NHL Player News

Norris (upper body) was injured late Thursday versus the Rangers and did not finish the game, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.

Head coach Lindy Ruff did not sound particularly optimistic when asked about Norris' status after the game, but no further details were available. At this point, the Sabres may have to face the Bruins on Saturday without Norris, though they could get Zach Benson (face) back. An update on Norris' health should be available prior to Saturday's contest.

Stephenson (undisclosed) is in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Ducks, per Sound of Hockey.

Stephenson missed a large portion of the preseason while injured, but he's ready for Opening Night. The 31-year-old is slated to center the third line, though he could get a little extra ice time in all situations even though Shane Wright is on the second line. Stephenson has produced at least 51 points in four straight seasons and offers some fantasy upside as a playmaker.

McCann (lower body) will be in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Ducks, per Sound of Hockey.

McCann is set to play on the top line after missing all of the preseason while recovering from his injury. The 29-year-old is one of the Kraken's top forwards and has reached the 60-point mark in three straight years, so he should be productive if he's at 100 percent.

Dickinson (undisclosed) exited Thursday's clash against Boston and won't return to the game.

Dickinson had one hit and two PIM while logging 8:25 of ice time before he left the game. If he can't play Saturday versus Montreal, then Lukas Reichel, who has been a healthy scratch for Chicago's first two tilts of 2025-26, might make his season debut.

Trocheck (upper body) won't return to Thursday's game versus the Sabres.

Trocheck left in the middle of the second period and was ruled out during the intermission. Should the 32-year-old miss time, Juuso Parssinen would likely enter the lineup. Trocheck's status for Saturday versus the Penguins has yet to be determined.

Stenlund (undisclosed) will play in Thursday's game versus the Avalanche.

Stenlund was in need of further evaluation after leaving practice Tuesday, but he has apparently checked out fine. He'll center the Mammoth's third line for the season opener, but he could be bumped down to the fourth line once Barrett Hayton (undisclosed) is healthy again.

Strome (upper body) was designated for injured reserve Thursday, per the NHL media site.

Strome has already been ruled out for the Ducks' first two games of the year, so it shouldn't be a shock to see him placed on injured reserve. The 32-year-old center has logged exactly 41 points in each of his previous three seasons, making that a fairly good bet as to where he might end up in 2025-26, assuming his injury doesn't linger too long.

Hayton (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Thursday's game in Colorado, Brogan Houston of Deseret News Sports reports.

Hayton will miss Opening Night, and the Mammoth will go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Hayton had the best offensive year in his NHL career in 2024-25, tallying 20 goals for the first time while adding 26 assists in 82 regular-season games. He could return as early as Saturday when Utah travels to Nashville.

Head coach John Hynes said Thursday that Sturm (back) is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.

Sturm returned to the ice for Friday's preseason finale against Chicago after dealing with a back issue during training camp, but he apparently aggravated his injury, as he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Hynes said Wednesday that Sturm was expected to miss "significant time," and the team expects the 30-year-old to undergo back surgery that will sideline him for over a month. Hunter Haight will make his NHL debut during Thursday's Opening Night matchup against St. Louis and should have a chance to make an impact in Sturm's absence.

Kapanen scored a shorthanded goal on two shots and added three hits in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs.

Kapanen was limited to two assists in 18 regular-season appearances with the Canadiens in 2024-25. The 22-year-old was able to put away his first goal on a shorthanded rush Wednesday, cashing in at 5:39 of the first period. The 22-year-old won a job in training camp and is playing in a third-line role to begin the campaign, though he could ultimately move around the lineup. Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on Kapanen's adjustment to the NHL ranks, as he displayed talent with 35 points in 36 outings with Timra of the SHL last season.