Dallas placed Blackwell on waivers before the start of the 2026-27 season to stay cap-compliant, but he has been recalled from Texas after clearing. The 33-year-old forward played a career-high 70 games with Dallas last season, scoring 15 points (4G / 11A).
Hyry was recalled by Dallas late in the 2025-26 season and made an immediate impact in their bottom six while excelling on the penalty kill and in the face-off circle. The 25-year-old Finnish forward has six points (3G / 3A) in 25 career NHL games.
With Jake Allen and Nico Daws as their goaltending tandem at the start of the 2026-27 season, it's unclear who the Devils will rely on more, but they will turn to Allen in their season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 36-year-old Allen has started 35 or fewer games in six of his past seven seasons. He had a 2.74 GAA and .903 SV% in 37 appearances in 2025-26 (17-17-2). The Devils enter Thursday's contest as -168 home favourites against a Flyers team coming off a dreadful 7-0 season opener last night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Igor Shesterkin is by far the highest-paid goalie in the NHL ($11.568M AAV), and the Rangers will need him to play at that level if they have any intention of having a successful 2026-27 season. The 30-year-old Shesterkin was serviceable in his season opener, saving 20 of 22 shots (.909 SV%), but received no goal support, a regularity last season as well, falling 3-0 to the Boston Bruins. Shesterkin had a solid 2.50 GAA and .912 SV% in 51 games last season (25-19-6), but the Rangers still finished last place in the Eastern Conference. They enter Thursday's contest as +127 home underdogs against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Jet Greaves impressed in his first full NHL season in 2025-26, recording a solid 2.60 GAA and .908 SV% in 55 games (26-19-9). The 25-year-old goalie is expected to lead the way between the pipes for the Blue Jackets in 2026-27, with newly acquired veteran Cam Talbot serving as his backup. The Blue Jackets fell just short of a playoff spot last season, and will need Greaves to showcase his talents again if they have any intention of returning to the postseason. The Blue Jackets enter their season opener as slight -100 home underdogs against the Buffalo Sabres.
Regula did not participate in training camp for the Oilers, and will miss at least a month after being placed on long-term Injured Reserve. The 26-year-old Regula provided depth on Edmonton's blueline last season, averaging 14:28 time-on-ice and scoring three assists in 29 games.
Savoie did not participate in training camp due to an undisclosed injury, and is roughly eight weeks away from returning according to Head Coach Mike Babcock. The 22-year-old is coming off a strong rookie season in 2025-26 where he had 18-goals, 37 points and 25 PIMs in 82 games played.
Nugent-Hopkins went down in practice on Monday with a lower-body injury. The 33-year-old is entering his 16th NHL season and is expected to approximately miss the first two weeks of the regular season. He was replaced by Vasily Podkolzin on Edmonton's top power-play unit in their opening game of the season.
Gilbert has spent most of his career in the AHL, but injuries on Buffalo's blueline have earned him a call-up from Rochester (AHL) to start the season. The 29-year-old defenseman spent the 2025-26 season with the Ottawa Senators organization, playing 31 games with Belleville (AHL).
After three consecutive seasons finishing in the top five in Vezina Trophy voting, Juuse Saros has strung together consecutive disappointing seasons, ending with a sub-900 SV% for the first time in his career. The 31-year-old finishing goalie hopes to return to form in 2026-27 as he opens the season for the Predators between the pipes against the Minnesota Wild. Nashville enters the action as +125 home underdogs.
Despite losing the starting gig to Anton Forsberg late last season, Darcy Kuemper is expected to start Los Angeles' season opener on Wednesday in Colorado. The 36-year-old struggled toward the end of last season, posting an .853 SV% and a 2-1-5 record in the final eight games of the season, but will look to start a new chapter in 2026-27, his third season with the Kings. He draws the tough task of the Avalanche in Colorado on Wednesday, the same team Kuemper won a Stanley Cup with in 2021-22.
To no one's surprise, Ilya Sorokin was the first goalie off the ice at New York's final preseason practice, suggesting the 31-year-old will be the Islanders' opening-night starter when they take on the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Wednesday. Sorokin is entering his seventh NHL season and sixth as New York's starting netminder after posting a 29-24-2 record last season, along with a 2.68 GAA, .906 SV%, and league-leading seven shutouts.
