NHL Player News

Eriksson Ek scored an empty-net goal on three shots, added three hits and went plus-2 in Monday's 4-2 win over the Golden Knights.

Eriksson Ek's empty-netter was his first goal of the season. The 29-year-old has filled his usual top-six role, but the offense has been a little slow to come for him. He's at three points, 17 shots on net, seven hits, six PIM and a plus-5 rating through six appearances. Eriksson Ek carries some injury risk, but fantasy managers should be patient with him as he gets his 2026-27 campaign on track, as he also has 50-point potential with decent all-around production.

Poehling (knee) is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with an MCL sprain.

Poehling was placed on injured reserve Tuesday morning, and the specifics of his injury have revealed that he's set to likely be sidelined into late November. In his absence, Roger McQueen, the 10th overall pick from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, is expected to play in the team's middle six up the center of the ice. The 27-year-old Poehling was off to a solid start to the 2026-27 campaign prior to going down, posting a pair of points and solid category-coverage numbers across five games.

Halliday scored a power-play goal on two shots and blocked three shots in Monday's 4-1 win over the Devils.

Halliday has two goals on the year, and both have been game-winners. Over six appearances, he's added seven shots on net, eight blocked shots and three hits. The 24-year-old is holding firm on the Senators' fourth line, but he's also featuring on the second power-play unit, which should help support his scoring output.

Poehling (lower body) was placed on injured reserve by the Ducks on Tuesday.

Poehling was deemed day-to-day on Monday, but he will ultimately end up missing the Ducks' next three games by moving to injured reserve. Across five games to begin the 2026-27 campaign, he has a goal, two points, six shots on net, three hits and five blocks. In the interim, Roger McQueen is expected to make his NHL debut Tuesday and serve as a middle-six center until Poehling is ready to return.

Sturm (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Sturm suffered an upper-body injury in Monday's 4-2 win over Vegas. He will be out for at least the next three games after being moved to the IR list, starting with Tuesday's matchup against Winnipeg, but it's unclear when he will be ready to return. Minnesota recalled Justin Kirkland from AHL Iowa on Tuesday in a corresponding move.

Bedard (shoulder) is expected to be in the lineup against the Penguins on Tuesday, Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio reports.

Bedard is set to make his season debut nearly a month ahead of schedule from his original return date. With the 21-year-old center back in the lineup, he'll jump back into the top line while linking up with the No. 1 power-play unit. Given his offensive upside, Bedard should still be an elite fantasy option and is capable of generating above a point-per-game pace.

Bourque (upper body) is considered a game-time decision ahead of Tuesday's home clash against the Golden Knights, per Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site.

Bourque missed Saturday's contest after he exited Thursday's game against the Canadiens, where he sustained the upper-body injury during the second period. Prior to the injury, he posted an assist, a plus-1 rating, two PIM, seven shots on net and four hits across his first four regular-season appearances with Nashville. If he can't go Tuesday, Vitali Pinchuk will likely be his replacement in the lineup once again.

Staal will be out for 1-2 months after sustaining a torn calf muscle, Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reports Tuesday.

Staal went pointless through the first six games of the season before missing Sunday's matchup with the Flyers. Even with his offense drying up, the 38-year-old center remains a key piece of the Canes' roster and figures to retake his third-line role once he is cleared to play. In the meantime, Mark Jankowski should be expected to take on a bigger role, including with the No. 2 power-play unit.

McQueen was called up from AHL San Diego on Tuesday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

McQueen's highly-anticipated NHL debut could be right around the corner. He was selected by the Ducks with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and has impressed in his collegiate and professional games since. He compiled 11 goals and 27 points with the NCAA's Providence College in the 2025-26 season before he ended the year with AHL San Diego. To kick off the 2026-27 regular season, he has three goals in just four outings. He's an exciting prospect for the Ducks, who will likely role him out in a middle-six role to join their electric, young offensive core of players. He's a priority waiver-wire add in dynasty-based fantasy leagues and a solid stash in standard formats.

Karlsson scored a goal on three shots and blocked two shots in Monday's 4-2 loss to the Wild.

Karlsson brought Vegas within one goal at 9:25 of the third period, finishing a two-on-one rush with Brett Howden after receiving a pass in the high slot. The goal was his first of the season and briefly gave the Golden Knights hope of overcoming a three-goal deficit, but they couldn't get the job done. Karlsson, who signed a two-year extension with the Golden Knights on Sept. 30, has endured a slow start to the season with just two points in his first seven appearances. He's a strong candidate for a bounce-back performance, but right now, he isn't doing much from a fantasy perspective.