New Jersey Devils News

Jake Allen will start Saturday in Washington.

Allen will return to the crease for the first time since opening night when he allowed five goals on 42 shots in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sam Montembault has been between the pipes in the two games since but hasn't been significantly more effective in helping the Canadiens shut things down defensively. The Canadiens currently rank 25th in the league, allowing an average of 4.00 goals per game. Working in Allen's favour, he will be facing off against a Washington Capitals team that is off to an abysmal start. After three games (1-2-0), the Capitals rank dead-last offensively, averaging only 1.00 goals per game.

Jake Allen
Erik Haula is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Haula is day-to-day and his status remains unclear for the Devils' next game on Friday against the New York Islanders. So far this season, Haula has primarily centred a third line with Dawson Mercer and Alexander Holtz. He has been very effective in this role and is off to a great start, with three points (2G / 1A), nine shots, and four hits in three games.

Erik Haula
Markstrom will start in Washington on Monday.

Markstrom appears to have a firm grip on his role as a workhorse in the Calgary crease this season. The 33-year-old netminder averaged 61 starts over the last two seasons and has been named the starter for each of the Flames' first three games to begin the 2023-24 campaign. How much fantasy value that role will provide remains to be seen. Markstrom put on an impressive 34-save performance on route to a 5-3 victory over the Jets to open the season, but surrendered four goals on just 28 shots in Saturday's loss to Pittsburgh. The Flames are slight favourites in Washington tonight, so fantasy managers can be hopeful for a bounceback game from Markstrom.

Jacob Markstrom
Markstrom will start Saturday in Pittsburgh.

Markstrom allowed three goals on 37 shots in the Flames' opening night win over the Jets. It was a strong start to the season for Markstorm, who is looking for a bounce-back after a difficult 2022-23 season. He only faced Pittsburgh once last year, stopping 32 of 33 shots in a 4-1 win.

Jacob Markstrom
Markstrom is in the starter's net at the Flames' morning skate.

Markstrom allowed three goals on 37 shots in the Flames' opening night win over the Jets. It was a strong start to the season for Markstorm, who is looking for a bounce-back after a difficult 2022-23 season. He only faced Pittsburgh once last year, stopping 32 of 33 shots in a 4-1 win.

Jacob Markstrom
Jacob Markstrom will start Calgary's season opener vs. Winnipeg.

Markstrom struggled in 2022-23 with a 23-21-12 record, a .892 SV%, and a 2.92 GAA and will take the crease for Calgary's season opener vs. Winnipeg on Wednesday. The 33-year-old veteran is entering his 14th NHL season and fourth with the Flames. He faces the Jets, who finished last season 21st in the NHL in both goals (246) and shots per game (30.3).

Jacob Markstrom
Erik Haula (undisclosed) is day-to-day and a game-time decision for the Devils' season opener Thursday.

Haula is battling an undisclosed injury and his status for the Devils' opening game is uncertain. Last season was Haula's first with the Devils, in which he scored 41 points (14G / 27A) in 80 games. Haula is projected to center a talented third line between Ondrej Palat and Alexander Holtz but if he is unable to play, Michael McLeod might temporarily fill his position.

Erik Haula
Allen will start Wednesday in Toronto.

Allen had an underwhelming preseason, posting a 4.00 GAA and .854 SV% in two games (1-0-0) but will still begin the 2023-24 campaign as the starting goalie for the Montreal Canadiens. In 42 games last season (15-24-3), Allen posted career worsts in GAA (3.55) and SV% (.891), mirroring the Canadiens' 29th-ranked team defence that allowed an average of 3.72 goals per game. However, in his career against the Maple Leafs, Allen sports a respectable 2.60 GAA and .917 SV% in 18 appearances (8-7-0).

Jake Allen
New Jersey has signed Maxwell Willman to a one-year, two-way contract.

Willman played in nine games for Philadelphia in 2022-23 and failed to pick up a point but had nine SOG, four PIMs, and a -3 plus/minus and has officially signed a one-year, two-way deal with New Jersey. The 28-year-old centre has appeared in 50 games for the Flyers over the last two seasons since making his debut in 2021-22 and has four goals, six points, and 16 PIMs on his career. He is expected to start the season with New Jersey's AHL affiliate in Utica.

Maxwell Willman
Colorado has signed Tomas Tatar to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

Tatar had 20 goals, 28 assists, 30 PIMs, 153 SOG, and a +41 plus/minus through 82 games with New Jersey in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1,500,000 contract with Colorado on Tuesday. The 32-year-old will join his fifth NHL team and has 211 goals, 455 points, and 276 PIMs through 783 career games played. It is a great depth signing for the Avalanche as Tatar comes at a cheap price tag and has seven 20+ goal seasons across his 12 years of playing in the NHL.

Tomas Tatar
Jonathan Bernier has retired after 14 NHL seasons with six different teams.

Bernier went 4-4-1 with a .902 SV% and 3.06 GAA through 10 games with New Jersey in 2022-23 and has called it a career Monday after 14 NHL seasons. The 35-year-old goaltender was drafted in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft's 1st round (11th overall) and went on to play for six different teams (LAK, TOR, DET, ANA, COL, NJD) picking up a 165-163-40 record, 2.78 GAA, and .912 SV%.

Jonathan Bernier
The Canadiens acquired Nathan Legare in a three-way trade with the Penguins and Sharks.

Legare was acquire by Montreal as part of a three-team trade including San Jose and which saw three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson head to Pittsburgh. The 22-year-old right-winger was Pittsburgh's 2019 third-round pick (74th overall) and has yet to see any NHL action through his first two seasons in the AHL. In 2022-23 he had eight goals, 19 points, 76 PIMs and a -17 plus/minus through 68 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Nathan Legare
Pittsburgh has re-signed Jonathan Gruden to a one-year, $775,000 contract extension.

Gruden had 16 goals, 15 assists, 54 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 54 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) in 2022-23 and has re-signed a one-year, $775,000 contract extension with Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old left-winger made his NHL debut with the Penguins in 2022-23, but failed to pick up a point across a short, three-game showing. He was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2018 draft (95th overall) by the Ottawa Senators.

Jonathan Gruden
New Jersey has signed Justin Dowling to a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.55 million ($775,000 AAV).

Dowling had 11 goals, 35 assists, 18 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 56 games with Abbotsford (AHL) and has signed a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.55 million ($775,000 AAV) with New Jersey. The 32-year-old forward last played in the NHL in 2021-22 and brings six goals, 12 assists and 93 SOG across 98 career NHL games to the Devils.

Justin Dowling
New Jersey has signed Erik Kallgren to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Kallgren was 3-2-4 with a .267 GAA and .898 SV% with Toronto in 2022-23 and has now signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with New Jersey. The 26-year-old goaltender was Arizona's 2015 seventh-round pick (183rd overall) and has a career NHL record of 11-6-5 S with a 3.04 GAA and .892 SV% across two seasons in Toronto.

Erik Kallgren
Seattle has signed Brian Dumoulin to a two-year, $6.3 million contract ($3,150,000 AAV).

Dumoulin had a goal, 24 assists, 82 SOG, 16 PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through 82 games with Pittsburgh in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $6.3 million contract ($3,150,000 AAV) with the Seattle Kraken. The 31-year-old defenseman has spent his entire 10-year NHL career in Pittsburgh; picking up 19 goals, 120 assists, and a +93 plus/minus through 546 games played.

Brian Dumoulin
The Predators signed Cody Glass to a two-year contract extension worth $5.0 million ($2.5M AAV).

Glass had 14 goals, 21 assists, 131 SOG, 20 PIMs and a +9 plus/minus through 72 games with Nashville in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract extension worth $5 million ($2,500,000 AAV). The 24-year-old centre joined Nashville from Vegas in 2021-22 and has picked up 23 goals and 58 points across his 146 game career.

Cody Glass