NHL Player News

Bobrovsky made 21 saves Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to Montreal.

Bob was solid, but he was at the mercy of three turnovers by his mates within the Leafs' zone. There were also a couple of deflections that were all but impossible to stop. The team in front of Bobrovsky wasn't really connecting with passes, and they looked like a bunch of guys learning to play together. Bob will be fine when the team cleans up its play in front of him.

McKenna had one shot on net in a 3-2 loss to Montreal on Tuesday.

Head coach Jim Hiller moved the top pick from the 2026 NHL Entry Draft up and down between lines two and three in his NHL debut. McKenna was minus-2 with one shot on goal in 15:19. He didn't really stand out, but that's not bad. He didn't make mistakes even if his offense didn't show. McKenna will get every opportunity to play a lead role on the second power-play unit and skate on the second line.

Nylander scored twice Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to Montreal.

Nylander kept the puck in at the right point, made a hook move and then drove to the dot before wiring the puck high past Jakub Dobes at just 48 seconds into the game. His second came late in the third frame; it was his 43rd career multi-goal game. Nylander was flying on opening night as he works to put his down 2025-26 season behind him (30 goals, 49 assists; 65 games).

General manager Kyle Davidson told reporters Tuesday that the Blackhawks don't have a firm timeline for Bedard's return from shoulder surgery, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Davidson adds that a timeline may be established at some point in October. Bedard is expected to be out until at least November, based on the initial four-month estimate after he underwent his procedure in July. Fantasy managers with an open injured reserve slot shouldn't hesitate to stash Bedard until he's activated for his season debut.

Bussi stopped 19 of 20 shots in Tuesday's 1-0 overtime loss to the Panthers.

The 28-year-old began the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup defense by getting locked in a goaltending duel with Jacob Markstrom, but Gustav Forsling spoiled Bussi's shutout bid with less than five seconds left in OT by blasting a one-timer through a partial screen from the blue line. Bussi still came up with a number of big saves just to earn Carolina a point in the standings, and he'll be back between the pipes either Friday at home against Washington, or Saturday on the road in Philadelphia.

Forsling scored the game-winning goal in Tuesday's 1-0 overtime victory over the Hurricanes.

It was a sloppy, chippy game to begin the regular season, but Forsling prevented it from going to a shootout when he blasted a one-timer past Brandon Bussi from the blue line with less than five seconds left in OT. Forsling managed only two goals in the 2025-26 regular season, ending a streak of four straight seasons in double digits, but the 30-year-old blueliner made an immediate statement to begin the current campaign that he intends to be more productive.

Markstrom stopped all 15 shots he faced in Tuesday's 1-0 overtime win over the Hurricanes.

Making his return to a Panthers team he broke into the NHL with back in 2010-11, Markstrom didn't face a lot of pucks but came up big when he needed to, eventually getting rewarded for his efforts when Gustav Forsling blasted home a shot from the blue line with less than five seconds left in OT. Markstrom recorded only one shutout all of last season with New Jersey, but his second stint in Florida is off to a dazzling start. The 36-year-old netminder is used to heavy workloads, but it's not yet clear if he'll be right back in the crease Thursday in San Jose, or if he'll cede duties to Akira Schmid.

Shesterkin will tend the twine on the road versus the Bruins on Tuesday, Jack Studley of Boston Hockey Now reports.

Shesterkin is unsurprisingly between the pipes Tuesday, as he will be a lot of the time when the Rangers are playing this season. A lower-body injury in 2025-26 limited Shesterkin to 51 games, his lowest total in the last five seasons. He remained effective with a 25-19-6 record, a 2.50 GAA and a .912 save percentage, and he should be capable of steady numbers even with a retooled team in front of him.

Paul (undisclosed) will be in the lineup against Montreal on Tuesday, per Dave McCarthy of NHL.com.

After getting banged up at the end of the preseason, Paul will play in the first game of the 2026-27 campaign. He notched seven goals, 15 points, 68 shots on net and 75 hits in 51 regular-season games for Tampa Bay in 2025-26.

Demidov (foot) will be in the lineup versus the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, J-F Chaumont of LNH.com reports.

Demidov battled a foot issue throughout the preseason. The 20-year-old will begin 2026-27 on the second line, but he should also be a regular presence on the power play. Demidov had 19 goals and 43 assists over 82 regular-season games as a rookie last year.