DeBrincat, 19, was “sent down” yesterday as a paper transaction to get under the salary cap ceiling before they put Marian Hossa on LTIR. The 2016 No.39 pick had 127 points (65G / 62A) in 63 games with Erie (OHL) last season and is expected to open the 2017-18 season on either the second or third line.
Murray has two Stanley Cups in two seasons, not a bad start to a career. With Marc-Andre Fleury now in Vegas, the Penguins’ crease belongs to Murray. He has just 60 career regular season starts, but could see close to that number in his third season. Murray has a career 2.32 GAA and .925 SV%, making him a strong No.1 fantasy option and his team makes him a candidate for the NHL-lead in wins.
Despite skating as a regular throughout the last few practices, the return of Andrew Copp will push Petan to the press box on opening night. The 22-year-old had just 13 points (1G / 12A) in 54 games last year, spending most of it on the fourth line with Chris Thorburn.
Following four and a half seasons in Philadelphia, Mason signed with the Jets this offseason and will hope to improve on his 2.66 GAA and .908 SV% from a year ago. Winnipeg ranked 27th in the NHL in goals against last season, so they will need much better goaltending if they want to be a playoff team this year. Mason draws a brutal matchup for his Jets debut as he goes up against the Maple Leafs, who were fifth in the NHL in scoring last year.
The Blackhawks had to wait until they moved Marian Hossa to LTIR to announce the deal, but they bring Franson to join a mostly inexperienced blueline. Franson spent the last two seasons with the Sabres, where he had five goals and 19 assists (24 points) per 82 games, but missed a combined 37 games. His value will hinge on how much power-play time he gets in Chicago.
Ehlers is entering the final year of a three-year deal, so this new deal won’t kick in until 2018-19 and it runs through the 2024-25 season. The 21-year-old is coming off of a great sophomore campaign, having collected 25 goals and 39 assists (64 points) in 82 games. Ehlers is positioned for another great year as he’s poised to start the season with Patrik Laine and Bryan Little.
Hornqvist continues to rehab his hand that underwent surgery in the summer. Originally the Penguins were hopeful that he would be ready for the start of the season, but he has yet to return to practice at this time. He’ll start the year on IR, which is not ideal for a player with an injury riddled past.
Copp was dealing with a sore knee after taking a shot off of his right leg during the preseason. Copp is expected to start the season on the third line with Adam Lowry and Joel Armia. The 23-year-old forward had nine goals and eight assists (17 points) in 64 games with the Jets last season.
Eichel is entering the final year of his entry-level contract, so this extension will kick in for the 2018-19 season and run through the 2025-26 campaign—he will be 29-years-old. Eichel is hoping for a better start to 2017-18 after last year got derailed by an injury before the first game. Upon his return to the Buffalo lineup, Eichel was 10th in the NHL in points and is pegged as one of the biggest breakout candidates coming into this season.
Wilson will miss the first four games of the regular season for boarding the Blues’ Sam Blais. This is not the ideal start to the season for the bruising winger, but it will likely give the Capitals a chance to take an extended look at Alex Chiasson.
Connor, who was the Jets No.17 overall pick in 2015, was expected to crack the opening night roster but fell down the depth chart throughout the preseason. Connor has electrifying potential thanks to his exceptional speed, but the organization obviously feels he needs a little more seasoning in the AHL--plus he doesn't need to clear waivers. The 20-year-old winger had 25 goals and 19 assists (44 points) in 52 AHL games a season ago.
Anderson missed training camp due to a contract dispute, but signed a three-year deal on Tuesday. Despite inking a new contract, head coach John Tortorella said that Anderson is out on Friday. Anderson will likely need a few practice sessions to get back into the swing of things, but don’t expect the power-forward to sit out for too many contests.
Neal sat out of the preseason while rehabbing a broken hand that he suffered during the Western Conference Final last season and will miss the start of the regular season. However, Neal was skating on the Golden Knights’ second line during Tuesday’s practice, so that suggests that he might not be too far off. Vegas is going to struggle to find offence in their inaugural season and Neal’s health will be imperative if they’re going to have any success.
Despite Gostisbehere saying that he is ready to play on Wednesday, he skated on the Flyers’ fourth-pairing during Tuesday’s practice, which suggests that he may sit vs. the Sharks. Monitor his status during the Flyers’ morning skate tomorrow.
Raanta was held out of the preseason finale due to a lower-body ailment, but was back on the ice for Sunday’s practice so it looks like he will be ready to start Thursday’s season opener. Raanta is expected to see the largest workload of his career following an offseason trade from New York to Arizona, where he will serve as their No.1 goaltending option.
Ekman-Larsson missed time in training camp due to a knee injury, but was a full participant in Sunday’s practice and head coach Rick Tocchet said he’s hopeful that his star defenseman will be in the lineup on Thursday. Ekman-Larsson is coming off of the worst seasons of his career and that’s saying a lot considering he still managed to rack up 12 goals and 27 assists (39 points). O.E.L is one of the few locks for double-digit goals and 20-plus assists on the blueline.
Smith spent the last six seasons in Arizona, but was traded to the Flames this summer and will take over as their No.1 netminder for the 2017-18 season. Smith’s fantasy value improves with the move, as he goes from a team who gave up the second most shots per game (34.1) to a team that gave up the eighth fewest (28.7). However, his Flames career might get off to a rocky start as he goes up against Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
Pedan was a third-round pick in 2011 and has only appeared in 13 NHL games since. The Lithuanian defenseman had 10 points (5G / 5A) and 100 PIMS in 52 games with Utica (AHL) last season. He is expected to start the year with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).
Pouliot was the No.8 overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, but has yet to reach his full potential in Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old defenseman split last season between the NHL and AHL, recording 23 points (7G / 16A) in 46 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and no points in 11 games with the Penguins. The rebuilding Canucks can take a chance on the young blueliner, who likely won’t crack the top-6 to open the season.
Hossa is set to miss the entire 2017-18 season because of a skin disorder and the NHL have allowed the Blackhawks to place him on LTIR, giving them some salary cap relief.
