NHL Player News

Gaudreau scored a goal on two shots and blocked two shots in Thursday's 6-1 win over the Flames.

Gaudreau is working on the fourth line to begin the year, which will likely have a limiting effect on his offense. Still, he can chip in decent depth scoring while working as a defensive center. His production has moved around in recent years -- his 24 points in 68 games in 2025-26 is on the low end of his capabilities. However, as a depth forward, it's unlikely he'll do enough to gain widespread appeal in fantasy.

Kakko scored a goal, added an assist and went plus-3 in Thursday's 6-1 win over the Flames.

Kakko opened the year on a line with Jared McCann and Matty Beniers, which is expected to be the Kraken's top trio. The 25-year-old Kakko did his part, though in just 16:49 of ice time. There's little elite talent in Seattle's lineup, so expect the ice time to be spread around. Kakko had 40 points and a plus-14 rating over 65 games last year on a bad Seattle team, so he could still find another level on offense if he sticks in the top six.

Stephenson scored a goal on two shots in Thursday's 6-1 win over the Flames.

Stephenson tallied on a quick-developing play assisted by Vince Dunn and Joey Daccord. The 32-year-old Stephenson typically isn't a shoot-first player, instead focusing on facilitating offense as a playmaker on the second line. The center produced 49 points over 80 outings in 2025-26, right in line with his previous two years. Expect roughly 15 goals, 50 points and a decent chunk of power-play usage once again.

Beniers scored a goal, added an assist, logged two hits, blocked two shots and went plus-2 in Thursday's 6-1 win over the Flames.

Beniers started the season well in a game that saw the Kraken get contributions from all over the lineup. The quality of the opponent is a factor, but Beniers will often be in a position to produce offense for the Kraken this year as the team's top-line center. He's coming off a 20-goal, 50-point campaign in 2025-26, and similar production can be expected this year.

Josi scored a goal on three shots and added two hits in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Wild.

Josi scored midway through the second period, but that was all Nashville could muster against Jesper Wallstedt. The 36-year-old Josi is once again poised to serve as the Predators' top blueliner. He produced 55 points, 181 shots on net, 101 blocked shots and a minus-15 rating over 68 appearances in 2025-26. While age-related regression is a risk, some of Josi's best work has come since he entered his 30s, though staying healthy will be an important factor in his production.

Foligno scored a goal on two shots in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Predators.

Foligno tallied the opening goal of the season for the Wild. The 38-year-old winger is set to be a fixture on the fourth line alongside his brother, Marcus Foligno, and center Michael McCarron. That trio will be one of the most physically imposing lines in the league, though it's the toughness that will stand out more than the scoring. The elder Foligno was limited to 15 points over 54 regular-season contests between Minnesota and Chicago last year, though he also added 44 PIM and 129 hits.

Kaprizov scored a goal on three shots in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Predators.

Kaprizov tallied in the third period to produce the final score. The 29-year-old winger has topped a point-per-game pace in each of the last five campaigns and has reached the 40-goal mark in four of those years, so he's as steady as they come for fantasy, as long as he avoids injuries. Keep Kaprizov firmly in your lineups as an elite winger who can also pile up shots and power-play points.

Helenius scored a goal on two shots, added two hits and went plus-2 in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Blue Jackets.

Helenius is getting a look as a middle-six forward to begin the season. The 20-year-old did well over nine regular-season games last year, picking up four points, 10 hits and 15 shots on net, and he added two goals on 10 shots over four playoff games. Helenius can play with a bit of an edge, giving him multi-category upside in deeper fantasy formats if his offense is steady.

Quinn scored a goal on four shots in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Blue Jackets.

Quinn is off to a solid start this season while playing in a top-six role and on the first power-play unit. The 25-year-old forward reached new heights for the Sabres last year with 20 goals and 51 points in 82 regular-season games, though he averaged just 15:39 of ice time. If he's able to sustain his production in a larger role (he saw 20:46 in ice time Thursday), another career could be on the way, making him a good fantasy target in formats focused on offense.

Casey will be out of action for 6-8 weeks after undergoing a knee procedure, Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News reports Friday.

Casey figures to miss at least 19 more games if he is on the short end of his recovery timeline. While it's certainly a blow that will stretch the Devils' defensive depth, Casey would likely have served as a healthy scratch more often than not. Once given the all-clear, the 22-year-old Florida native could be headed to the minors in order to get his legs back under him.