Benoit has yet to return to Toronto's training camp after it was announced that the defenseman was still potentially dealing with an upper-body injury that lingered from last season. Toronto is hopeful to have its sixth defenseman back before its opening game on October 8th vs Montreal, after he appeared in all but four games in 2024-25, putting up a goal, 10 points, and a +12 plus/minus.
Blomqvist's start to training camp is not going as planned after it was announced that the 23-year-old netminder was day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The sophomore netminder is expected to compete with Tristan Jarry for Pittsburgh's starting role in 2025-26 after putting up a 4-9-1 record, 3.81 GAA and .885 SV% in 15 games played as a rookie last season.
Ovechkin gave the NHL community a scare on Monday after he left the practice ice with a lower-body injury, but he is expected to make a full recovery and return to Washington's lineup after the 40-year-old skated on Tuesday. The 21-year NHL veteran is not expected to appear in Washington's preseason game on Tuesday despite the good news. Ovechkin is coming off a historic, 44-goal, 73-point campaign across 65 games played in 2024-25.
Lee is expected to miss the majority of training camp with an upper-body injury, but is still likely to be ready for the start of the Islanders' Regular season on October 9th vs. Pittsburgh. The Islanders' 35-year-old captain will be expected to play a large role in New York's offence yet again this season, after putting. up 29 goals, 54 points and 233 SOG in 82 games played.
After an impressive first campaign with Red Deer in the WHL, Jaxon Fuder has earned himself a three-year, entry-level contract with Dallas after going undrafted last season. The 19-year-old forward is expected to return to Red Deer for a sophomore campaign in 2025-26, where he had 11 goals, 26 points and 91 PIMs in 46 games played.
Edmonton locked up one of their complementary forwards on Monday after they announced the signing of Vasily Podkolzin to a three-year contract extension worth $2.95 million AAV ($8.85M total). The 23-year-old right-winger enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2024-25 with eight goals and 24 points after he was acquired from Vancouver before the start of last season for a 2025 4th round pick.
The team announced Tuesday that Woll will be away from the club for personal reasons. No timeline has been provided for his return or whether his absence will extend into the regular season. If he’s unavailable, Dennis Hildeby is expected to step in as Anthony Stolarz’s backup to start the year.
Chiarot was Vancouver's 2025 6th round pick (175th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday. The 19-year-old right-winger is expected to spend 2025-26 with Brampton, where he is also projected to take a massive step forward entering his third OHL season after putting up 21 goals and 35 points in 66 games in 2024-25.
Patterson was Vancouver's 2024 5th round pick (125th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday. The 19-year-old forward is expected to return to the OHL for the 2025-26 season, starting a new chapter with Niagara (OHL) after spending last season in Barrie (OHL) with 25 goals and 59 points in 64 games played.
McBain is expected to miss the next few days of training camp after it was announced Monday that he was day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The 25-year-old forward will be looking to build on a career year from 2025-26, where he had 13 goals, 27 points and 78 PIMs in 82 games played.
Cooley was hit hard from behind in Sunday's preseason game vs. Colorado and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The 21-year-old is entering his third NHL season after taking a massive stride forward with 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games played in 2024-25. He is expected to return to his spot on Utah's top line and power play role when he returns to their lineup.
Slaggert will be absent from Chicago's preseason activities for a few days after it was announced the 23-year-old was day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The left-winger is looking to crack the Blackhawks' roster out of training camp after appearing in 33 games last season and putting up two goals and six points.
Minnesota has locked up its 2024 5th round pick (142nd overall) after announcing it had signed Chase Wutzke to a two-year, entry-level contract on Monday. The 19-year-old is expected to return to Red Deer (WHL) for a fourth season in 2025-26 after posting a 17-25-5 record last season with a 3.38 GAA and .895 SV%.
Ristolainen's 2024-25 season was cut short due to a ruptured right triceps tendon and could bleed into this year as the defenseman is expected to miss the first 1-2 months of the season recovering. The 30-year-old is entering his 13th NHL season and has not completed a full 82-game season since 2015-16. Before his injury last season, he had four goals, 19 points and 100 SOG across 63 games played.
Acciari will start the final season of his three-year, $6 million contract injured after it was announced the forward would miss the first couple of weeks of training camp with a core muscle injury. The 33-year-old is expected to return to a bottom-six role when healthy, after putting up five goals, 12 points and 16 PIMs in 79 games last season.
Entering his third season in Toronto, Max Domi has been limited throughout the first couple days of training camp due to a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old forward is entering his 11th NHL season after a down year in 2024-25, where he had eight goals, 33 points and 93 SOG in 74 games played. He is expected to return to a complimentary role with the Maple Leafs yet again in 2024-25.
O'Brien is apparently "coming along but still far out," according to beat reporter Brogan Houston and is unsure if he will be ready for Utah's season opener on October 9th in Colorado due to a lower-body injury. The 31-year-old grinder nicknamed "Spicy Tuna" appeared in 28 games for Utah in 2024-25, picking up two assists and 50 PIMs alongside 34 SOG.
Kerfoot's status for opening night seems murky after it was announced Monday that the forward was week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The 31-year-old has only missed one game in the last five seasons due to injury, and is coming off a disappointing 11-goal, 28-point campaign in 2024-25.
Seattle will be without one of its top prospects for training camp after it was announced that Nathan Villeneuve would miss the remainder of training camp with a lower-body injury. The 19-year-old forward was Seattle's 2024 2nd round pick (63rd overall) and had 34 goals, 70 points and 120 PIMs in 57 games with Sudbury (OHL) last season.
McCann will miss the start of training camp after it was announced Sunday that the 29-year-old was day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The star forward is entering his fifth season in Seattle and 11th NHL season after surpassing 60+ points for a third consecutive campaign in 2024-25. He is expected to be a key part of Seattle's top-six and power play yet again in 2025-26.
