NHL Player News

Misa will play in the 2026 Rookie Faceoff despite logging 45 NHL games in the 2025-26 regular season, per Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest on Friday.

While his participation in the mini-tournament is surprising, it could help him get into a groove before San Jose's training camp opens. Misa should receive an elevated role in the 2026-27 campaign. He will compete for a second-line role with the Sharks during camp.

McTavish is projected to serve as the Blues' second-line center in the 2026-27 season, according to Lou Korac of The Hockey News on Friday.

St. Louis acquired McTavish from Anaheim at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft in June. He notched 17 goals and 41 points over 75 regular-season games for the Ducks in 2025-26. The 23-year-old forward could return to the 50-point mark for the second time in his NHL career in his first campaign with the Blues if he makes the most of his opportunities.

Howard told reporters Friday he wants to show growth and development heading into his second professional season.

Howard spent most of 2025-26 in the AHL with Bakersfield, though he managed five points in 29 NHL regular-season games for the Oilers. The 22-year-old said, "I think there's a lot of great lessons I took from it to help me grow as a player & come back ready for this camp." Howard will have to earn his spot for 2026-27, but if he sticks in the NHL, he eventually could find his way into a top-six role.

Ingram announced his retirement from professional hockey Friday on his personal Instagram account.

Ingram suited up in 134 regular-season games, going 55-54-18 with a 3.01 GAA and a .901 save percentage over parts of five NHL seasons. He played for Nashville, Arizona, Utah and Edmonton. Ingram also played in nine playoff contests. Per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Ingram will go back to school to study psychology after battling with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression during his playing career.

Fisker Molgaard told reporters Friday he primarily worked on building strength and size in the offseason.

Fisker Molgaard is a long shot to make the Kraken's roster, but that could change with an impressive camp. He produced 34 points in 49 regular-season outings for AHL Coachella Valley last year, and he also racked up two assists in his first 13 NHL games. The 21-year-old likely needs a bit more time in the AHL before getting a chance to be a full-time option for Seattle.

Connelly said Friday that he bulked up and added strength over the summer and hopes to show in camp that he's ready to play in the NHL, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports.

Connelly indicated that he feels stronger and sturdier on the ice, which has allowed him to use his body more and improve the strength of his shot. The 20-year-old hasn't yet made his NHL debut, but he was one of the Golden Knights' Black Aces during last year's postseason and aims to showcase the strides he's made in his 200-foot game ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Simashev said Friday that his main goal for training camp is to make the Mammoth's Opening Night roster.

Simashev was the sixth overall pick in 2023, and he got his first opportunity to contribute at the NHL level last year. Across 28 regular-season appearances with Utah, he recorded an assist, 28 blocked shots, 23 PIM and 14 hits while averaging 15:06 of ice time. The 21-year-old isn't guaranteed a spot on the Opening Night roster heading into the 2026-27 campaign, but he'll likely compete with Maveric Lamoureux during training camp for a spot on the team's blue line to begin the regular season.

Brunicke said Friday that he hopes to spend a whole season at the NHL level during the 2026-27 campaign, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports.

Brunicke made the Penguins' Opening Night roster last year and recorded a goal, 13 blocked shots, six PIM and four hits while averaging 15:43 of ice time across nine regular-season appearances with Pittsburgh. However, the Penguins sent him down following his nine-game stint to avoid burning the first season of his three-year, entry-level contract. The 20-year-old made an impact with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the playoffs and is motivated to earn a more consistent role in the NHL this year, though the Penguins have several established defensemen who could limit Brunicke's opportunities to contribute at the top level.

AHL Lehigh Valley head coach John Snowden said Friday that Luchanko's shot has looked "really good" early in rookie camp, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Luchanko has had brief stints in the NHL over the past two seasons, as he's made four regular-season appearances for the Flyers in each of the last two years. However, he's spent most of his time in the OHL, and he recorded seven goals, 36 assists and 34 PIM across 38 regular-season appearances at that level last year. The 2024 first-round pick remains an intriguing prospect for Philadelphia and should get a look once again during training camp this fall after making the Flyers' Opening Night roster last year.

Barkey said Friday that he has a "chip on his shoulder" ahead of training camp, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Barkey made his NHL debut last year, and he recorded five goals, 12 assists, 43 hits, 19 blocked shots and 16 PIM while averaging 13:24 of ice time. Although he had an encouraging performance, he said that he isn't satisfied and sounds motivated to improve upon his results. The 21-year-old began last season with AHL Lehigh Valley but seems likely to be included on Philadelphia's Opening Night roster for the 2026-27 campaign.