NHL Player News

Nelson scored a goal and added two assists, all with the man advantage, in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Nelson was on the second power-play unit, but that didn't stop him from making a positive impact in that role. The 34-year-old center is coming off another strong year of 65 points and 186 shots on net in 81 regular-season outings in 2025-26. With a firm top-six role and an ability to maintain a high shooting percentage, Nelson should be a useful center option in fantasy.

Lehkonen scored two power-play goals on three shots, added two hits and blocked two shots in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

Lehkonen is entering a contract year, and he made a big splash in the opener. He's working on the second power-play unit, so it may be tough for him to make a steady impact with the man advantage. That said, Lehkonen also works in the top six regularly, and he began the year alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. Lehkonen has recorded at least 45 points in three of the last four years, and as long as he can limit time missed due to injuries, he should be able to reach that mark again in 2026-27.

MacKinnon scored twice on eight shots, added five PIM, logged two hits and went minus-2 in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

MacKinnon was slinging the puck in midseason form, and one of his two goals came on the power play. He also fought Brandt Clarke in the third period as the game got contentious. MacKinnon won't be a steady source of grit, but fantasy managers had him in contention for the No. 1 pick because of his elite scoring skills. He's coming off a career-high 53 goals in the regular season last year, and he added 74 assists and 350 shots on net. He's one of a handful of players who can regularly come anywhere near those marks on a yearly basis.

Blackwood stopped 27 of 31 shots in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Kings.

The Avalanche had some rust to shake off in front of Blackwood, leading to a bit of a messy game. Two of the Kings' goals came shorthanded, but the Avalanche also went 4-for-5 on the power play. Blackwood is better than this game's stat line would suggest, and he should settle into a nice groove as the team in front of him gets up to speed. The Avalanche's next game is Saturday versus the Blues, and it's not yet clear if the team will lean on a starter or have Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood rotate in the net early in the year.

Perry (personal) rejoined the Kings for Tuesday's practice, Noah Sher of Mayor's Manor reports.

It's not guaranteed Perry will be in the lineup, as he missed all of training camp while attending to a personal matter. The 41-year-old winger will likely slot into a bottom-six role eventually if he doesn't play versus the Avalanche on Wednesday.

O'Brien (lower body) was placed on non-roster injured reserve Wednesday.

O'Brien was initially announced on injured reserve Sunday, but his status has since been clarified. He is considered week-to-week at this time. The Kraken have a few options for when he gets healthy -- as a 19-year-old first-round pick (2025), he is eligible for the AHL if Seattle thinks that would be best for his development.

Duchene (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports reports.

Duchene was labeled doubtful for the Stars' season opener Friday, and this move suggests he will not play in that game. The 35-year-old is battling an injury that has bothered him since the start of training camp, and he recently suffered a setback in his recovery process. The Stars are likely to utilize seven defensemen in Duchene's absence, as they have no extra forwards on the roster.

Joshua (abdomen) has been moved from the non-roster list to long-term injured reserve, PuckPedia reports Wednesday.

Joshua was already considered week-to-week, and this move reinforces that he's going to be out for a while. More specifically, he will be forced to miss at least Toronto's first 10 games, and it's possible he will be on the shelf for longer than that. The 30-year-old had 10 goals, 18 points, 49 PIM and 195 hits in 55 regular-season appearances in 2025-26.

Marchand (lower body) might be able to play before the end of October, Max Miller of NHL.com reports Wednesday.

Marchand's recovery is going better than initially hoped, though his timetable is only marginally different from what it was before. The 38-year-old might end up on the third line when he's healthy, but that says more about how stacked Florida is than his actual worth. Marchand had 27 goals and 54 points in 52 regular-season appearances with Florida in 2025-26, and on most teams, it would be easy to pencil him on for a top-six role.

Karlsson signed a two-year, $13.5 million contract extension with the Golden Knights on Wednesday, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

Karlsson will play out the final season of his eight-year, $47.2 million contract before his new deal begins with the 2027-28 campaign. Although his upcoming $6.75 million cap hit is a somewhat modest increase in the context of the ballooning salary cap, it's also a reflection of his recent difficulties. He had four goals and seven points across just 14 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, and he finished the 2024-25 regular season with nine goals and 29 points in 53 outings. Karlsson is capable of serving in a top-six capacity, as evidenced by his 30 goals and 60 points in 70 regular-season appearances in 2023-24, but his injury history and inconsistent offensive production make him something of a risk.