NHL Player News

Norris (upper body) will likely be sidelined for around eight weeks, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports Monday.

Head coach Lindy Ruff didn't want to fully commit to the eight-week timeline for Norris but told reporters it was pretty close to accurate. Based on that recovery timeline, the 26-year-old center wouldn't be back in action until mid-December, which will open up plenty of opportunities for Jiri Kulich to get top-six minutes.

Ritchie (lower body) was reassigned to AHL Bridgeport on Monday.

Ritchie's demotion to the minors clears the way for him to return to action following his lower-body issue that saw him start the year on non-roster, injured reserve. Once the 20-year-old center gets his legs back under him, he should be in the mix for a call-up, though he figures to play the bulk of his games in the minors.

Pitlick scored twice on four shots in AHL Iowa's 6-2 loss to Rockford on Sunday.

Pitlick missed out on the Wild's Opening Night roster, though he could get a call-up later in the year if the big club pivots from its youthful approach to the start of 2025-26. The 33-year-old forward had his best AHL campaign last year with 21 goals and 46 points over 59 regular-season outings for Providence. He's also logged at least 30 games in eight NHL campaigns.

Moore scored twice on four shots and added an assist in AHL Rockford's 6-2 win over Iowa on Sunday.

Moore seemed close to an NHL job in training camp but ultimately missed out. He's had his first big game of the year in just his second minor-league appearance. The 20-year-old put up four assists in nine outings with the Blackhawks at the tail end of 2024-25 after signing out of the University of Minnesota.

Poitras notched four assists and three shots on goal in AHL Providence's 6-3 win over Charlotte on Sunday.

Poitras played provider for linemates Fabian Lysell and Alex Steeves in this contest. The 21-year-old Poitras didn't stand out during the Bruins' NHL camp, so he'll start 2025-26 in the minors, where he had 17 goals and 24 assists over 40 regular-season games last year. Should Boston's center depth get depleted, Poitras figures to be near the top of the list for a call-up.

Foudy scored a goal on four shots and added an assist in AHL Bridgeport's 6-2 win over Belleville on Sunday.

Foudy was waived in September, and he's unlikely to see much time at the NHL level this year. He got into two games with the Islanders last season but failed to record a point. At the AHL level, he did alright with 20 goals and 45 points in 70 regular-season contests, but he also had a minus-31 rating, which suggests his defensive work isn't at an acceptable level for a long-term stint with the big club.

Reschny scored a goal on three shots and added an assist in the University of North Dakota's 5-2 win over St. Thomas University on Sunday.

Reschny was held off the scoresheet in his college debut Friday, but he made up for it in the rematch Sunday. The 18-year-old is a first-round pick (2025) of the Flames who relies on creativity and a strong motor to generate his offense. He made the jump to the NCAA after posting 26 goals and 92 points in 62 regular-season games with WHL Victoria last year, as well as 25 points in 11 playoff outings.

Benak recorded four assists and three shots on goal in OHL Brantford's 8-5 win over Ottawa on Sunday.

Benak's first season in the OHL is off to a stellar start. He has three goals and 10 assists in six games, with four of those being multi-point efforts. A fourth-round pick of the Wild in 2025, the Czech forward is supremely talented despite a small frame. He'll likely need at least two more years of development, including some AHL time in the future, before he'll get a chance at the NHL level.

LaBate scored two goals in AHL Abbotsford's 4-2 win over Henderson on Saturday.

LaBate is a journeyman forward, and that journey has come full circle in British Columbia. He was drafted in the fourth round in 2011 by the Canucks, and he's back with the organization to provide veteran depth for the farm team. LaBate had just 21 points in 51 regular-season outings for AHL Cleveland in 2024-25, though he also picked up an assist in six outings with the Blue Jackets after an eight-year gap between NHL appearances. Given the Canucks' mediocre forward depth in the NHL, LaBate could get a call-up this season.

Frank scored twice in AHL Hershey's 5-2 loss to Syracuse on Saturday.

Frank missed out on the Capitals' Opening Night roster, but he was one of their last camp cuts. That bodes well for his chances of being an early call-up candidate, and his hot start on offense is also a positive. The 27-year-old had seven points in 24 regular-season outings with Washington last year in his first taste of NHL action, but he didn't make an appearance in the playoffs.