NHL Player News

Theodore logged two assists, including one on the power play, and a plus-2 rating in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Theodore helped out on first-period tallies by Victor Olofsson and Trevor Connelly. The 31-year-old Theodore getting a spot on the top power-play unit is a positive sign after he averaged just 1:23 per game with the man advantage in the 2025-26 regular season, leading to just five power-play points. He should be on the first unit as long as Vegas stays away from five-forward configurations for that group. Theodore has rebound potential, though he also carries injury risk, having missed at least 12 games in each of the last four years.

Hanifin scored a goal on three shots and blocked two shots in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Hanifin was on the third pairing for this contest, logging 18:51 of ice time. He hasn't averaged less than 20 minutes per game since 2017-18 with the Hurricanes, so his usage is worth monitoring. The Golden Knights also have five left-shot defensemen on the roster, which led to Hanifin playing his off side Tuesday. He was held to just 28 points in 71 regular-season outings last year. The 29-year-old also appears to be behind Shea Theodore and Rasmus Andersson for power-play time, which could further limit Hanifin's offense.

Bouchard had a hat trick, two assists, six shots on goal, three blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Canucks.

Bouchard is the first defenseman in NHL history to put up five points in a season opener. It took Bouchard seven games to get on the scoresheet in 2025-26 but even with the slow start, the 26-year-old blueliner still finished last year with a career-high 95 points in the regular season. If the Oilers continue to play in high-scoring games, Bouchard is likely to be heavily involved. He's an elite fantasy defenseman and should be in the lineup whenever Edmonton's on the schedule.

Hronek logged a pair of assists, including one on the power play, and added two shots on net, three blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime win over the Oilers.

Hronek is off to a strong start as the Canucks' clear-cut top blueliner. The 28-year-old led the team with 25:08 of ice time and will likely continue to see heavy usage in all situations. He's coming off a career year of 49 points in 82 outings in 2025-26. There are few Canucks worth rostering in fantasy right out of the gate, but Hronek is one of them for managers who aren't concerned about plus-minus rating.

Carrier had a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Toronto. His goal stood as the winner.

Carrier isn't known for his offense -- his seven goals last season equaled his total for the previous three seasons. And his last game winner came in 2023-24 when he wore a Nashville uniform. In fact, he has just four GWG in 370 games. Carrier's best fantasy category is his ability to block pucks -- he delivered a career high of 155 last season. But one-category wonders don't make for great fantasy assets.

Raddysh fired three shots, delivered two blocks and finished minus-2 in 23:47 of ice time in a 3-2 loss to Montreal on Tuesday.

Raddysh looked a bit nervous on the ice, which isn't really a surprise -- he grew up in nearby Caledon on the edge of the Greater Toronto Area, and he likely had dozens of family and friends in the house. Raddysh was paired with Morgan Rielly, and neither man looked especially comfortable. It's game one, so we're not worried. Raddysh is fresh off a 22-goal, 70-point season with Tampa Bay, and he brings his booming shot and offense to the potent Toronto lineup.

Forsling scored the game-winning goal in Tuesday's 1-0 overtime victory over the Hurricanes.

It was a sloppy, chippy game to begin the regular season, but Forsling prevented it from going to a shootout when he blasted a one-timer past Brandon Bussi from the blue line with less than five seconds left in OT. Forsling managed only two goals in the 2025-26 regular season, ending a streak of four straight seasons in double digits, but the 30-year-old blueliner made an immediate statement to begin the current campaign that he intends to be more productive.

Luneau was assigned to AHL San Diego on Tuesday.

The Ducks recalled forward Cruz Lucius from the minors in a corresponding move. It wouldn't be surprising if the team change for both players is temporary. Assuming Drew Helleson (lower body) is ready for Friday's season opener against Vegas. Anaheim still needs at least one more healthy blueliner because Ian Moore's (lower body) is unavailable.

Soucy signed a one-year, $1.15 million contract with Columbus on Tuesday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

Soucy attended training camp with the Blue Jackets on a professional tryout agreement. The 32-year-old Soucy might have to compete for playing time with Emil Andrae until Damon Severson (shoulder) and Dante Fabbro (upper body) return to the lineup.

Iorio was placed on waivers by the Rangers on Tuesday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Iorio was placed on injured reserve by the Rangers on Monday before he ultimately ended up on waivers Tuesday. The 23-year-old blueliner had a shot to make the NHL roster after appearing in six regular-season games for the Rangers in 2025-26. If he clears waivers over the next 24 hours, he will report to AHL Hartford, where he could play a sizable role to begin the 2026-27 campaign.