Bertuzzi will be in training camp and will be forced to follow more strict guidelines but will be eligible to play in all games in the United States. The Red Wings play nine games in Canada this season, so Bertuzzi will be suspended without pay for those games under the agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA.
Thomas followed up a breakout 2020 season with an injury-filled, disappointing 2021 campaign. He finished the season with just 12 points (3G / 9A) in 33 regular-season games but had a better showing in the Blues' short playoff run. Entering his fourth season, Thomas is still stuck behind Ryan O'Reilly and Brayden Schenn on the depth chart, so it's hard to envision him providing anything more than the 0.6 points-per-game we saw from him two years ago.
Merzlikins missed some time with injuries in 2021 but the Blue Jackets are committed to him as their No.1 option on Tuesday, signing him to a five-year deal. Merzlikins greatly outperformed Joonas Korpisalo last year, posting a .916 SV% in 28 appearances and has breakout potential for 2022.
There was some concern whether or not Kaprizov would return to the Wild after signing a deal in the KHL this summer. However, the Wild were able to get him under contract for the next five years--presumably the best years of his career. At the age of 23-years-old, he dazzled in his rookie season, scoring 27 goals with 24 assists (51 points) in 55 games, winning the Calder Trophy. Coming into his second season, Kaprizov is a threat to finish at a point-per-game pace and should be considered one of the top LW options in fantasy.
With the regular season just three weeks away, Morin will miss at least the first three weeks of the season. Since being drafted No.11 overall in 2013, injuries have really derailed Morin's career to-date. He has appeared in just 29 games over five seasons, including just 20 games a season ago.
We are three weeks away from the start of the 2021-22 season, so Hayes will miss at least the first three weeks of the new season. With Hayes out, Claude Giroux may have to shift back to the middle of the ice for a few weeks or Scott Laughton/Derick Brassard will play larger roles than originally expected.
Andreoff was limited to nine games a season ago, six with the Flyers and three with the Phantoms (AHL). The 30-year-old forward will likely report to Bridgeport (AHL) to start the 2021-22 season. He has 25 points (13G / 12A) in 179 career NHL games with the Kings and Flyers.
Timashov was traded from the Red Wings to the Islanders last December and appeared in one NHL game in 2021. The 24-year-old was in Bridgeport (AHL) most of the season, scoring five goals with six assists (11 points) in 22 games. Look for him to remain in the AHL to start the 2022 season.
Bardreau was one of a few depth moves the Islanders announced today. The 28-year-old has spent 288 games in the AHL, only playing 10 with the Islanders since turning pro in 2015. He will start the 2021-22 season with Bridgeport.
Last season, Koivula went back to Finland on a COVID-loan, scoring three goals with eight assists (11 points) in 14 games with HIFK Helsinki (Liiga). Upon returning to North America, he spent the whole season with Bridgeport (AHL) posting nine points (2G / 7A) in 20 games. Given the depth on the Islanders roster, Koivula will start the season in the AHL.
LaDue is a depth signing for the Islanders, who will start the 2021-22 season in the AHL. He has 18 points (5G / 13A) in 69 career NHL games with the Kings, who drafted him in the sixth-round in 2012.
According to Chris Johnston, Niku isn't focusing on going to Europe and is hoping for a fresh start with another NHL team. Niku was a seventh-round pick in 2015 but his stock skyrocketed in 2018 when he had 54 points (16G / 38A) in 76 games in his first AHL season. He was unable to take that next step in the years that followed and continued to bounce between the AHL and NHL.
Senyshyn played a career-high eight NHL games in 2021 but failed to register a point with the Bruins. At the AHL-level, he had seven goals and six assists (13 points) in 18 games with Providence. This offseason, the Bruins added Erik Haula, Nick Foligno and Tomas Nosek to their bottom-6, so it seems highly likely that Senyshyn will start the season in the AHL and wait for injuries to clear the way for him to return to the Bruins.
Zajac was drafted No.20 overall in 2004 and spent the first 14 and half years of his career with the Devils before joining the Islanders for a 13-game stint in 2021. Zajac retires with 552 career points (203G / 349A) in 1037 regular-season games. The Devils announced that Zajac will "remain with the organization in an on/off-ice player development and consulting role, while also working to grow the club's youth hockey initiatives."
Patrick was part of the three-way trade that sent Ryan Ellis to Philadelphia this offseason and gets a small raise from $925K AAV to $1.2M AAV with Vegas. The former No.2 overall pick (2017) has had a tough start to his NHL career, being slowed down by a migraine disorder in 2020. He was able to log 52 games a season ago but tallied just nine points (4G / 5A). With the Golden Knights he will be looking to reignite his game at the age of 23.
Brown was selected No.11 overall in 2016 but has had a difficult time landing a full-time gig in the NHL to date. Brown spent most of the last three seasons in the AHL, where he has compiled 23 goals and 56 assists (79 points) in 94 games. With the Senators, he has one goal and eight assists in 30 games and should be on their opening night roster in October.
Chara returns where it all began for him in 1996. Chara was drafted in the third round by the Islanders and played 231 games with them before being traded to the Senators in 2001. Last year, Chara had 10 points (2G / 8A) in 55 games with the Capitals and was able to log over 18 minutes per night at the age of 43. With the Islanders, he will likely be tasked with playing third-pairing minutes next to Scott Mayfield or Noah Dobson.
