct. 1. He remains around four weeks away from returning to action, but it's a great sign for the Panthers that Barkov is back on the ice. Brad Marchand (leg) also resumed skating this week and is nearing his return. He's expected back in approximately three weeks. Until the Panthers get their big guns back, Lars Eller and Sandis Vilmanis will continue in larger roles.
Source: George Richards
Source: George Richards
Drew Doughty Good to Go Against Senators
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (undisclosed) will get back to work on Thursday against Ottawa. The Kings captain recorded a season-high three points in Monday's win over the Rangers, but he sat out the second leg of a back-to-back on Tuesday against Chicago with an undisclosed injury. While Doughty had a standout performance on Monday night, fantasy managers shouldn't expect a repeat against the Senators. He had just one point in nine games before running amok at Madison Square Garden. With Doughty back, Cody Ceci will move to the press box as a healthy scratch.
Source: Eric Stephens
Source: Eric Stephens
Thomas Chabot Returns From Four-Game Absence
Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (upper body) will rejoin the action on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings. He has been cleared to play after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Chabot's return means the Senators will have all their regular blue-liners in the lineup for the first time this season. Chabot will join Jordan Spence on the second defensive pairing, bumping Tyler Kleven to the third. The Senators captain will also log time with the second power-play unit. Aside from his injury, Chabot has had a strong start to the season, recording four points (one goal, three assists), 19 SOG, 24 blocks, and a plus-five rating in nine games.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Jared Spurgeon Listed as Week-to-Week
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (undisclosed) is week-to-week, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. The Wild lost their captain in Tuesday's win over Utah and must be without him for multiple games, starting with Thursday's clash against the Islanders. Spurgeon has made a big impact early in the season, posting five points (one goal, four assists) and 19 blocks in 10 games. Minnesota also remains without Brock Faber (skull), putting pressure on Quinn Hughes to maintain high standards. David Spacek is expected to fill Spurgeon's spot in the lineup on Thursday, but fantasy managers should ignore him.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
Evgeni Malkin, Benjamin Kindel Back in Action Thursday
Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin (illness) and Benjamin Kindel (vasovagal episode) will play on Thursday against Utah. Egor Chinakhov (lower body) is also available, giving the Penguins' offense a big boost. Both Malkin and Chinakhov missed Saturday's win over Nashville. Kindel has been unavailable for two games after suffering a vasovagal episode. It's great to see the teenage forward back in action so soon after his scary incident at the start of last week. The returning trio will form the Penguins' second line and will be part of the second power-play unit.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Victor Hedman Returns to Action Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (lower body) will return to the lineup on Thursday against Winnipeg. The Lightning captain sustained a lower-body injury last week and didn't play in Saturday's loss to Utah. Hedman's workload has dropped significantly this season, hurting his numbers. In 10 appearances, he has recorded four points (two goals, two assists), nine SOG, and 13 blocks. However, Hedman's most recent outings haven't been too bad, as he's scored all four points in his last six games. The Jets have started to struggle, losing six straight, making this a good fantasy matchup for Hedman and the Lightning.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Brandon Hagel Cleared to Play Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel (undisclosed) will be in action on Thursday against Winnipeg. He was initially uncertain for the contest after being labeled a game-time decision on Wednesday. Hagel saw a four-game point streak come to an end last time out against Utah, but overall he has been sharp in 2026-27. Across 11 games, Hagel has contributed seven goals and six assists. Hagel averages almost five SOG per game and is in a good spot to start another point streak Thursday, facing a team that has a 3.00 goals-against average.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
