NHL Player News

Leonard potted a goal, put three shots on net and dished out two hits in Friday's 5-2 win over Carolina.

Leonard kicked off his 2026-27 on the right foot with an even-strength tally late in the second period to give the Capitals a 5-1 lead. The 21-year-old right winger also opened the year on the team's top line alongside Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin, which should give him the opportunity to take another step forward this season. Across 75 regular-season games in 2025-26, he compiled 20 goals, 45 points, 153 shots on net and 125 hits. Even with the Caps adding to their forward room in the offseason, the eighth-overall selection from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft is expected to play a large role for the team in 2026-27. Leonard is widely available across multiple fantasy platforms, and given his current spot in Washington's lineup and high ceiling, he's an excellent waiver-wire pickup in deep leagues.

Chychrun scored a power-play goal, recorded an assist, placed three shots on net and served two PIM in Friday's 5-2 win over the Hurricanes.

Chychrun picked up right where he left off last season, as he found the back of the net on a second-period power play before he later tallied a secondary helper. The 28-year-old blueliner has become one of the league's most efficient goal-scoring defensemen over the last two seasons, even leading the league in the 2025-26 regular season with 26 twine finders. Fresh off his 60-point outburst across 80 regular-season games a year ago, he is a terrific fantasy option in all league formats due to his recent development offensively and his steady category-coverage numbers. With the Capitals improving their forward room in the offseason, they could potentially space the ice even more for Chychrun in 2026-27, which positions him well to repeat or exceed his offensive totals from last season.

Bussi stopped 22 of 27 shots on net in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Capitals.

After Bussi had a solid start to the campaign in Carolina's 1-0 Opening Night loss, Friday told a different tale. The 28-year-old netminder struggled in the early portion of the contest, as he allowed four goals in the first 22 minutes of action. With Friday's loss, he now holds a 0-1-1 record, a 2.88 GAA and an .872 save percentage across 47 save attempts in two games this season. With the Hurricanes playing Saturday on the second half of a back-to-back, Bussi will likely be able to rest if Pyotr Kochetkov is called upon to make his season debut. Backed by one of the league's strongest defensive cores, Bussi still holds plenty of fantasy value as a solid No.2 goalie option for the time being.

Tuch tallied two goals and placed three shots on net in Friday's 5-2 win over Carolina.

Tuch made his first game with the Capitals a night to remember, as he found the back of the net twice in the first period. As the team's second-line left winger, he showcased his chemistry with Pierre-Luc Dubois, who picked up primary helpers on both of his tallies. The 30-year-old Tuch joined the Capitals in an offseason sign-and-trade away from Buffalo, where he posted 33 goals, 66 points, 195 shots on net, 82 hits and 90 blocked shots across 79 regular-season games during the 2025-26 campaign. The 10-year NHL veteran has gone from one strong offense to another, giving him a realistic chance to replicate or surpass his numbers from a season ago. He's a strong fantasy option in all formats and his category coverage gives him a boost in leagues that value stats where players don't need puck.

Thompson turned aside 31 of 33 shots on goal in Friday's 5-2 win over the Hurricanes.

Thompson shined during the Capitals' Opening Night matchup, as he allowed just one even-strength goal and one at a man disadvantage. The 29-year-old backstop entered the season with a lot of momentum from 2025-26, where he posted a 31-21-6 record, a 2.44 GAA and a .912 save percentage across 58 regular-season outings. Back by an improved forward group and a solid defensive core, Thompson is positioned well to post elite numbers once again in the 2026-27 campaign, making him a strong No. 1 goalie option to have rostered in fantasy moving forward.

Gibson stopped 19 of 20 shots in Friday's 2-0 loss to the Rangers, with New York's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

The veteran netminder was sharp in Detroit's season opener, surrendering only a power-play goal in the first period. Gibson got no offensive support, a common refrain from 2025-26. He still won 29 games as the Red Wings' No. 1 goalie last season -- his highest total since 2017-18 with the Ducks. However, victories could be tougher to come by in 2026-27, especially with Dylan Larkin (upper body) seemingly on his way out the door.

Durzi scored a power-play goal while adding two shots on net and one blocked shot in Friday's 2-0 victory over the Red Wings.

The 27-year-old blueliner blasted a one-timer from the high slot past John Gibson early in the first period, and it turned out to be the game-winner. Durzi also added seven PIM after getting into a second-period scrap with Marco Kasper. Durzi is comfortably filling a spot in the Rangers' top four while handling second-unit power-play duties behind Adam Fox.

Garand turned aside all 22 shots he faced in Friday's 2-0 win over the Red Wings.

The 24-year-old netminder made early saves, and the Rangers' defense locked things down late, with Garand facing only two shots in the third period. It was his first career shutout in just his fourth NHL game, and if he continues to shine as Igor Shesterkin's backup, New York could have a tough decision to make once Joonas Korpisalo (lower body) is cleared to return.

Lowry logged two assists, two shots on goal, three hits and two blocked shots in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins.

Lowry is starting the year as the third-line center, though he'll also function as a security blanket if rookie Viggo Bjorck isn't able to handle second-line duties. Lowry is a quality middle-six forward -- he had finished between 34 and 36 points in each regular season from 2022-23 to 2024-25 before dipping to 21 points last year. He also adds plenty of hits and a decent share of blocked shots. His fantasy utility depends on the categories in play, but he should be able to bounce back a bit in 2026-27.

Ferraro scored a goal on three shots and blocked three shots in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins.

Ferraro opened his Winnipeg tenure on the third pairing, logging 17:58 of ice time. The goal was a nice touch, but the 28-year-old defenseman is primarily valued for his shutdown skills, not his offense. He is coming off a career-best 23-point campaign in 82 regular-season games with the Sharks in 2025-26. Ferraro has also topped 120 hits in all seven of his NHL seasons, and he's logged at least 150 blocks in three of the last five campaigns. That production will give him some value in banger leagues.