NHL Hockey Player News

Poitras missed the final portion of training camp and preseason games due to a lower-body injury, but he will return to the lineup to make his season debut on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. After taking encouraging steps by playing 33 games in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons in Boston, Poitras was limited to just three NHL games in 2025-26, spending most of the season with Providence (AHL), where he scored 44 points (13G / 31A) in 69 games.

Jeremy Swayman had a miserable 2024-25 season after signing a massive eight-year contract extension, posting an ugly 3.11 GAA and .892 SV% in 58 games (22-29-7). There were concerns in the organization regarding the contract, but he followed that up with a solid 2025-26 season, posting a 2.71 GAA and .907 SV% in 55 games (31-18-4). Now, the 27-year-old goalie seems to be continuing his upward trajectory, opening the season with a 1.47 GAA and .947 SV% through his first two games (2-0-0). The Bruins enter the action on Monday as +105 home underdogs against the Ottawa Senators.

Crozier has not played in either of Tampa Bay's first two games, but he will make his debut on Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 26-year-old defenseman played a career-high 35 games with Tampa Bay last season, averaging 16:01 time-on-ice and scoring 10 points (1G / 9A).

James is recovering from a broken hand that sidelined him for the entirety of training camp, but he could make his return to the lineup on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. The 24-year-old forward made his NHL debut last season, tallying 15 points (7G / 8A) in 43 games with Tampa Bay.

Lilleberg exited Saturday's game due to an undisclosed injury and is expected to remain sidelined for at least a week. The 25-year-old Norwegian defenseman played 50 games last season with the Lightning, tallying 12 points (4G / 8A) and averaging a career-high 17:18 time on ice.

With Jake Sanderson (lower body) expected to miss at least two more games, Ottawa has recalled Donovan from Belleville (AHL). The 22-year-old defenseman has spent the past two seasons playing primarily in the AHL. He scored 21 points (4G / 17A) in 61 games last season with Belleville.

It's believed that Sanderson was sent back to Ottawa to undergo further testing on a lower-body injury that he suffered in the Senators' season opener win in Toronto. If he did return to Ottawa, he will obviously miss Monday's game in Boston and Tuesday's game in Detroit. Expect an update prior to Thursday's game vs. the Flyers and look for Thomas Chabot to move to PP1.

With Connor Hellebuyck (suspended) away from the team after his highly publicized trade request, the Jets needed reinforcements in goal. As such, they claimed Stevenson off waivers last week from the Washington Capitals. The 27-year-old Stevenson is an undrafted goalie who hasn't seen much NHL action, but was terrific in the AHL last season, posting a 2.62 GAA and .912 SV% in 37 games (18-13-3) with the Hershey Bears. In five career NHL games (3-2-0) over the past two seasons, he has a 2.60 GAA and .906 SV%. The Jets enter Monday's contest as +157 road underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has outscored its opposition 13-5 through two games this season (2-0-0).

With Vancouver on a back-to-back, Kevin Lankinen will start on Sunday as the Canucks host Vegas. The 31-year-old has had a horrendous start to his 2026-27 season despite his 1-1-0 record, evident by his 8.66 GAA and .789 SV%. He will look to bounce back on Sunday vs. a tough matchup in Vegas, who is 1-1-0 and averaging 4.0 goals per game.

Hill makes his first regular-season start since April 9th as Vegas calls upon him in Vancouver on Sunday. The 30-year-old struggled to find his game in 2025-26, posting a 10-9-6 record alongside a dreadful 3.04 GAA and .871 SV%. He will head to Vancouver on Sunday and hope to bounce back in his first start of the season against a Canucks team that leads the NHL in goals for (17).

Fleury made his season debut on Saturday but will find himself in the press box on Sunday as Seattle takes on Calgary. The 27-year-old will be replaced by Ville Ottavainen on Seattle's backend.

Ottavainen will make his second career NHL appearance and first of the young 2026-27 campaign as he replaces Cale Fleury on Seattle's defensive unit on Sunday vs. Calgary. The 24-year-old towering Finnish defenseman last appeared in the NHL two seasons ago in 2024-25, picking up an assist in his only game played.

Meyers will be the odd man out of Seattle's lineup on Sunday as the team opts for more size with Curtis Douglas vs. Calgary. Meyers made his season debut on Saturday but failed to put up any counting stats across 10:59 TOI.

Douglas was a scratch for Seattle's game on Saturday but finds himself back in the lineup on Sunday vs. Calgary as he replaces Ben Meyers. The 26-year-old towering forward only logged 5:58 TOI in Seattle's season opener and is expected to play a similar, limited role on Sunday.

Hanley made his season debut on Saturday in Vancouver but will be a healthy scratch on Sunday as Yan Kuznetsov returns to the lineup. Hanley appeared in 24 shifts in his debut, picking up a -2 plus/minus while logging 16:18 TOI.

A day after being a healthy scratch, Yan Kuznetsov is expected to rejoin Calgary's lineup in Seattle as he takes the spot of Joel Hanley on the Flames' second pairing. The 24-year-old appeared in 57 games last season, picking up four goals, 12 points and 28 PIMs.

Forsling appeared in Florida's season opener, scoring an overtime goal, but has not dressed since due to an upper-body injury and will return on Sunday in Anaheim. The 30-year-old is coming off a two goal, 28 point season in 2025-26 and is a welcome return to Florida's lineup after they announced Aaron Ekblad was out Sunday.

Othmann made his season debut on Saturday but will be the odd man out of Calgary's lineup in Seattle on Sunday as Connor Zary returns. Othmann will hope to find himself in the lineup more than not after being acquired from New York late last season and putting up two points in two games with the Flames.

Despite picking up an assist in Calgary's opening night loss, Connor Zary found himself a healthy scratch in Saturday's game vs. Vancouver, but will return to the lineup on Sunday in Seattle. The 25-year-old will hope to remain in the lineup after appearing in 75 games with the Flames last season, with 12 goals and 25 points.

Ekblad's injury comes as a bit of a surprise on Sunday after Florida announced their top defenseman would be out due to an undisclosed injury vs. Anaheim. The 30-year-old has been known to miss time due to injury throughout his career, appearing in 72 games last season.