NHL Player News

Motte registered an even-strength assist in Friday's 4-3 overtime preseason loss against Ottawa.

Motte had the primary helper on Marco Kasper's first of two markers. Motte is entering his first season with Detroit after appearing in 69 regular-season contests with Tampa Bay in 2023-24. The Michigan native signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings during the offseason, and he'll likely be a staple in the bottom six and on the penalty kill.

Kasper potted two goals in Friday's 4-3 overtime preseason loss to the Senators.

Kasper scored twice in the first period, both of which came at even strength. The 20-year-old is competing for a roster spot, but it'll be an uphill battle for the youngster to make the club. Kasper will likely need another year of seasoning in the minors before making the jump to the NHL. The 2022 first-round pick produced 35 points in 71 regular-season contests with AHL Grand Rapids in 2023-24.

Greig registered two helpers in Friday's 4-3 overtime preseason victory against Detroit.

Greig assisted on both of Noah Gregor's goals in Ottawa's penultimate exhibition contest. The 2020 first-round selection has a lot on his plate in his third NHL season -- the 22-year-old is slated for a middle-six role and is expected to see time on the power play and penalty kill. Greig produced 26 points in 72 regular-season appearances in 2023-24.

Mercer generated an assist in Friday's 4-1 win over the Sabres in Prague.

Mercer was an unsigned restricted free agent until early in training camp. That always carries some risk, but it's encouraging that Mercer began the year with a helper while filling a second-line role in the season opener. He had a down year with 33 points, 134 shots on net and a minus-26 rating in 2023-24, but the 22-year-old has also displayed fantastic durability by not missing a game in his career to date. If he can keep his top-six spot, Mercer has excellent bounce-back potential.

Pettersson registered two assists, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Friday's 4-1 preseason win over the Oilers.

Pettersson helped out on a Carson Soucy tally in the first period as well as Jake DeBrusk's empty-netter in the third. Entering 2024-25, Pettersson is expected to be a major contributor for the Canucks. His 2023-24 was a tale of two halves -- he produced 64 points in 49 appearances before the All-Star break, then stumbled to the finish line with just 31 points over 46 outings between the regular season and playoffs after the schedule resumed. Fantasy managers plopping down a second-round pick for the 25-year-old will hope that he is consistently closer to his first-half performance in 2024-25, especially after he flashed 100-point potential in 2022-23.

Kostin scored a power-play goal on three shots in Friday's 3-2 preseason shootout loss to the Ducks.

A Will Smith attempt went off the boards, and Kostin was there to clean up the loose change. With three points, including two power-play goals, over three preseason games, Kostin is a candidate to fill a versatile role in 2024-25. He will likely begin the season in a bottom-six role, but if he makes the most of his opportunities, he could find his way back to the second-line spot that saw him produce 10 points over his last 19 appearances of 2023-24.

Gregor potted two goals, one being the game winner, in Friday's 4-3 overtime preseason win against Detroit.

Gregor is having a strong preseason -- he's notched three goals in four games. The 26-year-old is projected to fill a bottom-six role and receive time on the penalty kill with his new club. Gregor will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2024-25 campaign, so he should have a lot to prove with the Senators.

Backlund scored a goal on three shots in Friday's 3-2 preseason loss to the Jets.

Backlund also won 10 of 11 faceoffs as the Flames dominated at the dot. The 35-year-old has a goal and three helpers over four preseason outings. The captain was limited to 39 points over 82 appearances in 2023-24, and he's unlikely to do much better than that while filling a middle-six role on a rebuilding team this year.

Huberdeau scored a goal on two shots in Friday's 3-2 preseason loss to the Jets.

Huberdeau got his first goal of the preseason, deflecting in a Daniil Miromanov shot at 1:04 of the third period. Over four preseason outings, Huberdeau picked up four points. The 31-year-old winger will again be a key part of the Flames' top six, but after failing to reach the 60-point mark in back-to-back years, he's only a depth option for standard fantasy formats.

Sharangovich (undisclosed) suffered an injury after an awkward fall in the third period of Friday's preseason game versus the Jets, Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun reports.

There was no update on Sharangovich's status after the contest. The 26-year-old forward should be considered day-to-day ahead of Opening Night on Wednesday versus the Canucks. He produced a career-best 59 points in 82 games a season ago, and when healthy, he'll feature in all situations for the Flames.