NHL Player News

Merzlikins underwent successful shoulder surgery Monday and doesn't yet have a timetable to return.

Merzlikins recently informed the team that he experienced some shoulder discomfort during offseason workouts, and an MRI revealed that surgery was the best way to proceed. The Blue Jackets plan to evaluate the netminder again in a few weeks, but it's not yet clear when he'll be able to resume on-ice activities or return to game action. If Merzlikins is unavailable to begin the regular season, Jet Greaves should see plenty of opportunities as the team's primary goalie, while Pheonix Copley would presumably serve as the No. 2 option in net. Merzlikins made 30 regular-season appearances for the Blue Jackets last year, going 14-11-3 with a 3.39 GAA and .883 save percentage.

Rielly told reporters he expects to begin 2026-27 with the Maple Leafs, Dave McCarthy of NHL.com reports.

Rielly was the subject of trade rumors during the offseason, and he submitted a four-team list of potential trade destinations. With no deal coming to fruition yet, Rielly appears ready to get to work with the only NHL team he's known so far. He struggled a bit in 2025-26 with 36 points in 78 regular-season games, his lowest total in a full-length campaign since 2016-17. He is also at risk of seeing less power-play time this year after Toronto added Darren Raddysh to the fold during the offseason.

Morrow agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with the Rangers on Wednesday.

Morrow played in 29 regular-season games for New York last year, generating six assists and 24 shots without finding the back of the net. At this point, the 23-year-old blueliner faces an uphill battle to secure a spot on the Opening Night roster given the organization's defensive depth.

McDonald inked a two-year, $1.825 million contract with the Flyers on Tuesday.

McDonald's new contract will be a two-way agreement for 2026-27, and it will convert to a one-way deal in 2027-28. The 2022 sixth-round pick made his NHL debut with the Flyers last season, recording an assist, four PIM, five hits and a plus-3 rating in a 4-2 win over the Canadiens on April 14. The 24-year-old defenseman posted just six points (all assists) over 65 regular-season games with AHL Lehigh Valley in 2025-26, so he should be expected to be a regular in the minors once again this year.

Pulock had offseason shoulder surgery but should be ready for training camp in September, according to Ethan Sears of the New York Post on May 8.

Pulock had three goals, 27 points, 93 shots on net and 148 blocked shots across 76 appearances during the 2025-26 regular season. He played through shoulder and knee issues for most of the year, but it appears as though he will be ready for the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Romanov has recovered from shoulder surgery and will be ready for training camp in September, according to Jon Lane of NHL.com.

Romanov played in just 15 games in his fourth year with the Islanders in 2025-26, missing a large portion of the season after being hit from behind by Mikko Rantanen during a game in Dallas in November. The 26-year-old Romanov practiced with contact toward the end of last season, so he should have no restrictions for the start of the 2026-27 campaign. The 2018 second-round pick will slot in on one of the bottom two pairings, rounding out the left side of the Islanders' blue line with Adam Pelech, behind unquestioned No. 1 defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Romanov will likely also receive work with the penalty kill this coming season.

Nesbitt is headed to Michigan State ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports Tuesday.

Nesbitt is following in the footsteps of fellow Flyers prospect Porter Martone, who spent one season with the Spartans before making the jump to the NHL. Selected by Philly with the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old Nesbitt notched 25 goals and 33 assists in 55 regular-season games with OHL Windsor last year before adding 10 points in 13 playoff tilts.

Eklund will be given every opportunity at securing an Opening Night roster spot, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports Tuesday.

Eklund saw action in just one NHL game last year in which he registered one assist, two shots and two hits while logging 15:30 of ice time. If the 19-year-old winger does make the NHL roster, he still could be sent back to juniors before reaching the nine-game threshold. While Eklund may be a riskier option in re-draft formats, he is a must-have piece in dynasty contests.

Mrtka is expected to play full-time with AHL Rochester during the 2026-27 campaign, per Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald.

While the 19-year-old Mrtka was rumored to be expendable during the 2026 trade deadline if Colton Parayko was made available, he's expected to stick around in Buffalo's organization with AHL Rochester to begin the season. However, the 19-year-old blueliner can still return to the WHL if it is considered the best route for his development. The ninth overall selection from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft flashed his offensive skills at the junior level last season with a goal and 33 assists across 43 regular-season appearances with WHL Seattle. Mrtka profiles more as a defensive force and will look to carve out a regular role in the AHL ahead of his age-20 campaign, but he also has a chance to debut in the NHL by the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

Byfield is slated to take on a larger role during the 2026-27 campaign following Anze Kopitar's retirement, Ryan Lambert of The Hockey News reports.

Kopitar had indicated last season that the 2025-26 campaign would be his last in the NHL, and his official retirement earlier in the offseason puts Byfield squarely in line to operate as the Kings' top-line center for the start of the 2026-27 season. Byfield narrowly missed out on his third consecutive 50-point season last year, recording 24 goals, 25 assists, 66 hits, 46 PIM and 44 blocked shots while averaging a career-high 20:01 of ice time across 79 regular-season appearances. The 2020 No. 2 overall pick has shown some promise early in his career, and he should have plenty of opportunities to take another step this season.