NHL Player News

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.

Dumba announced his retirement from professional hockey Friday.

Dumba spent the first 10 years of his career in Minnesota but moved around in recent years, playing for Arizona, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Pittsburgh across the past three seasons. He appeared in 748 regular-season games between his five teams and recorded 85 goals, 176 assists, 1,104 hits and 879 blocked shots.

Ekblad (personal) practiced Friday, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site, and is set to play Saturday versus Minnesota.

Ekblad was absent from Florida's previous two games. He has an assist in two outings with the Panthers in 2026-27. Ekblad and Gustav Forsling are set to form Florida's top pairing Saturday, based on Friday's practice.

Tavares won't play Saturday against Colorado following the birth of his child, David Alter of The Hockey News reports.

Tavares didn't practice Friday, and he'll be held out of game action a day later after his family welcomed their fourth child. Zack MacEwen and Miles Wood are candidates to enter the lineup Saturday, while Tavares' next opportunity to suit up will be Tuesday against Utah.