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Ryan Leonard Signs Eight-Year Extension With Capitals
Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard landed a big eight-year, $84 million contract extension on Tuesday, ESPN's Ryan S. Clark reports. He's set for a massive pay rise next season after completing his entry-level contract in 2026-27, which pays Leonard $950,000. This is a risky deal for the Capitals, as Leonard has suited up for just 84 NHL games. He has notched 21 goals and 25 assists. However, at 21, Leonard still has a lot of time to develop. The former top-10 pick also adds physicality to Washington's lineup, averaging nearly two hits per game for his career.
Source: Ryan S. Clark
Source: Ryan S. Clark
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Jordan Staal Signs New One-Year Deal With Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal has extended his contract by one year. The deal includes a $900,000 base salary, a $4 million signing bonus, and up to $5.1 million in performance-related bonuses. The 2026-27 campaign will be the final season of Staal's current four-year, $11.6 million contract. He's been a key figure throughout his tenure with the Hurricanes and was named team captain in 2019. Last season, Staal became the oldest Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP after helping Carolina win its second championship. During the regular season, Staal had his first 20-goal year in 10 seasons. With six consecutive 30-point seasons, fantasy managers know what to expect from Staal.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Luke Evangelista Inks Five-Year Contract With Devils
New Jersey Devils right wing Luke Evangelista secured a five-year, $36.25 million contract extension on Tuesday. His annual salary will increase from $3 million to $7.25 million in 2027-28. The Devils acquired Evangelista from the Nashville Predators on Sept. 1. He is coming off a career year, posting 56 points (12 goals, 44 assists) in 81 games. In 253 career games, Evangelista has totaled 142 points (45 goals, 97 assists). With his future sorted, Evangelista can focus fully on his performance and has a realistic chance of becoming a 60-point scorer in New Jersey, playing alongside elite offensive talent like Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cutter Gauthier Agrees to Six-Year Deal With Ducks
Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier signed a six-year, $81 million contract extension on Tuesday. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the deal includes $69.5 million in signing bonuses. Gauthier was a restricted free agent following a standout 41-goal campaign. He added 28 assists in 76 outings. The 22-year-old has tallied 114 points (61 goals, 53 assists) in 159 career games. Gauthier looks like a star in the making and is expected to reach new heights for his team and fantasy managers over the next few seasons.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Kevin Bahl Good to Go for Camp
Calgary Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl (lower body) is healthy and ready for training camp, Pat Steinberg of QR Calgary 770 AM reports. Flames general manager Craig Conroy told Steinberg that everyone on the roster, except Jonathan Huberdeau (hip), is ready for training camp, indicating Bahl has recovered from a lower-body injury that kept him out of the final five regular-season games of 2025-26. The 26-year-old had 18 points (four goals, 14 assists), 57 SOG, 99 blocks, and 114 hits in 76 games during the campaign. While Bahl sees a lot of ice time with the Flames, he doesn't produce enough offensively to warrant a spot on fantasy squads in most leagues.
Source: Pat Steinberg
Source: Pat Steinberg
Nikita Zadorov Declares Himself Ready for Season
Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (knee) has recovered from an MCL injury that limited him during last year's playoffs, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reports. "The knee's good," Zadorov said. "It was a good recovery. I was able to do upper body and work my other leg while I was rehabbing. No complications." The Russian blue-liner is gearing up for his third season as a Bruin, having missed only one regular-season game in each of his first two years. Zadorov finished last term with 22 points (two goals, 20 assists), 107 SOG, 102 blocks, 196 hits, and a plus-18 rating. Additionally, he racked up a career-high 152 penalty minutes.
Source: Steve Conroy
Source: Steve Conroy
Cam Talbot Links Up With Blue Jackets on One-Year Deal
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Cam Talbot to a one-year, $950,000 contract. The well-traveled 39-year-old will join the Blue Jackets after spending a couple of seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. In 2025-26, Talbot appeared in 34 games, going 12-9-6. He registered a 3.19 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage. For the first time in his 13-year NHL career, Talbot didn't record a single shutout. Columbus looks set to start the season without Elvis Merzlikins (shoulder) and has needed additional goalie depth. Talbot will compete with Phoenix Copley for the backup role behind Jet Greaves.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Kaiden Guhle to Miss Start of Season
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (undisclosed) won't be available at the start of the season due to offseason surgery, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. Guhle appeared to have hurt his left knee during the playoffs, but it's unclear whether the procedure is related to that injury. The 24-year-old also missed time early last season and suited up for just 39 games. He recorded 11 points (two goals, nine assists), 39 SOG, 63 blocks, and 86 hits. Guhle is a big presence on defense, but his fantasy ceiling isn't very high given his limited offensive contributions.
Source: Renaud Lavoie
Source: Renaud Lavoie
Drake Batherson Signs Largest Contract in Senators History
Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson signed an eight-year contract extension with the team on Tuesday. It's a historic deal, as the Senators handed out the largest contract in franchise history. The contract starts in 2026-27 and pays Batherson $86 million. Batherson, who turned 28 in April, has spent his entire career in Ottawa and has steadily improved each year. He finished last season with a career-high 71 points (33 goals, 38 assists) in 79 games. Batherson also delivered 122 hits, adding to his fantasy appeal.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Sabres Re-Sign Noah Ostlund for Eight Years
Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund signed an eight-year, $52.8 million contract extension on Monday. He will complete his entry-level contract in 2026-27, before the new deal kicks in. Ostlund made a strong impression during his rookie campaign, amassing 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 60 outings. After averaging only 13:58 of ice time last season, he is expected to take on a larger role. The Sabres are reportedly planning to use Ostlund in the top six, either as a center or a winger. A regular spot on a scoring line would significantly increase Ostlund's fantasy value.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mason McTavish Eager to Prove Himself After Anaheim Exit
St. Louis Blues forward Mason McTavish feels he has a point to prove in 2026-27. "Yeah, I think I have a chip on my shoulder, for sure," McTavish told Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. "I'm not happy with the way things went in Anaheim. I enjoyed my time there; it was awesome, guys were great, but at the same time, they traded me. That's something I'm passionate about and want to get better. I'm looking forward to doing that here." McTavish arrived in St. Louis in exchange for a pair of first-round picks in June. The Ducks traded him less than 12 months after signing him to a six-year, $42 million contract extension. McTavish is expected to play an important role on his new team as the second-line center and a power-play contributor.
Source: Jeremy Rutherford
Source: Jeremy Rutherford
Teammate Backs Elias Pettersson to Return to Elite Form
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson has gone through a couple of tough campaigns, but teammate Brock Boeser is confident he'll regain his superstar level in 2026-27. "Seems like he's in a great headspace," Canucks winger Boeser said about Pettersson at the NHL/NHLPA player media tour. "Way better than the last few years." Pettersson had a 102-point campaign in 2022-23 before signing an eight-year, $92.8 million extension in 2024, the largest contract in Canucks history. Since then, his performance level has dropped significantly, as Pettersson has averaged only 0.70 points per game. After posting three consecutive 30-goal years, he has scored 30 goals combined over the last two campaigns. A resurgence from Pettersson would greatly benefit the Canucks and help many fantasy teams.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Seth Jarvis Progressing as Planned in Shoulder Surgery Recovery
Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (shoulder) is on track in his recovery from offseason surgery, Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer reports. The 24-year-old underwent shoulder surgery in late June and was ruled out for 4-6 months. He's hoping to return to action in late October or early November. Jarvis has posted three consecutive 30-goal and 60-point campaigns despite dealing with a shoulder injury over the past couple of years. With the issue behind him, the versatile forward could take his game to a new level.
Source: Chip Alexander
Source: Chip Alexander
Carson Soucy Signs Tryout Deal With Blue Jackets
Defenseman Carson Soucy will join the Columbus Blue Jackets for training camp after signing a professional tryout contract. The 32-year-old became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after splitting the 2025-26 season between the two New York teams. He began the year with the Rangers before being traded to the Islanders for a third-round draft pick in January. Overall, Soucy made 76 appearances, recording 12 points (five goals, seven assists), 62 SOG, 91 blocks, and 105 hits. Soucy could add experience and physicality to Columbus' blue line in 2026-27, but he has no fantasy value.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Maple Leafs Invite Nick Blankenburg to Camp
Defenseman Nick Blankenburg has agreed to a professional tryout contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun reports. Blankenburg has been without a standard contract late in the offseason despite playing 60-plus regular-season games in back-to-back campaigns. He split the 2025-26 season between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, registering 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists), 72 SOG, 59 blocks, and 55 hits. The 28-year-old will compete for a bottom-pairing role during training camp.
Source: Lance Hornby
Source: Lance Hornby
Zachary Bolduc Signs Contract Extension With Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens winger Zachary Bolduc has re-signed with the team on a four-year contract. He landed a $16.8 million deal as a restricted free agent. The Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues last offseason. In 2025-26, he recorded 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 78 outings and led all Canadiens forwards with 170 hits. Coming off back-to-back 30-point campaigns, Bolduc will look to find the next gear in 2026-27. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect a big leap, as Bolduc will likely be limited to a bottom-six role.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Connor Ingram Announces Retirement at 29
Goaltender Connor Ingram has announced his retirement from professional hockey. He spent five seasons in the NHL, winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey in 2024. Early in his career, Ingram battled with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, which led to excessive drinking. He had his strongest campaign in 2023-24 with the Arizona Coyotes, posting a 23-21-3 record. Ingram also did a good job with the Edmonton Oilers last season, going 16-10-3 across 30 starts. He has a 55-54-18 career record, with a 3.01 goals-against average, a .901 save percentage, and nine shutouts.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
John Klingberg Retires From NHL
Defenseman John Klingberg has announced his retirement from the NHL. He will hang up his skates after 700 regular-season games in a 12-year NHL career. Klingberg played eight seasons with the Dallas Stars, becoming an All-Star in 2018. The Swedish rearguard, who recently turned 34, became a journeyman in his later years. He spent his final season in 2025-26 with the San Jose Sharks. Since leaving Dallas, Klingberg has had a tough time with injuries and skated in only 56 games last season. He totaled 443 regular-season points (92 goals, 351 assists) during his time in the NHL, the eighth-most among Swedish defensemen all-time.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Max Domi to Miss Start of Training Camp
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi (back) will sit out the start of training camp next week. According to Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka, Domi remains "out indefinitely" due to complications from offseason surgery. Domi played through injury last season but missed only two games. He recorded 12 goals and 36 points. Because he is still recovering from surgery, Domi may also miss some time at the start of the regular season. Toronto will open its season on Sept. 29 at home against the Montreal Canadiens.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Sean Monahan Fully Healthy Ahead of New Season
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is fully healthy for the start of the season, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports. Monahan was banged up all year last season and struggled to perform. After being a point-per-game guy in 2024-25, the 31-year-old tallied only 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 78 games. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said Monahan is feeling "great" ahead of the new campaign. He didn't require any surgeries to get healthy. With no injuries, Monahan could comfortably reach 50-60 points in 2026-27.
Source: Mark Scheig
Source: Mark Scheig
Dylan Larkin Will Join Red Wings for Camp Despite Trade Request
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin will report to training camp despite requesting a trade this offseason, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. Larkin hasn't gotten his desired move away from Motown, but he could very well start the season with the Red Wings. However, the 2026 Olympic champion won't be the team captain anymore after the Red Wings announced that they will begin the campaign without a captain. In 2026-27, Larkin will aim to post his sixth consecutive 30-goal season. He has notched at least 67 points in each of the past five seasons.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
