NHL Player News

Cootes will likely see more games in the NHL during the 2026-27 campaign, according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic on Monday.

Cootes appeared in three games with Vancouver last October after claiming an NHL roster spot out of training camp. He will be in the mix for an Opening Night position again ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, but he is also eligible to play in the AHL or return to the junior ranks. The Canucks selected Cootes with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Draisaitl feels healthy and is hopeful for the start of the 2026-27 campaign, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports Friday.

Draisaitl was limited to 65 regular-season appearances during the 2025-26 campaign, his lowest mark over a full season during his NHL career. After missing the final month of the regular season due to a lower-body injury last year, he returned for the start of the postseason and recorded points in each of the Oilers' six first-round matchups against Anaheim. Draisaitl said that Edmonton's first-round exit gave him additional time to recover during the offseason, and he hopes that new head coach Mike Babcock will help the team find additional cohesion during the 2026-27 season. Across his 65 regular-season appearances last year, Draisaitl generated 35 goals, 62 assists, 34 hits, 26 PIM and 15 blocked shots while averaging 21:35 of ice time, and he remains one of the league's top fantasy options heading into this year.

Nesbitt is headed to Michigan State ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports Tuesday.

Nesbitt is following in the footsteps of fellow Flyers prospect Porter Martone, who spent one season with the Spartans before making the jump to the NHL. Selected by Philly with the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old Nesbitt notched 25 goals and 33 assists in 55 regular-season games with OHL Windsor last year before adding 10 points in 13 playoff tilts.

Byfield is slated to take on a larger role during the 2026-27 campaign following Anze Kopitar's retirement, Ryan Lambert of The Hockey News reports.

Kopitar had indicated last season that the 2025-26 campaign would be his last in the NHL, and his official retirement earlier in the offseason puts Byfield squarely in line to operate as the Kings' top-line center for the start of the 2026-27 season. Byfield narrowly missed out on his third consecutive 50-point season last year, recording 24 goals, 25 assists, 66 hits, 46 PIM and 44 blocked shots while averaging a career-high 20:01 of ice time across 79 regular-season appearances. The 2020 No. 2 overall pick has shown some promise early in his career, and he should have plenty of opportunities to take another step this season.

Larkin could ultimately remain in Detroit for the start of the 2026-27 season, Michael Whitaker of The Hockey News reports Wednesday.

Larkin's trade request that was made public in June generated plenty of buzz during the offseason, but the Red Wings haven't yet a trade partner. He submitted a short list of teams that he would like Detroit to trade him to, a list that was believed to include Florida, Minnesota and Vegas. While the 30-year-old has presumably garnered ample interest on the trade market, the Red Wings may ultimately elect to keep him in the fold if they don't receive an offer they feel is suitable. The Red Wings are also searching for a new general manager after Steve Yzerman stepped down in July and will be playing without Patrick Kane in 2026-27 after he returned to Chicago during the offseason, both of which could complicate potential trade talks as the regular season approaches.

Rizzo agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Kalmar HC of Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan on Wednesday.

Rizzo hasn't appeared in an NHL game since being selected by the Hurricanes in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft. A product of the University of Denver, the 25-year-old center will now give international hockey a try. If he can find his offensive upside, Rizzo may still have an outside chance of getting another NHL opportunity.

Novak agreed to terms on a three-year, $13.95 million contract extension with Pittsburgh on Friday.

With his extension, Novak will be locked up with the Penguins through the 2029-30 season while carrying an annual cap hit of just $4.65 million. The 29-year-old winger was a little hot and cold last year, racking up 31 points in the first 56 games, but struggled after the Olympic break, managing just 13 points in the final 32 contests, including the playoffs. Additionally, Novak ended the year having scored just once in 22 outings during that stretch. Still, Novak is set to step into the second-line center role for the Penguins ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, though youngster Ben Kindel figures to be knocking on the door for a spot in the top six.

White agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with New Jersey on Thursday.

White failed to get into an NHL game last season, playing exclusively for AHL San Jose while logging 46 regular-season games and tallying 21 goals and 27 helpers. If the 2015 first-round pick can show that kind of offensive upside again in 2026-27, he should find himself on the short list of potential call-ups for the Devils this year.

Celebrini signed a five-year, $94 million contract extension with the Sharks on Wednesday.

Celebrini's $18.8 million cap hit is projected to be the highest in the NHL, surpassing even Leo Carlsson's $18 million, which itself set a new standard for what young stars can expect to get paid when it was agreed upon July 3. However, Celebrini has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, so his new massive contract won't begin until the 2027-28 campaign. That leaves the door open for someone else to become the league's highest-paid player before Celebrini's deal takes effect. Regardless, the 20-year-old's upcoming paycheck is well deserved. After impressing with his 63 points as a rookie during the 2024-25 regular season, he broke out as a sophomore with 45 goals and 115 points in 82 regular-season appearances with the Sharks. Taken with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, his time among the NHL's elite is just getting started.

Sillinger signed a three-year, $13.875 million contract with the Blue Jackets on Friday, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.

Sillinger and Columbus were headed toward an arbitration hearing, but that's no longer necessary. The 23-year-old Sillinger had eight goals, 33 points, 37 PIM and 112 hits in 81 regular-season appearances with the Blue Jackets in 2025-26. He's finished with 31-33 points in four of his first five regular seasons in the NHL. He has some untapped offensive upside, so perhaps he'll be able to surpass his career high of 33 points in 2026-27.