1 week agoDefenseman Alex Goligoski has retired from the NHL after 17 seasons. The 39-year-old logged 1,078 career regular-season games in the league, scoring 87 goals and 475 points. He won the Stanley Cup early in his career in 2009 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and went on to play for the Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes, and Minnesota Wild. The Grand Rapids, Minnesota native recorded 10 assists in 36 games playing for his home state team in 2023-24.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 week agoDefenseman Marc Staal has announced his retirement following a 17-year NHL career. The 37-year-old wraps up his run in the league after making 1,136 regular-season appearances. Staal, who posted 234 career points (53 goals, 181 assists), spent his first 13 seasons with the New York Rangers before having spells with the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers. He featured in two Stanley Cup Finals and played in 128 total playoff games. Following his retirement, Staal will rejoin the Rangers as a player development assistant.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 week agoSt. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist (knee) has resumed skating ahead of the new campaign. The veteran centerman had his 2023-24 season cut short by an ACL injury on March 25. Sundqvist was initially ruled out for six months, so he appears to be on track in his recovery. While the 30-year-old offers little to fantasy managers, he has been an effective bottom-six center for the Blues. Sundqvist totaled 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 71 appearances last season and has gone for 144 points (56 goals, 88 assists) in 426 career games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lou Korac
1 week agoCzech winger Dominik Kubalik has signed a contract to play for HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland this season. The 29-year-old, who also suited up for Ambri-Piotta before moving to North America, returns to Europe following 357 NHL appearances. Playing in Chicago, Detroit, and Ottawa, Kubalik registered 93 goals and 176 points. He was limited to 15 points (11 goals, four assists) in 74 contests with the Senators in 2023-24. It looks like Kubalik didn't draw good enough NHL offers because of his unproductive campaign. However, there's reportedly an opt-out clause in Kubalik's contract that allows him to sign for an NHL team before Dec. 15, meaning we could see him back in the National Hockey League soon.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: TSN
1 week agoVeteran winger Max Pacioretty has been linked with the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs have "looked at" Pacioretty, adding that Toronto isn't the only option for the 35-year-old, who is an unrestricted free agent following a stint with the Washington Capitals. Pacioretty collected 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) in 47 regular-season appearances with the Capitals last term. He made his season debut in January after recovering from a second right Achilles tear. The injuries have massively affected Pacioretty's productivity, but he could still make a solid contribution in a good situation.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chris Johnston
1 week agoFree-agent center Steve Lorentz has signed a professional tryout agreement with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 28-year-old is looking for a new team after helping the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup in June. Lorentz, who has also played for the Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks, made 38 regular-season appearances for the Panthers last season. His offensive production was limited to three points (one goal, two assists). Lorentz also notched three points (two goals, one assist) in 16 games during the team's playoff run. Lorentz has recorded 21 goals and 43 points through 230 career games. He'll be an extra body for the Maple Leafs if he lands a standard contract in training camp and won't carry any fantasy value.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Elliotte Friedman
1 week agoVancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (knee) is back skating and working on the ice this week, according to CHEK's Rick Dhaliwal. Demko is working his way back from a knee injury and was expected to miss the preseason. However, his return to the ice might signal that he could be game-ready sooner than previously expected. The American netminder enjoyed a career year in 2023-24, posting a 35-14-2 record with five shutouts and allowing 2.45 goals with a .918 save percentage. Despite the positive news regarding Demko, Dhaliwal also reported on Tuesday that the Canucks continue to pursue unrestricted free agent Kevin Lankinen as an extra option between the pipes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Rick Dhaliwal
1 week agoBoston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (abdomen, elbow, groin) will enter the 2024-25 campaign following multiple offseason surgeries. He had procedures done on his elbow, groin, and abdominal area. The veteran played through a torn elbow tendon in 2023-24 and suffered the two other injuries in the final stages of the regular season. Despite the ailments, Marchand posted a respectable 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 82 games and added three goals with seven assists in 11 playoff appearances. According to Ty Anderson of NBC Sports Boston, Marchand is on track to be ready for the start of the season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Ty Anderson
1 week agoSt. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug (ankle) has been ruled out for the 2024-25 NHL season. The team announced last month that Krug had been diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle and would try to rehabilitate the injury without surgery. However, in the end, Krug is forced to have surgery to get the issue fixed, and as a result, he will not be able to play in the upcoming campaign. The 33-year-old has endured a couple of rough seasons, amassing a minus-57 rating across the past two years. But he's had a solid career with the Blues and Boston Bruins, posting 483 points (89 points, 394 assists) in 778 outings. Newly acquired Philip Broberg could land an important role on the blue line with Krug on the shelf.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 week agoEdmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl has agreed to an eight-year contract extension with the franchise. The German superstar landed a deal worth $112 million and will carry a historically high cap hit of $14 million starting from 2025-26. $104 million of the deal will be paid out in bonuses. Draisaitl was signed to a huge deal after he went for 100-plus points for the fifth time in six seasons. He has amassed 850 points (347 goals, 503 assists) in 719 games across his 10-year career -- only his teammate Connor McDavid (982) and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov (855) have been more prolific in that span. There should be plenty more to come from Draisaitl, who won't even be 30 until next year.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoTwo-time Stanley Cup champion Tyler Johnson has joined the Boston Bruins on a professional tryout agreement. The veteran forward is looking to extend his NHL career into a 13th year. Following a long spell with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Johnson has spent the last three campaigns with the Chicago Blackhawks. He notched 31 points (17 goals, 14 assists) in 67 games last season. The former All-Star became a free agent after completing a seven-year, $35 million contract he signed with the Lightning in 2017. Johnson has made 738 regular-season appearances in the National Hockey League, scoring 193 goals and 431 points. Last season showed that Johnson still has some juice left offensively, and with over 100 playoff games on his resume, he will also add a lot of experience to the Boston team if he earns himself a standard contract for 2024-25.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet
2 weeks agoVancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs (knee) is expected to be good to go for the start of training camp. Silovs pulled out from Latvia's Olympic qualifying tournament last week due to knee inflammation. However, Team Latvia general manager Rudolfs Kalvinitis believes Silovs will be fine for the Canucks camp, which opens on Sept. 19. The Canucks are already without Thatcher Demko (knee), who's set to miss the preseason, so the team can breathe a sigh of relief knowing Silovs isn't dealing with anything serious. Silovs has a 6-2-1 career regular-season record in the NHL and went 5-5 in last year's playoffs while filling in for Demko.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet
2 weeks agoOttawa Senators center Josh Norris (shoulder) is fully healthy for the start of training camp. Norris underwent left shoulder surgery in early March, missing the final couple of months last season. He made 50 appearances in 2023-24, scoring 16 goals and 30 points. Shoulder issues have plagued Norris for several years; this was already his third surgery to get it fixed. Considering his injury history, Norris' fantasy stock is likely at an all-time low. However, he could surprise many in the new season if he manages to get a full campaign under his belt. Norris has never made more than 66 appearances across a single season. He boasts 123 points (70 goals, 53 assists) in 183 career appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Ottawa Citizen
2 weeks agoNew Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec has suffered an upper-body injury playing for his native Slovakia in the 2026 Olympic qualifiers. According to Tomas Prokop of Dennik Sport, Nemec is flying back to New Jersey for further tests. Team Slovakia doctor Pavol Lauko has said that "nothing is broken or dislocated." It's an encouraging update, but Nemec might still need to take some time off to heal a couple of weeks before training camp opens. Nemec had his rookie campaign in the NHL last term, going for 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 60 games while leading the team with 105 blocks.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tomas Prokop
2 weeks agoFormer top-10 pick Filip Zadina has signed a two-year contract with 31-time Swiss champion HC Davos. The 24-year-old winger moves to Europe after spending six seasons in the NHL. He registered 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 73 contests with the San Jose Sharks last term. Zadina, who was selected sixth in the 2018 draft, started his career with the Detroit Red Wings. After Zadina failed to establish himself on the team, his contract was terminated in Detroit last offseason with two more years remaining on the deal. Zadina has tallied 41 goals and 91 points in 262 NHL outings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: HC Davos
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