With Stalock sidelined with an upper-body injury, Kaapo Kahkonen will start the season as the No.2 netminder behind Cam Talbot. The Wild also brought in Andrew Hammond to serve as a No.3 until Stalock is ready to return.
Bratt was the Devils' last remaining unsigned RFA but got a two-year deal on Sunday night. Bratt set a new career-high in goals (16) while adding 16 assists (32 points) in 60 games a season ago. Bratt will miss the start of the regular season but is expected to be in the Devils top-6 when he makes his debut.
Granlund has yet to arrive at Predators' training camp but hopes to travel to Nashville this week. Granlund will have to quarantine upon his arrival, which means he will miss the start of the regular season. Granlund figures to slot in on the Predators' second line once he joins the team.
Grubauer went 18-12-4 with a 2.63 GAA and .916 SV% in 36 starts in 2020. Grubauer comes into 2021 as the No.1 netminder for one of the best teams' in the NHL but Pavel Francouz is one of the more capable backups in the league, so he will need to play well to earn himself a large share of the starts. Grubauer was 2-2-0 with a 3.26 GAA and .882 SV% in four starts vs. the Blues a season ago.
Signing the veteran defenseman gives the Blue Jackets another capable power-play quarterback should they decided to play both Zach Werenski and Seth Jones on the same PP unit. Del Zotto had two goals and 13 assists (15 points) in 49 NHL games with the Ducks last season.
Rossi's seven-day quarantine after arriving from the World Juniors has ended but the Wild unexpectedly announced that he is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury without ever practicing with the team. Rossi was expected to start the season with the Wild and play the maximum six games before decided whether to keep him on the roster or send him back to Zurich (Swiss-A). Expect the Wild to provide another update after Rossi undergoes further testing.
Forsling is familiar with new Panthers bench boss Joel Quenneville from their days together in Chicago. Forsling has had a tough time becoming a full-time player in the NHL, never playing more than 43 games in a single-season (2019). He has 27 points (8G / 19A) in 122 career NHL games and will likely continue to serve a similar, fringe roster player role in Florida.
Djoos, who was originally a seventh-round pick of the Capitals in 2012, has appeared in 119 career NHL games with Washington and Anaheim. Djoos is a modern-day NHL defenseman, who is mobile and a solid puck-mover from the back-end. He has 27 points (5G / 22A) in his brief NHL career thus far and will likely be the seventh defenseman in Detroit.
One day after taking an indefinite leave of absence from the Devils, Crawford announced his retirement. Crawford said in a statement that he believes he's "given all I can to the game of hockey." Crawford played 10 full NHL seasons, going 260-162-53 with a 2.45 GAA and .918 SV% in 488 regular-season games. He is a two-time Stanley Cup winner and has twice been a part of the William M. Jennings Trophy tandem.
Barzal debuted in Islanders' camp on Saturday, fresh off of a three-year contract extension. The 23-year-old centre had 19 goals and 41 assists (60 points) in 68 games a season ago and has averaged 14 goals and 36 assists (50 points) per 56-games over the last three years. Given the depth at the position, Barzal is a strong No.2 fantasy centre now that he'll be there for the start of the 2021 season.
Sheahan was in Sabres camp on a PTO but signed Friday after the news of Zemgus Girgensons being out for the season. Sheahan spent the 2020 season with the Oilers, collecting eight goals and seven assists (15 points) in 66 games. Sheahan will likely open the 2021 season on the fourth line and will help replace Girgensons on the penalty kill.
Guhle was in a battle to land one of the two spots up for grabs on the Ducks' third pairing but is now expected to miss the first five weeks of the regular season with a sprained MCL. Guhle split 2020 between the NHL and AHL, tallying four goals and four assists in 20 games with the Ducks.
Crawford has worked his way back from concussion and vertigo in recent years but appeared set to split time with Mackenzie Blackwood in the Devils' crease in 2021. With Crawford taking an indefinite leave, it's impossible to predict when and if he will play this season. From a fantasy hockey perspective, this is tremendous news for Blackwood, who should act as a workhorse as long as Crawford is out. Bump Blackwood well up your draft boards and I would let Crawford hit the waiver wire to begin the season.
The Predators acquired the RFA this offseason and signed him to a two-year extension on Wednesday. Kunin, who is coming into his third full NHL season set career-highs in goals (15) and assists (16) in 63 games a season ago. Kunin opened Predators training camp skating on a line with Colton Sissons and Calle Jarnkrok.
Girgensons will miss the entire 2021 season after suffering a serious hamstring injury. Girgensons led all Sabres forwards in shorthanded ice-time a season ago and they also lost Johan Larsson in free agency, so the Sabres will have to completely retool their penalty kill this season.
Bjorkstrand finally saw his long-awaited bump in ice time in 2020 and he turned out a career-year, which was unfortunately hampered by injuries. Overall, he scored 21 goals with 15 assists (36 points) in 49 games, a 35-goal and 60-point per 82-game pace. Bjorkstrand is expected to continue to see huge minutes in 2021 as a fixture on the Blue Jackets' top line with Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Pastrnak was originally expected to miss the first month of the season, roughly 15 games, but head coach Bruce Cassidy provided some positive information on Tuesday. Pastrnak is one of the most polarizing players in fantasy drafts this season but this update provides optimism that could push his ADP into the second round.
Wilson was the No.7 overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft and retires at the age of 31 after 11 seasons. Wilson played for the Predators and Avalanche, compiling 113 goals and 173 assists (286 points) in 632 games.
Pavelski is expected to play a large role this season with Tyler Seguin out for months but this is not a good start. Pavelski is day-to-day pending further results from medicals and his status is something worth monitoring leading up to the season.
Aston-Reese underwent shoulder surgery in August and is expected to miss at least the first month of the season. With Aston-Reese out, the Penguins will likely have Evan Rodrigues or Drew O'Connor in their bottom-6 for the first month.
