NHL News

Jani Hakanpaa • D • Maple Leafs

Jani Hakanpaa Confident He Can Overcome Knee Issue

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (knee) believes he can return to action and make an impact in 2024-25. Hakanpaa has been out since March with a knee injury, and there have been fears that he might not be able to continue playing. The Maple Leafs only recently made his signing official on a one-year contract despite there being reports at the start of free agency of a two-year deal with the Finnish rearguard. "In my mind, It's been clear that I'm going to get back, said Hakanpaa on Monday. "It's a little bit of a roller coaster almost. There's good days, bad days, but I think that underlying trust that it's going to happen eventually has always been there." Hakanpaa has made 288 appearances in the NHL since making his debut in 2019-20, recording 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) with 453 blocks and 898 hits.

1 hour ago

Alex Ovechkin • LW • Capitals

Alex Ovechkin Exits Informal Skate In Pain

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin left Monday's informal skate session just minutes after it began. According to Sammi Silber of The Hockey News, Ovechkin had just finished stretching and warming up and was taking part in the team's first drill when he suddenly pulled up and winced in apparent discomfort. Silber suggests Ovechkin's exit could have been precautionary, but we should know more on Thursday when the Capitals captain is scheduled to speak on media day. Ovechkin, who turned 39 on Tuesday, will continue to chase Wayne Gretzky's goals record in the 2024-25 campaign. He will need to find the net 42 more times to get past The Great One. Ovechkin had a down year last term with 31 goals and 65 points in 79 outings but did get 42 goals in 73 appearances just two seasons ago while averaging over a point per game.

1 hour ago

Lucas Raymond • LW • Red Wings

Lucas Raymond Inks Eight-Year Extension

Detroit Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond has agreed a long-term extension with the team, signing up for eight more years on a contract worth $64.6 million. The cap hit on Raymond's contract will stand at $8.075 million. The 22-year-old was a restricted free agent after coming off a three-year entry-level deal. Raymond bounced back from a down year in 2023-24, scoring a team-high 72 points (31 goals, 41 assists) in 82 outings. Through 238 career games, the Swedish winger boasts 174 points (71 goals, 103 assists). After being selected as the fourth-overall pick in the 2020 draft, Raymond has developed into one of the Red Wings' best players, but he should still have plenty more room to grow.

2 hours ago

Sidney Crosby • C • Penguins

Sidney Crosby Signs Two-Year Extension With Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby has signed a two-year extension. The legendary centerman is set to enter the final year of his current deal and will continue to carry a $8.7 million cap hit when the new contract kicks in next season. Crosby's new deal gives the team a good amount of flexibility to build a strong team around him. He will be desperate to get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after missing the postseason two years on the bounce. The Penguins have taken a step back recently, but Crosby has remained in top form even at 37. He will enter 2024-25 on the back of two consecutive 90-point campaigns.

2 hours ago

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.

2 days 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.

2 days 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.

2 days 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.

2 days 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.

2 days 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.

2 days 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.

6 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.

6 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.

7 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.

7 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.

7 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.

7 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

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