NHL Hockey Player News

Jankowski struggled in 2020, going from 32 points in 2019 to just seven points (5G / 2A) in 56 games last year. Jankowski moves on to Pittsburgh, where he is expected to serve as the third line centre behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He has bounce-back potential but won't be anywhere near fantasy lineups.

Rodrigues was acquired from Buffalo last February and then his rights were flipped to Toronto in the Kasperi Kapanen deal this summer. Toronto did not tender the RFA, so he was free to re-join the Penguins on Friday. Rodrigues had six goals and four assists (10 points) in 45 NHL games last year and GM Jim Rutherford said on Friday that he'll be on the third line with Mark Jankowski and Jared McCann to start 2021.

After one season with the Flyers, Pitlick hit the open market, signing a two-year deal with the Coyotes. Pitlick provides very little offence but has good size (6-foot, 200 lbs) and fills an important role in the Coyotes' bottom-6. Pitlick led all Flyers' forwards with 132 hits while chipping in 20 points (8G / 12A) in 63 games.

Wennberg was bought out by the Blue Jackets yesterday but signed a one-year "show me" deal with the Panthers. In Florida, Wennberg has a perfect opportunity to serve as their second line centre and get back to his point producing ways. He has not topped 30 points in two straight seasons but registered a career-high 59 points (13G / 46A) in 2017.

Salomaki was drafted in the second-round in 2011 and spent the first six and half seasons of his career in their organization before being traded to Toronto last February. Salomaki will likely start 2021 in the AHL, where he had seven goals and 12 assists (19 points) in 49 games with Milwaukee and Toronto last year.

Greco bounced around the AHL last season, combining for 11 goals and 13 assists (24 points) in 47 games with Springfield, Syracuse and San Jose. Greco will start the 2021 season with Hartford (AHL).

Murray was acquired from the Penguins on Wednesday and signed a four-year extension this afternoon. The signing makes Murray the seventh-highest paid goalie in the NHL for the 2021 season. Last year, Murray was tied for 34th in GAA (2.87) and tied for 45th in SV% (.899 SV%), so he has a lot of work to do to earn this contract.

After being allowed to hit the open market, Khudobin circled back and re-signed with the Stars. At the age of 34 and after an 11-year career, this is the longest contract that he's ever signed. A season ago, Khudobin led the NHL with a .930 SV% and and had a 2.69 GAA and .917 SV% in 25 playoff starts during the Stars run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Given Ben Bishop's injury history, Khudobin figures to a get a good number of starts again in 2021, making him a low-end No.2/high-end No.3 fantasy netminder.

Kinkaid is a New York native, who provides some veteran organizational depth after the buyout of Henrik Lundqvist. Kinkaid spent most of last season in the AHL, where he had an .888 SV% in 17 games with Laval and Charlotte (AHL). Kinkaid has a career .905 SV% in the NHL with the Devils and Canadiens.

Griffith has been terrific at the AHL-level since he turned pro in 2014 but has had very little success in the NHL. Most recently, Griffith had 41 points (21G / 20A) in 58 games with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) and will likely start 2021 in Bakersfield (AHL).

Forsberg signs with the Oilers to provide organizational depth at the position. The 27-year-old will likely be the starter in Bakersfield (AHL) after going 15-9-2 with a 2.95 GAA and .905 SV% in 27 games with the Charlotte Checkers a season ago.

After spending the last three seasons in the Predators' organization, Blackwell hit the open market on Friday and signed on with the Rangers. In New York he could have a tough time cracking the opening night roster but he's a hard-working winger that could serve a role in the bottom-6 if injuries pop up. He had 10 points (3G / 7A) in 27 games with the Predators in 2020.

Robinson had another strong season in the AHL in 2020, scoring 18 goals with 14 assists (32 points) in 45 games. In his first two years with Stockton, he's compiled 32 goals and 42 assists (74 points) in 110 games. He earned a late-season call-up and will be a fringe roster player to start 2021.

Cramarossa has been stuck in the AHL for the last three seasons and will likely remain there in 2021. He is a 6-foot, 195 lbs. winger who had just 12 points (5G / 7A) and 110 PIMS in 42 games with the Rockford IceHogs in 2020.

Rooney signed with the New Jersey Devils out of Providence College and spent the first five years of his career in that organization. The 27-year-old was a regular NHLer in 2020, scoring four goals and five assists (nine points) in 49 games. He will be a borderline roster player on a deep Rangers team and could start the year in Hartford (AHL).

Beaulieu missed the second half of the 2020 season, playing just 38 of the 71 games (53.5%). The offence that he showed at lower-levels has never translated to the NHL but he's a reliable top-4 defenseman for Winnipeg, when he's healthy.

Quine spent most of 2020 with Stockton (AHL), ranking second on the team with 46 points (14G / 32A) in just 38 games. Quine will be a fringe roster player with the Oilers but will help Bakersfield (AHL) if he doesn't make the big club. He has 28 points (10G / 18A) in 106 career NHL games with the Islanders and Flames.

Turris had the final four years of his $6.0M AAV deal bought-out on Wednesday and signs a team-friendly deal to join the Oilers as their third line centre. Turris is an effective two-way centre that can provide some offence and is a nice complementary piece to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. A change of scenery will likely do Turris well and let's not forget that he averaged 23 goals and 33 assists (56 points) per 82 games from 2014-to-2018 while he was with the Senators.s