With Terry's return not scheduled until mid-November at the earliest, the Anaheim Ducks have placed the 29-year-old winger on LTIR to start the season with a hip injury. Terry is entering his 10th NHL season and has not appeared in fewer than 60 games in any of the last five seasons. He enjoyed an impressive, yet shortened campaign in 2025-26, with 19 goals and 57 points across 61 games played.
Helleson will miss at least the next two games after Anaheim announced the 25-year-old had been placed on IR with a lower-body injury on Wednesday. The third-year pro is entering an important season, with the Ducks having never appeared in more than 60 games in any of his first two campaigns. When eligible to return, he will look to build off the two goals and 15 points he put up across 60 games last season.
Groulx was a healthy scratch for Toronto's season opener vs. Montreal on Tuesday but finds himself back in the lineup for his season debut Wednesday vs. the Islanders. Toronto has yet to announce who the 26-year-old will replace in the lineup. Groulx appeared in 13 for the Maple Leafs last season, picking up three goals, and five points alongside his +4 plus/minus.
After a 3-2 loss to Montreal on their opening night, Toronto will look to bounce back Wednesday as they host New York with Anthony Stolarz between the pipes. The 32-year-old towering netminder missed most of 2025-26 due to a wide array of injuries and will look to bounce back this season after just 25 starts a year ago. He will hope to start 2026-27 on the right foot on Wednesday vs. the Islanders, after posting a nine-year career-low SV% of .893 last year.
Despite missing most of the preseason with an upper-body injury, Dan Vladar will take the crease for Philadelphia's season opener on Wednesday vs. Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old is entering his seventh NHL season and second in Philadelphia after an impressive breakout campaign in 2025-26, where he posted a 29-14-7 record, 2.42 GAA and .906 SV%. He will host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, who finished 2025-26 2nd in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points and a 41-25-16 record.
With Thatcher Demko starting the season on injured reserve, Kevin Lankinen is expected to occupy Vancouver's opening night crease in Edmonton on Tuesday. The 31-year-old is entering his seventh NHL season after a dreadful 2025-26 campaign where he posted a 11-27-5 record, with a 3.70 GAA and.875 SV%. He will head to Edmonton to take on the tough task of the Oilers at home, who posted a 22-14-5 record on home ice last season.
After starting 51 games in 2025-26, Igor Shesterkin is unsurprisingly expected to start New York's season opener in Boston on Tuesday. The 30-year-old is entering his eighth NHL season after posting a 25-19-6 record last season with a 2.50 GAA and a .912 SV%. He will head to TD Garden for a tough road matchup in Boston, which went 29-11-1 at home during the 2025-26 regular season.
The Canadiens called Demidov day-to-day but he will be in the lineup for their season opener in Toronto. Demidov had 19 goals and 43 assists (62 points) in 82 games during his rookie season and is a popular breakout pick for 2026-27.
DeBrusk missed practice on Monday but was back on the ice for Tuesday's morning skate and will play in the season opener in Edmonton. DeBrusk will look to pick up where he left off last season, where he had nine goals in his final 13 game.
Markstrom was acquired in the offseason from New Jersey in a five-player deal and will get the crease for Florida's opening night matchup in Carolina on Tuesday. The 36-year-old is entering his 17th NHL season with his fifth organization and will hope for some better luck in Florida after posting an ugly 23-19-1 record, .883 SV% and 3.07 GAA last season. He will head to Raleigh to take on last year's Stanley Cup Champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Jost signed a one-year, two-way contract on Monday after a successful PTO in the preseason and was assigned to Milwaukee (AHL) on Tuesday after clearing waivers. The 28-year-old is entering his 11th NHL season and his second with Nashville after putting up eight goals and 16 points in 69 games played last season.
Despite having a shot to crack Minnesota's opening night lineup, Charlie Stramel has been reassigned to Iowa (AHL) for the start of the 2025-26 season. The 21-year-old centre is Minnesota's 2023 1st-round pick (21st overall) and had 19 goals and 44 points in 37 games with Michigan State (NCAA) last season.
After signing a three-year, $21 million contract with Toronto in the offseason, Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to make his Maple Leafs debut on Tuesday vs. Montreal. The 38-year-old is entering his 17th NHL season after eight successful years in Florida and will hope to bounce back to his Vezina-worthy ways after posting an ugly 27-23-1 record with a .877 SV% and 3.07 GAA in 52 appearances last season. Bobrovsky will host Toronto's Original Six rival in Montreal, which finished third in the Atlantic Division in 2025-26, posting a strong 48-24-10 record.
With Thatcher Demko starting the season on injured reserve, Kevin Lankinen is expected to occupy Vancouver's opening night crease in Edmonton on Tuesday. The 31-year-old is entering his seventh NHL season after a dreadful 2025-26 campaign where he posted a 11-27-5 record, with a 3.70 GAA and.875 SV%. He will head to Edmonton to take on the tough task of the Oilers at home, who posted a 22-14-5 record on home ice last season.
Marchenko's status for Toronto's season opener vs. Montreal was up in the air as the 26-year-old dealt with Visa issues after his trade on Monday, but it has been confirmed the star forward will dress and make his Maple Leafs' debut. Marchenko signed a six-year, $12.5 million AAV extension after being acquired from Columbus on Monday and is hopeful to build off his 27-goal, 67-point season across 76 games played last season.
After starting 55 games in 2025-26, Spencer Knight is unsurprisingly expected to take the crease for Chicago's season opener in Vegas after occupying the starter's crease at morning skate. The 25-year-old American netminder enjoyed an up-and-down season in his first campaign as Chicago's starter last year, posting a 19-25-11 record, 2.82 GAA and .902 SV%. He will head to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights, who are coming off a Game 6 loss to Carolina in the Stanley Cup Final last season.
L'Heureux is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury that he suffered late in the preseason. L'Heureux missed the final two preseason games on Friday and Saturday, and then also missed Sunday's practice session. He's considered day-to-day and will miss Colorado's opener vs. Los Angeles on Wednesday.
