NHL Player News

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.

Olofsson scored a power-play goal on two shots in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Olofsson cashed in with the man advantage in the first period, opening the scoring. He's primarily expected to play on the second unit with the man advantage, as well as in a middle-six role at even strength. Olofsson's fantasy value comes down to his offense alone, and it was a little better than normal with 31 points over 78 outings between the Avalanche and the Flames in 2025-26. He also put up 29 points in just 56 appearances with Vegas during the 2024-25 regular season, so expect around 30 points and 100-plus shots if he cements his place in the Golden Knights' lineup this year. He also shot just 8.8 percent last year, his worst mark in a full campaign, so he's poised for a rebound with his efficiency.

Stone scored an empty-net goal, added two hits and went plus-2 in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Stone was able to put the bow on top of the Golden Knights' season-opening win. The winger matched his career high of 73 points in the 2025-26 regular season, but injuries once again limited his usage, as he appeared in just 60 games. When he's healthy, he's a point-per-game threat with a power-play role on a strong team, but Stone's fantasy managers should always keep a finger on the pulse of the waiver wire for when he gets hurt.

Connelly scored a goal on four shots in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Connelly logged 11:22 of ice time in his NHL debut. The winger had a strong training camp to earn his place on the big club's opening roster, but he's beginning his career in a third-line role. That's not a terrible spot to be in on a strong team, but Connelly will need to work his way into the top six regularly to have appeal in redraft formats. He logged 49 points in 46 regular-season outings for AHL Henderson in 2025-26, so the offense is there if he gets enough ice time to make use of it.

Eichel scored a goal on two shots and added two assists in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

He set up Victor Olofsson on the power play in the first period, then scored a goal of his own in the second before feeding Mark Stone for an empty-netter in the third. Eichel's tally was the 700th point of his NHL career, coming in his 691st game. The star center was a hot starter in 2025-26 as well, opening last year with six goals and 10 assists over the first seven games before settling in at a more sustainable pace. Eichel is likely to be worth the early-round pick it cost his fantasy managers to acquire his services this year.

Hart allowed two goals on 26 shots in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blackhawks.

Chicago didn't much going early on, and Hart limited the damage to a goal in each of the last two periods. The 28-year-old Hart is in a good spot to pick up wins, as he'll have a sturdy defense in front of him throughout the year. He's projected to be the Golden Knights' top goalie throughout the campaign, though Adin Hill could get more looks if Hart hits a rough patch. Vegas' next game is Friday at home versus the Ducks.

McDavid registered two assists in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Canucks.

McDavid helped out on the last two goals of Evan Bouchard's hat trick. The 29-year-old McDavid had multiple points in 46 games during the 2025-26 regular season, so fantasy managers can expect him to continue chipping in plenty of offense consistently. He's one of a handful of players with a real shot at averaging 1.5 points per game, and he should be a mainstay in all fantasy lineups.

Podkolzin scored twice on on seven shots, added five hits and went minus-2 in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Canucks.

Podkolzin's pair of goals came in the third period, with the second one being a power-play tally in the final minute to force overtime. The 25-year-old broke out with 19 goals and 37 points over 82 regular-season outings last year, though he still averaged just 28 seconds of power-play time per game. He has a chance to get more usage with the man advantage early in the campaign while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (lower body) is sidelined. At worst, Podkolzin is a middle-six power winger who can chip in enough offense to stay relevant in deeper fantasy formats, but there's upside if he gets consistent usage in scoring situations.

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.

Jarry allowed six goals on 23 shots in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Canucks.

Jarry didn't look sharp in his first start of the season. He had a decent preseason, but he is likely to have a short leash with the No. 1 job in Edmonton if he doesn't improve his performance. Frederik Andersen (knee) is out until at least December, but Devon Levi could leapfrog Jarry on the depth chart with a few good starts. It's not yet clear which of Jarry or Levi will get the nod for Thursday's road rematch against the Canucks.