NHL News

Justin Danforth • RW • Blue Jackets

Justin Danforth Recovering From Wrist Surgery

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Justin Danforth (wrist) will miss the start of training camp. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has revealed that Danforth had off-season wrist surgery and is still having trouble stickhandling. He's scheduled for a doctor's appointment on Monday, which will determine Danforth's recovery time. Danforth broke into the NHL a few campaigns back after playing overseas. He has totaled 43 points (22 goals, 21 assists) in 122 career games. 2023-24 was by far his most productive season, as Danforth notched 10 goals and 26 points in 71 outings. He could play a decent role again in 2024-25, with Waddell openly admitting the team is short on forwards.

12 hours ago

Artturi Lehkonen • LW • Avalanche

Artturi Lehkonen Will Be Limited In Training Camp

Colorado Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) will not participate fully at the start of training camp. Lehkonen is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and with teammate Nathan MacKinnon saying Lehkonen is "not starting the season" in the Avalanche lineup, it looks like it might take a while until the Finnish forward is ready for game action. Health issues also disrupted Lehkonen's 2023-24 campaign, as he was limited to 45 appearances. The 29-year-old notched 16 goals and 34 points. Youngsters like Calum Ritchie and Nikolai Kovalenko are expected to have an opportunity to impress during the preseason, with Lehkonen unavailable.

12 hours ago

Evander Kane • LW • Oilers

Evander Kane To Undergo Sports-Hernia Surgery

Edmonton Oilers left wing Evander Kane (sports hernia) is scheduled to undergo surgery in the next 10 days, Sportsnet's Mark Spector reported Friday. Kane played through a sports hernia all season last year and will now get the issue fixed surgically. It's not yet clear how much time Kane will miss due to the surgery, but he looks set to start the season on Injured Reserve. Kane put up 24 goals and 44 points in 77 games last season. His scoring average of 0.57 points per game marked the lowest he's had since the 2015-16 campaign.

13 hours ago

Ilya Sorokin • G • Islanders

Ilya Sorokin To Miss Start Of Training Camp Due To Upper-Body Injury

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (upper body) will miss the start of training camp. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has revealed Sorokin suffered an upper-body injury during offseason training. Sorokin is skating, and the team currently has no worries regarding his status for the season opener on Oct. 10 versus Utah. While he remains among the top goaltenders in the world, Sorokin had an inconsistent campaign last term, recording a career-worst 3.01 goals-against average and also finishing with his worst-ever save percentage at .908. Many expect Sorokin to bounce back in style in 2024-25 as he starts the first year of his big eight-year, $66 million extension.

13 hours ago

Beckett Sennecke • RW • Ducks

Beckett Sennecke Out Of Walking Boot

Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (foot) is no longer using a walking boot and could be ready for action in 2-4 weeks. The Ducks initially ruled him out for 6-8 weeks after Sennecke fractured his foot. The updated timeline means Sennecke might be ready to hit the ice in the final couple of preseason games. However, it's still unlikely Sennecke will battle out a roster spot for the 2024-25 NHL campaign. The 18-year-old forward was Anaheim's highest draft pick this summer, going off the board as the third-overall pick.

13 hours ago

Luke Hughes • D • Devils

Luke Hughes Out 6-8 Weeks

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (shoulder) has been ruled out for 6-8 weeks. Hughes is recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the month. Luckily, Hughes has escaped surgery, but he will miss time at the start of the 2024-25 regular season. Once he's back in the lineup, Hughes will try to produce a strong sophomore year after being among the top scoring rookies last term. Hughes registered 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) in 82 outings, finishing behind only Chicago's Connor Bedard (61) in scoring among first-year players. The 21-year-old posted the third-most power-play points on the team (25), so the Devil could struggle with the man advantage early in the new campaign.

13 hours ago

Brock Boeser • RW • Canucks

Brock Boeser Cleared To Play After Blood-Clotting Issue

Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (illness) has been cleared to play after recovering from a blood clot in his leg. Boeser missed the team's final playoff game last season due to the health issue. The 27-year-old was on blood thinners for a few months after the issue appeared, but he has now been cleared for contract training. Boeser had a big year in 2023-24 with 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games. He followed it up by averaging a point per game across 12 playoff outings. The American winger should be eager to keep up the form in the upcoming campaign, as Boeser will enter the final year of his contract.

3 days ago

Adam Larsson • D • Kraken

Adam Larsson Signs Four-Year, $21 Million Extension

Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson has inked a four-year, $21 million extension. The 31-year-old has spent three campaigns with the Kraken, registering 76 points (20 goals, 56 assists) in 245 games with 464 blocks and 567 hits. Larsson had a down year offensively last term with an 18-point effort but ranked second on the team with 151 blocks and was fourth with 162 hits. With the team looking stronger than last year, Larsson should be able to boost his offensive numbers in 2024-25. He's locked into a spot on the top defensive pairing, playing next to Vince Dunn.

3 days ago

Quinn Hughes • D • Canucks

Quinn Hughes Wants To Crack 20-Goal Barrier

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes believes he can become a 20-goal scorer in 2024-25. "I felt like I missed a lot of scoring opportunities last year," Hughes told Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre. "And even though my goal-scoring spiked, I think it can spike again. This whole summer, I worked on goal-scoring - goal-scoring from the dot, goal-scoring from the top of the circles. So I think I can score more. I think that I can score 20 goals." Hughes had a superb campaign last season, putting up 17 goals and 92 points in 82 games. In terms of goal-scoring, his previous best stood at eight markers, and Hughes also crushed his overall scoring record. The 24-year-old is set to be among the top blue-liner producers again in 2024-25.

4 days ago

Kirby Dach • C • Canadiens

Kirby Dach Skates With Teammates On Monday

Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (knee) took part in an informal skate ahead of the start of training camp on Monday. The 23-year-old was limited to only two appearances last season due to a knee injury. He underwent surgery in October after tearing his ACL and MCL. It's a nasty injury for any athlete, but it looks like Dach's rehab has gone well, and he should be raring to go for the new campaign. The former third-overall pick has steadily improved since making his NHL debut in 2019-20, and a further step forward will be expected from Dach in 2024-25.

4 days ago

Thomas Chabot • D • Senators

Thomas Chabot Feeling Good After Playing Two Seasons With Wrist Issue

Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (wrist) will be fully healthy for the first time in a long while when the puck drops for the 2024-25 NHL campaign. The talented blue-liner has been dealing with a wrist issue over the past couple of years, but he underwent surgery in May and has said the wrist is now "pretty much good." Chabot, who was an All-Star in 2019, suited up for 51 games last season, notching nine goals and 21 assists. His productivity should improve in 2024-25 if he stays clear of further health issues.

4 days ago

Tim Stützle • LW • Senators

Tim Stutzle Ready To Go For New Season

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle (shoulder) has declared himself fully healthy ahead of the new NHL campaign. Stutzle missed the final seven regular-season games in 2023-24 with a shoulder injury. However, after receiving treatment "every day for the last three months," the 22-year-old rising star is ready to go for the start of 2024-25. Stutzle had a down year last season but still put up a respectable 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) across 75 games. He was reportedly troubled by his shoulder throughout the campaign and had a wrist injury early on, so Stutzle could be ready for a big bounce-back year now that he's back at 100 percent.

4 days ago

Beckett Sennecke • RW • Ducks

Beckett Sennecke Ruled Out For 6-8 Weeks

Anaheim Ducks winger Beckett Sennecke (foot) has been ruled out for 6-8 weeks after he suffered a foot fracture during offseason training. Sennecke was the third pick in this year's draft. The 18-year-old signed an entry-level deal with the Ducks in July. However, the injury means that he will have to wait for his debut in the big league. Sennecke has proven himself to be a very skillful playmaker with 76 assists through 124 career OHL appearances with the Oshawa Generals. He's added 47 goals to average close to a point per game with the team.

Sep 6

Marshall Rifai • D • Maple Leafs

Marshall Rifai Signs Two-Year Extension With Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Marshall Rifai has inked a two-year extension. He will carry an annual average value of $775,000 on the deal, which will kick in from the 2025-26 campaign. Rifai made his first two NHL appearances last term, averaging 11:40 of ice time across a couple of regular-season contests in February. The 26-year-old notched 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 57 AHL games with the Toronto Marlies. Following a quiet regular season on the offensive front, Rifai exploded for three goals and four points in three AHL playoff games. Rifai provides depth at the back for the Maple Leafs and isn't expected to make the roster for the start of the season.

Sep 6

Oskar Sundqvist • C • Blues

Oskar Sundqvist Resumes Skating

St. 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.

Sep 6

Thatcher Demko • G • Canucks

Thatcher Demko Resumes Skating

Vancouver 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.

Sep 3

Brad Marchand • LW • Bruins

Brad Marchand Has Multiple Offseason Surgeries

Boston 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.

Sep 3

Torey Krug • D • Blues

Torey Krug To Miss Season Due To Ankle Surgery

St. 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.

Sep 3

Leon Draisaitl • C • Oilers

Leon Draisaitl Signs Eight-Year Extension With Oilers

Edmonton 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.

Sep 3

Tyler Johnson • C • Bruins

Tyler Johnson Signs Professional Tryout Agreement With Bruins

Two-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.

Sep 2

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