Frank Vatrano Signs Three-Year Extension With Ducks
Jan 5, 2025, 4:15 PM ET
Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano has inked a three-year, $18 million extension. Vatrano, who will turn 31 in March, is coming off a three-year, $10.95 million deal. The new contract will lock him up through the 2027-28 campaign. The American forward has been a late bloomer, posting his career-best year in 2023-24 with 60 points (37 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games. He has tallied 68 goals and 121 points in total with the Ducks across 200 games, with 341 hits. 20 of the points have come this campaign, with Vatrano registering nine goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances. Vatrano isn't a must-have player in fantasy hockey, but he offers plenty of value, combining his offensive ability with physicality.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
More Recent News
Matt Roy Remains Out Friday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 5:34 PM ET
Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Roy (lower body) will miss a second consecutive game against the New York Rangers on Friday. He continues to nurse a lower-body injury sustained last weekend against Tampa Bay. "He's coming along," Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said. "I don't think it's getting worse. It's coming along slowly, but still day-to-day." Roy's next chance to return is Sunday against Seattle. With Roy on the shelf, Dylan McIlrath made his season debut in Wednesday's win over Pittsburgh. He logged a team-low 9:01 of ice time and isn't expected to have a larger role on Friday night.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Brad Marchand Officially Out for Six Weeks
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 5:27 PM ET
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (leg) won't be available for six weeks, according to head coach Paul Maurice. Maurice provided a detailed timeline for Marchand's return on Friday after reports that he was set to miss a "few weeks." Marchand hurt his left leg on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. He is expected to return to the ice in approximately three weeks. Injuries on Florida's frontline are set to give Lars Eller a spot on a scoring line for Saturday's clash with Minnesota. Eller has finished each of the last three games with an assist and now has a good opportunity to build on his form.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
John Tavares Won't Be Available Saturday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 5:15 PM ET
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (personal) won't play Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche. His wife, Aryne, gave birth to a baby boy Friday. Tavares missed Friday's practice session as Toronto prepares for the second game of a three-game road trip. It's unclear whether Tavares will rejoin the team for the trip, which ends Tuesday against Utah. Nicholas Paul is set to fill in for Tavares as the second-line center until he's ready to return. Paul has had a decent start to the season, with three points (one goal, two assists) in five games. He has more fantasy appeal as one of William Nylander's partners on the second line. Zack MacEwen is expected to fill the gap in the lineup.--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
Josh Morrissey to Miss Friday's Game, Considered Day-to-Day
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 5:08 PM ET
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (upper body) is day-to-day and won't play Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks. Morrissey sustained an upper-body injury in Wednesday's win over Colorado. Friday's matchup will be Winnipeg's final game of the week, so there's a chance Morrissey will sit out only one game. With Morrissey sidelined, Dylan Samberg will move to the first defensive pairing on Friday, while Haydn Fleury will fill in for him on the power play. Both players will have additional fantasy value. Morrissey's injury will also allow Tyrel Bauer to re-enter the lineup.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Red Wings Move J.T. Compher to Injured Reserve
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 10:02 AM ET
Detroit Red Wings center J.T. Compher (undisclosed) was moved to Injured Reserve, retroactive to Oct. 4, ahead of Friday's tilt against Seattle. He will sit out a second straight game due to an undisclosed injury. After that, the Red Wings can activate Compher from Injured Reserve whenever he is ready to return to the lineup. In a corresponding move, the team activated defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker (upper body) from Injured Reserve. With Compher included, the Red Wings currently have three regular forwards missing, creating more playing opportunities for guys like Emmitt Finnie and Michael Rasmussen.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Ryan Lindgren to Miss 4-6 Weeks
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 9:54 AM ET
Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) will be unavailable for 4-6 weeks. He sustained an upper-body injury Tuesday against Vegas and has been placed on Injured Reserve. Lindgren's absence will likely give Josh Mahura a chance at regular playing time. Ville Ottavainen is also an option to fill the gap on the blue line, though he plays the opposite side. Either way, the lineup change won't have significant fantasy implications, as Lindgren had been filling a third-pairing role.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Victor Olofsson Deemed Week-to-Week
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 9:47 AM ET
Vegas Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson (undisclosed) is week-to-week, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports. After scoring four goals in four games to start the season, Olofsson sustained an undisclosed injury in a matchup with Seattle earlier this week. Raphael Lavoie took Olofsson's spot on the third line in Thursday's shootout win over Toronto, making his season debut after recovering from an injury of his own. Lavoie saw less than 10 minutes of ice time and doesn't offer anything to fantasy managers. Meanwhile, Trevor Connelly jumped on Olofsson's spot on the first power-play unit and could build some momentum in the coming weeks.--Taavi PailkSource: Jesse Granger
William Eklund Suffers Lower-Body Injury Against Flyers
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 9:37 AM ET
Ottawa Senators winger William Eklund (lower body) was limited to 1:24 of ice time in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Swedish forward appeared to injure his left leg after a hit from Flyers defenseman Samuel Benoit. Senators head coach Travis Green didn't have an update on Eklund postgame. Eklund has opened the season with two points (one goal, one assist) in four games. Warren Foegele and Michael Amadio are candidates to move up in the lineup if Eklund isn't healthy enough to play in Saturday's matchup with Nashville.--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
Mavrik Bourque Sustains Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 9:31 AM ET
Nashville Predators forward Mavrik Bourque (upper body) exited early against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. He suffered an upper-body injury in the second period. Nashville also lost William Trudeau (upper body) during the game, making it a horrible injury night for the team. Bourque has started his career in Nashville with one assist in four games. He'll be expected to improve his production as the season goes on. Bourque's absence from the lineup would elevate Jack Drury's role. Nashville's next game will be on Saturday against Ottawa.--Taavi PailkSource: Nashville Predators
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Exits With Injury Thursday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 9:18 AM ET
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (undisclosed) was injured in the final few minutes of Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He exited the game after taking a hit from Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller didn't have an update on Ekman-Larsson after the game, leaving him questionable for Saturday's tilt against Colorado. It's been a slow start to the season for Ekman-Larsson, who is pointless after five games. If Ekman-Larsson can't play this weekend, Nick Blankenburg would get a chance to make his Maple Leafs debut.--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
Bo Horvat Suffers Injury Late in Thursday's Win
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 9, 2026, 9:11 AM ET
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is being evaluated for an upper-body injury, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports. The Islanders captain took a late hit while scoring an empty-net goal in Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar, who delivered the hit, received a match penalty for his actions. Horvat has been in prolific early-season form and scored twice in Thursday's win. He has found the back of the net in three straight games and is the fourth Islanders player in the past decade to start a season with a four-game point streak. Overall, Horvat has recorded five points (four goals, one assist) in four games. His absence would be a major blow to the Islanders, who have already started the season without Mathew Barzal (knee).--Taavi PailkSource: Andrew Gross
Nick Foligno to Sit Out Two Games
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 5:27 PM ET
Minnesota Wild forward Nick Foligno (upper body) will miss at least two games, starting with Thursday's tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He sustained an upper-body injury earlier this week in a clash with Buffalo. Foligno has scored one goal on four SOG in three games. His absence will give Nico Sturm a chance to make his season debut on Thursday night. Sturm will see only fourth-line minutes, making him irrelevant in fantasy hockey.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Brad Marchand Set to Miss a "Few Weeks"
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 5:19 PM ET
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (leg) will be out for a "few weeks," Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports. The veteran star was injured in his second appearance of the season on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. While it's not great that the Panthers must be without Marchand again, it's good news for the team that he is expected back within weeks, not months. According to Reynolds, Marchand could return sometime in November. The Panthers' frontline is also without Aleksander Barkov (lower body), giving more fantasy value to guys like Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.--Taavi PailkSource: Tim Reynolds
Linus Ullmark Cleared to Play Thursday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 5:08 PM ET
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (undisclosed) will start on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner sustained an undisclosed injury in Monday's win over Boston. Samuel Ersson was in the crease for Tuesday's tilt against Detroit, but Ullmark will return to work against the Flyers. In his first two starts of the season, Ullmark did very little wrong. He holds a 2-0-0 record, a 1.20 goals-against average, and a .949 save percentage. The Flyers have been awful so far, giving Ullmark a good opportunity to keep winning.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Jake Sanderson Remains Out Thursday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 4:59 PM ET
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (lower body) will miss a third consecutive game on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Senators lost Sanderson to a lower-body injury in their season opener against Toronto. The team won't want to rush him back, leaving Sanderson questionable for Saturday's matchup with Nashville. With Sanderson out, Cameron Crotty will remain in the lineup on Thursday. The trio of Thomas Chabot, Jordan Spence, and Carter Yakemchuk will lead the blue line.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Mikhail Sergachev Available Thursday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 4:51 PM ET
Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (upper body) will play on Thursday night against the Boston Bruins. His status for the game was initially uncertain after Sergachev took a puck to the head in Tuesday's win over New Jersey and didn't finish the game. The Russian rearguard has been in impressive form early in the season, recording six points (one goal, five assists), 12 SOG, six blocks, and three hits in four games. Only Edmonton's Evan Bouchard (11) has scored more points among defensemen. Sergachev has already posted two multi-point games--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Seth Jarvis Sheds Non-Contact Jersey
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 4:45 PM ET
Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (shoulder) took a significant step on his road to returning to action on Thursday, shedding the yellow non-contact jersey at practice. "It's probably the biggest step I've had so far, getting out of that, being able to take contact now," Jarvis said. "Now it's just a matter of getting comfortable, making sure it's ready to go." After winning the 2026 Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes, Jarvis underwent surgery in the summer. It looks like he could be ready for his season debut in a couple of weeks. Jarvis' return will push William Carrier down the lineup.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Macklin Celebrini a Game-Time Call Thursday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 4:38 PM ET
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (lower body) is a game-time decision for Thursday's contest against the St. Louis Blues. On Monday night, Celebrini was a late scratch against Dallas due to a lower-body injury, but he could be available to return after missing only one game. Before exiting the lineup, Celebrini racked up five assists in two games. The Sharks were shut out without Celebrini on Monday. His return would be a major boost for the team. In Celebrini's absence, Ty Dellandrea made his season debut against Dallas and will likely be scratched if the Sharks captain is cleared to play.--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
Tom Wilson Notches Three Points Against Penguins
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 10:58 AM ET
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson played the starring role in Wednesday's matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, finishing with three points. He scored Washington's second goal in the first period and added two assists in the second. As usual, Wilson also didn't shy away from physical play and recorded two hits. The 32-year-old power forward has hit the ground running in 2026-27. After four outings, he boasts four points (one goal, three assists), four SOG, and eight hits. Wilson has established good chemistry on the top line with Alex Tuch and Pierre-Luc Dubois.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
Evan Bouchard Continues Red-Hot Start Wednesday
Taavi Pailk
Taavi Pailk
Oct 8, 2026, 10:49 AM ET
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard showed no signs of slowing down in Wednesday's 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, recording two goals and one assist. After giving up a pair of power-play goals in the first period, the Oilers turned the game on its head with five second-period goals. So far, Bouchard has failed to score only once, making him the second defenseman in league history to reach six goals after the first four games of the season. He has added five assists, ranking second in the league with 11 points.--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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