NHL Player News

Garand stopped 11 of 12 shots in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Capitals. Washington's third goal was an empty-netter.

Garand entered the contest midway through the second period after Igor Shesterkin suffered a lower-body injury, taking over with the score tied 1-1. The 24-year-old netminder played 29:45 and allowed the eventual game-winning goal to Boone Jenner at 17:38 of the middle frame. Garand finished with a .917 save percentage and should be in line for more starts if Shesterkin is forced to miss extended time. While this performance was encouraging considering the circumstances, the Rangers would suffer a huge blow if they're forced to play Garand as their No. 1 goaltender regularly in the coming weeks. He could be in line to start Sunday against the Canucks if Shesterkin isn't recovered by then.

Lafreniere scored a power-play goal on his lone shot in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Capitals.

Lafreniere opened the scoring at 10:17 of the first period, converting on the man advantage off assists from J.T. Miller and Pavel Dorofeyev. The winger has scored New York's last three goals, providing a consistent offensive spark despite the team's struggles Friday. He posted a four-point hat trick Tuesday against the Islanders and is enjoying an excellent start to the season, racking up five points (three goals, two assists) and 11 shots on goal in his first five appearances.

Shesterkin (lower body) won't return to Friday's game versus the Capitals.

Shesterkin was injured as his right leg got jammed into the post as he made his way back to the crease on a scrambled play in the Rangers' zone. The 30-year-old goalie can be considered day-to-day for now, but he put no weight on his leg as he exited the ice, which doesn't bode well. If he misses time, the Rangers are in a pickle since both Joonas Korpisalo (lower body) and Spencer Martin (lower body) are also sidelined. Expect Dylan Garand to get a heavy run of starts if Shesterkin misses time, though the Rangers could also pursue the trade route to help their depth.

Martin is dealing with a lower-body injury for AHL Hartford, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports Friday.

Igor Shesterkin left Friday's game versus the Capitals due to an apparent lower-body injury as well, leaving the Rangers' organizational depth in goal on thin ice. Martin would typically be the next man up when healthy, but this injury would prevent that from happening. Martin is considered day-to-day at this time.

Nazar was suspended two games for his illegal check to the head of Bo Horvat in Thursday's game versus the Islanders.

Nazar will miss Saturday's contest versus the Hurricanes and Tuesday's game against the Penguins before returning Thursday against the Jets. Roman Kantserov is likely the top option to shift to the middle as the Blackhawks navigate a stretch where they're incredibly thin at center due to this suspension.

Tarasov is expected to start on the road in Saturday's game versus the Canadiens, Max Bultman of The Athletic reports.

It will be Tarasov's first start of the campaign. The 27-year-old netminder has settled in as backup to John Gibson early in 2026-27. The Red Wings' offense has been inconsistent so far, making Tarasov a risky option on the second half of a back-to-back.

Dostal will protect the road goal versus the Jets on Friday.

Dostal is looking to bounce back after allowing five goals on 17 shots over two periods against the Oilers on Wednesday. That was his first loss in three starts this season. The 26-year-old will face a Jets team that has enjoyed a hot start to the year with 12 goals over four games while going 3-0-1.

Struble was traded to the Predators from the Canadiens on Friday in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick.

Struble is set for a change of scenery, which could open the door for Adam Engstrom or David Reinbacher to see more steady playing time for the Canadiens. The 25-year-old Struble failed to log a point or shot in three games this season for Montreal. Last year, he had 12 points, 58 PIM, 115 hits and 32 blocked shots over 59 regular-season outings.

Bjugstad (pectoral) was transferred to long-term injured reserve Friday, per PuckPedia.

Bjugstad is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle which required surgery. The 34-year-old is expected to be sidelined until January at a minimum, so this move doesn't change his timeline. Should further injuries arise, the Devils will have a bit more cap flexibility.

Grubauer will protect the road goal versus the Red Wings on Friday, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

Grubauer will make his second start and third appearance of the season. He has allowed three goals on 32 shots so far this season. Joey Daccord is expected to command a majority of the starts in goal, but Grubauer's play has been steady enough for him to challenge for something closer to an even timeshare in net.