NHL Player News

Mercer scored an empty-net goal on two shots and added two PIM in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Oilers.

Mercer is starting to roll on offense. He was held off the scoresheet in the season opener but has racked up three goals and two assists over four games since. The 23-year-old also has eight shots on net, eight blocked shots, four hits and a plus-5 rating through five appearances. He's played in a top-six role in recent years, but he has failed to hit the 40-point mark in each of the last two seasons. If this hot start continues, he could challenge his career year of 56 points in 82 games in 2022-23.

Cozens scored a goal and added seven hits in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Islanders.

Cozens has three goals and two assists over six games this season, including a point in each of his last four contests. The center gave the Senators a 4-3 lead late in the second period, but their offense went cold in the third. In addition to his steady offense, he's added 17 shots on net, 26 hits and a minus-7 rating, offering some upside as a physical forward and a power-play option on a team that has played some wide-open games.

Pinto scored a goal on six shots and blocked two shots in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Islanders.

Pinto's up to seven goals through six games, and he's failed to find twine just once this year. The 24-year-old gave the Senators a brief 2-0 lead in the second period before the Islanders' offense woke up. Pinto has eight points, 21 shots on net, four hits, four blocks and a plus-1 rating so far. After flashing 20-goal potential in each of the last three years, the center looks poised for a true breakout in 2025-26.

Horvat scored a goal on two shots and went plus-2 in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Senators.

Horvat followed up his hat trick from Thursday with a game-tying tally in Saturday's contest. He evened the score at 2-2 in the second period, a frame which saw both teams bend the twine three times. Horvat has six points, 25 shots on net, four hits, two blocked shots and a plus-5 rating across five appearances. He's been separated from Mathew Barzal to begin 2025-26, but it's working out just fine for Horvat's offense.

Cirelli scored a power-play goal in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Blue Jackets.

Cirelli was parked in the slot when Jake Guentzel found him. The goal put the Bolts up 2-1 late in the first period. Cirelli has three goals and one assist in his last four games; this was his first power-play marker.

Hischier produced two assists, one on the power play, in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Oilers.

The 26-year-old center had a hand in a Jesper Bratt tally late in the second period before feeding Dawson Mercer for an empty-netter late in the third. Hischier has built a four-game point streak after being blanked in the Devils' season opener, pocketing two goals and six points over that stretch.

Hughes scored two even-strength goals, one the game-winner, and added a power-play assist in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Oilers.

The 24-year-old opened the scoring midway through the second period, then got left alone in front of Calvin Pickard after an Edmonton turnover and made no mistake, tucking the puck home to give New Jersey a 4-1 lead. It was Hughes' first multi-point performance of the season. Through five games, he's collected three goals and six points, with half that production (one goal and two assists) coming on the power play.

McDavid notched two assists in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Devils.

Both helpers came on tallies by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but the Oilers' offense didn't have much else going on in the afternoon affair. McDavid has a five-game point streak going to begin the season, and while he's still looking for his first goal of 2025-26, the 28-year-old superstar already has seven assists.

Nugent-Hopkins scored two goals in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Devils.

The Oilers never led in the game, but Nugent-Hopkins did his best to keep his team in the contest with tallies late in the second and third periods. The 32-year-old has gotten off to a fast start to the season, racking up four goals and six points in five games. During Saturday's contest, Nugent-Hopkins skated on a line with Connor McDavid at even strength while holding down his spot on the top power-play unit.

Benak registered a goal and five assists over two games as OHL Brantford swept Brampton on Friday and Saturday in a home-and-home set.

Benak has four games of at least three points in eight total appearances, racking up four goals and 15 assists in total. The 18-year-old center is showing a clear knack for playmaking, continuing his work from 2024-25 in the USHL when he had 17 goals and 42 assists in 56 regular-season games. Look for Benak to continue being a force for the Bulldogs this year.