NHL Player News

Driedger was released from his professional tryout agreement by the Canucks on Monday, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reports.

Driedger signed a PTO with the Canucks in late August, but he'll be let go by the organization before the start of the regular season. Thatcher Demko (hip) is slated to miss the first few months of the year, and the team will roll with Kevin Lankinen and Leevi Merilainen in the crease during his absence. Driedger hasn't made a regular-season appearance at the NHL level since the 2023-24 campaign and will likely have to settle for a minor-league role once again this year.

Gourde (hip) was placed on the injured non-roster list Monday.

Gourde won't be available to play until at least December after having offseason hip surgery. He contributed 19 assists, 28 points, 114 shots on net, 115 hits and 66 PIM in 82 regular-season games with Tampa Bay in 2025-26.

The Lightning placed James (hand) on non-roster injured reserve Monday.

James entered training camp with a broken hand and was expected to miss the first two weeks of the regular season, so his move to non-roster injured reserve isn't surprising. Conor Geekie and Scott Sabourin are candidates to see increased time in the lineup early in the year while James is sidelined.

Rautiainen was loaned to Tappara of Finland's Liiga on Monday, Diandra Loux of The Hockey News reports.

Rautiainen notched 25 goals and 77 points in 59 games for Tappara during the 2025-26 regular season. He has already scored one goal in one appearance with the club this campaign.

The Red Wings placed Bernard-Docker (upper body) on injured reserve Monday, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

Head coach Todd McLellan announced Friday that Bernard-Docker is considered day-to-day due to an upper-body injury, and the issue will apparently force him to miss the start of the regular season. It's not yet clear when he'll be able to return, but McLellan's remarks last week suggest that the 26-year-old isn't facing a long-term absence to begin the year. Bernard-Docker recorded a goal, four assists, 87 blocked shots, 66 hits and 25 PIM while averaging 14:49 of ice time across 63 regular-season appearances last year.

Guhle (groin) was placed on injured reserve by the Canadiens on Monday.

Guhle underwent minor adductor muscle surgery over the summer and was slated to miss the start of the 2026-27 regular season, so his placement on injured reserve isn't particularly surprising. The Canadiens indicated in mid-September that Guhle was expected to return in 4-5 weeks, so the 24-year-old could be back in action as early as mid-October. Across 39 regular-season appearances last year, Guhle logged two goals, nine assists, 86 hits, 63 blocked shots and 41 PIM while averaging 19:28 of ice time.

Lizotte (upper body) was labeled day-to-day ahead of Opening Night against the Flyers on Wednesday, Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site reports.

Lizotte could still be activated in time to face Philadelphia, considering his designation for IR was retroactive to Sept. 19. Getting the 28-year-old forward back would be a huge win for the Penguins, as there are several forwards that have been deemed week-to-week, including Bryan Rust (upper body) and Ben Kindel (lower body).

Broz (lower body) was designated for non-roster, injured reserve Monday.

Broz made his NHL debut last season, logging one game for Pittsburgh in which he notched two shots in 11:30 of ice time. The 23-year-old winger seemed to be trying to force his way into the Penguins' Opening Night roster, but this injury will likely mean he has to start the 2026-27 season in the minors once he is given the all-clear.

Kuzmenko (personal) was deemed a non-roster player by the Penguins on Monday.

Kuzmenko played in 52 regular-season games for the Kings last year in which he notched 13 goals and 12 assists, including 13 power-play points. Once the 30-year-old winger rejoins the team, he should be in the mix for a middle-six role with the Penguins.

Rust (upper body) was placed on injured reserve by Pittsburgh on Monday and is considered week-to-week according to Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site.

Rust won't be ready for the start of the season with his shift to injured reserve. Given his timeline, fantasy players should anticipate that Rust will be unavailable for at least the opening two games of the year. Without the veteran winger in the lineup, Filip Hallander and Ville Koivunen are both expected to get looks on the third line.