NHL Player News

Per Heather Engel of NHL.com, Kulich will be out of the lineup for a day or two after tweaking a muscle, according to coach Lindy Ruff on Thursday.

Kulich had a good rookie season in 2024-25, tallying 15 goals and adding nine assists across 62 regular-season appearances. The 28th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, Kulich is expected to start the season as the Sabres' third-line center.

Roy (lower body) won't be in the lineup for Thursday's preseason game in Montreal, according to Mark Masters of TSN.

Roy has been out of action since Friday. The former Golden Knight had 15 goals and 16 assists across 71 regular-season appearances with Vegas in 2024-25. He is expected to center the third line for the Maple Leafs in 2025-26.

Domi (lower body) will not travel to Montreal for preseason action Thursday, per Mark Masters of TSN.

Domi returned to practice Wednesday after missing Tuesday's preseason tilt against Ottawa, as he was attending a family funeral. Domi is being considered for the right-wing spot on the top line, alongside Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews, though it is more likely that he will start the season on the third unit. Domi had eight goals and 25 assists in 74 regular-season games in 2024-25.

Dowling (lower body) has been ruled out for Thursday's preseason game against the Islanders, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports.

Dowling was held out of practice Wednesday due to his injury, and he'll be unavailable for the team's preseason game a day later. However, he skated on his own Thursday, signaling that he may be able to return to game action relatively soon. His next opportunity to suit up during the preseason will be Monday against the Islanders.

Dowd (personal) will not be in the lineup versus the Flyers on Thursday.

Dowd hasn't rejoined the team yet but could still be an option to play versus the Devils on Sunday. Looking ahead to the upcoming season, the 35-year-old center should slot into a bottom-six role and figures to be a near-lock for the 20-point threshold after reaching that mark in each of the previous four seasons.

Eller (abdomen) told reporters Wednesday that he is no longer in pain and is close to 100 percent, Julian McKenzie of The Athletic reports.

Eller noted that he is a little behind the team in general in terms of playing readiness. It's still possible the 36-year-old center will be able to be ready for the start of the regular season. Eller underwent the surgery prior to training camp at an unspecified time to address an injury he sustained last November.

Harkins (upper body) is expected to be re-evaluated Wednesday night to get another opinion on his injury, per Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune.

Head coach Joel Quenneville initially wasn't optimistic about Harkins' status after the injury was sustained Sunday, but Quenneville suggested Wednesday that it might "not be as bad as we originally thought, but we'll see." The 28-year-old Harkins had two goals, six points, 21 PIM and 136 hits in 62 appearances with Anaheim last year.

Hayton has recovered from his undisclosed injury, per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports on Wednesday.

Hayton was previously regarded as day-to-day. Assuming he stays healthy, Hayton is projected to open the campaign on the top six and first power-play unit. He had 20 goals and 46 points across 82 regular-season appearances with Utah in 2024-25.

Lund (upper body) was in a regular jersey during Wednesday's practice session, Max Miller of NHL.com reports.

Lund suffered an upper-body injury during a prospects game against the Ducks on Sept. 12, and he was in a non-contact sweater in recent practice sessions. However, his presence for Wednesday's practice suggests that he's progressing in his recovery and could be in the mix to return to game action soon. Whether he'll be available for Friday's preseason game against the Golden Knights remains to be seen.

O'Brien was on the ice in a non-contact sweater Wednesday, Brogan Houston of Deseret News Sports reports.

O'Brien was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and is a long shot to secure a spot on the Opening Night roster. Given all the young talent on the Kraken roster, the team will likely take its time allowing O'Brien to get NHL-ready. Once given the all-clear, O'Brien will likely be headed back to OHL Brantford, where he racked up 98 points in 66 regular-season games last year.