NHL Player News

Pinto inked a four-year, $30 million contract extension with Ottawa on Thursday.

Pinto will be making double his current AAV ($3.75 million) on this next deal when it kicks in for the 2026-27 campaign. It's been a strong start to the season for the 25-year-old center, as he has racked up eight goals and six helpers in 17 contests -- though he has yet to register a point with the man advantage despite averaging 2:14 of power-play ice time.

Lafferty scored a goal in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Devils.

Lafferty got the puck near the blue line, made a couple of moves and slotted home a shot at 13:34 of the third period to put the Blackhawks ahead 3-2. It's a show of skill for the 30-year-old, who has spent a lot of time in the press box so far -- this was just his fifth appearance of the campaign. The goal was also his first shot on net of the year to go with four PIM, seven hits and a plus-1 rating. He may still find himself out of the lineup once Andre Burakovsky (illness), Frank Nazar (abdomen) and Jason Dickinson (shoulder) are all healthy again.

Bedard scored a power-play goal on two shots and went minus-2 in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Devils.

Bedard scored for the fourth straight game and extended his point streak to nine contests (eight goals, 11 assists) in the process. The 20-year-old is up to 10 goals, 26 points (nine on the power play), 54 shots on net, 14 PIM and a plus-8 rating through 17 outings this season. Bedard has elevated his game in a big way so far, and he'll likely continue to produce at an elite level to lead the charge as the Blackhawks look to stay competitive in the Central Division.

Hughes logged two assists, three shots on goal and a plus-3 rating in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win over the Blackhawks.

Hughes has gone a season-high four games without a goal, but he has a pair of two-assist outings in that span. He set up third-period tallies by Dawson Mercer and Simon Nemec to help the Devils erase a pair of deficits before they ultimately got the win in the extra session. For the season, Hughes is up to 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) with 69 shots on net and a plus-3 rating across 17 appearances. He's looking to exceed a point-per-game pace for the fifth straight year, and he's on the right track for that as long as injuries don't derail his campaign.

Mercer scored a goal on five shots and went plus-2 in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win over the Blackhawks.

Mercer had gone four games without a goal, earning just two assists in that span. The 24-year-old's tally erased one of the three deficits the Devils faced in the contest. Mercer is up to nine goals, 16 points, 33 shots on net, 18 blocked shots, 12 hits and a plus-9 rating through 17 appearances. He's nearly halfway to his regular-season point total (36) from last year, and he's showing few signs of slowing down despite a lofty 27.3 shooting percentage.

Schmaltz scored a goal on two shots and added an assist in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Sabres.

Schmaltz had two points in the latter half of the third period to help pad the Mammoth's lead. He's collected four points over his last five games, and this was his first multi-point effort since Oct. 25 versus the Wild. The 29-year-old forward is up to 10 goals, 11 helpers, 52 shots and a plus-3 rating through 17 appearances. Schmaltz's strong start to the year has him tracking toward a career-best season -- he had 63 points in 82 regular-season games a year ago, and his career high in goals is 23 from the 2021-22 campaign.

Glass (undisclosed) sustained an injury versus the Blackhawks on Wednesday, and there was no update on his status after the game, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports.

The Devils lost both Glass and Zack MacEwen to injuries in the first period of this contest. Both players have also been hurt previously this season, with this being just the fourth game back for Glass since his previous absence. The Devils' next practice is Friday, and his status for Saturday's game versus the Capitals is yet to be determined.

Halliday notched three assists in AHL Belleville's 6-4 win over Rochester on Wednesday.

Halliday has been a big playmaker for Belleville this season with one goal and 13 helpers over 13 appearances. He was assist-heavy last year as well, posting 19 goals and 32 assists over 71 regular-season contests in his first professional season. The 23-year-old forward has yet to make his NHL debut, but he could be in the mix for a call-up later in the year if he continues dishing out helpers at a high rate.

Cirelli (upper body) won't play Wednesday versus the Rangers, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.

Cirelli will miss his second straight game due to the injury. The 28-year-old's next chance to return will be Saturday against the Panthers. Cirelli's absence will lead to a larger role for Yanni Gourde in Wednesday's contest.

Strome scored a goal in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Hurricanes.

Strome's second-period tally held up as the game-winner. The 28-year-old center has three goals and five points over five outings in November while maintaining his usual top-line spot. Overall, he's at five goals, 15 points, 31 shots on net and a plus-11 rating over 14 appearances and should continue to offer steady offense for fantasy managers.