NHL Player News

Lavoie (undisclosed) will not play in the Golden Knights' Opening Night matchup against the Blackhawks, per SinBin.vegas.

Lavoie took an encouraging step forward in his recovery Tuesday, as he appeared at the team's morning skate in a red non-contact jersey. The 26 year-old forward performed at a high level with AHL Henderson a season ago, posting 30 goals and 56 points across 45 regular-season outings. He's currently on the fringe of playing for Vegas this season when healthy, so his status will be monitored closely upon leading up to his return. In his absence, veterans Marc Gatcomb, Victor Olofsson and Brett Howden are expected to start the season with an everyday role.

Kapanen (lower body) won't be in the lineup for Tuesday's season opener against Toronto, according to Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette.

Kapanen is day-to-day and will miss at least one game. As a rookie with Montreal in the 2025-26 regular season, he accounted for 22 goals, 37 points, 131 shots on net and 68 blocked shots in 82 games.

Marchenko (not injury related) will play against Montreal on Tuesday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.

After being acquired by the Maple Leafs from Columbus on Monday, Marchenko has resolved his work visa issue, and he will make his Toronto debut. Marchenko amassed 27 goals, 67 points and 218 shots on net in 76 regular-season appearances for the Blue Jackets in 2025-26. As a member of the Maple Leafs, Marchenko should occupy a top-six role and see time on the power play against the Canadiens on Tuesday.

Lundestrom (achilles) was moved to long-term injured reserve Tuesday, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers.

Lundestrom was placed on long-term injured reserve in a corresponding move with the Blue Jackets' signing of Carson Soucy. Lundestrom's first season with the Blue Jackets saw him play a solid role, where he posted four goals, 12 points, 53 shots on goal, 35 hits and 35 blocked shots across 68 regular-season outings. His projected timeline for return hasn't changed from early November, leaving him off the fantasy radar for the time being.

L'Heureux (lower body) won't be available for the start of the 2026-27 campaign, per Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now on Tuesday.

L'Heureux is currently on injured reserve, and it's unclear when he will be ready to return. He has been ruled out for at least Wednesday's matchup against the Kings. With Logan O'Connor (lower body) also unavailable, the Avalanche will dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen in their season opener.

Bussi will defend the home goal in Tuesday's Opening Night matchup against the Panthers, per Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site.

Bussi was exceptional for the Hurricanes in the 2025-26 season, which has paved the way for him to earn his first career Opening Night start. The 28-year-old netminder posted a 31-6-2 record, a 2.47 GAA and an .894 save percentage across 39 regular-season outings before he closed the door on Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final, where he had a 3-1-0 record, a 1.60 GAA and a .931 save percentage in four appearances. He'll face off against the Florida Panthers, who added Brady Tkachuk in the offseason, adding to their offensive potential. Bussi is a strong No. 2 goalie option in fantasy hockey to open the 2026-27 season.

O'Connor (lower body) won't play at the beginning of the 2026-27 campaign, Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now reports Tuesday.

O'Connor is on injured reserve and won't play in Wednesday's season opener against the Kings. It's unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup. O'Connor contributed two assists, 13 shots on goal and 11 hits in 13 appearances for Colorado during the 2025-26 regular season. The Avalanche will also be without Zachary L'Heureux (lower body) in Wednesday's matchup, forcing the team to play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

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.

Knight is expected to defend the road net against the Golden Knights on Tuesday, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports.

Knight posted a 19-25-11 record with three shutouts, a 2.82 GAA and a .902 save percentage in 55 appearances for Chicago during the 2025-26 regular season. Vegas ranked 14th in the league last campaign with 3.22 goals per game. In his career against Vegas, Knight has gone 1-4-1 and has allowed 19 goals on 163 shots in six regular-season outings.

Hart will guard the home crease in Tuesday's Opening Night matchup against the Blackhawks, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

Hart will get the starting nod to open the regular season for Vegas, which relied on him heavily during its postseason run. The 28-year-old backstop was solid in the regular season, compiling an 11-3-3 record, a 2.71 GAA and an .891 save percentage across 18 outings. When the playoffs arrived, he flipped a switch, anchoring the team and posting a 14-8-0 save percentage, a 2.56 GAA and a .907 save percentage across 22 appearances. Hart is a strong No. 2 option in most fantasy formats to open the 2026-27 campaign.