Nikitin, 29, will head to the AHL for the first time since 2010-11 despite posting three assists and a plus-2 rating in four preseason games. Griffin Reinhart or Brandon Davidson are expected to stick with the Oilers in place of Nikitin.
Scrivens posted a 1.97 GAA and .929 SV% in three preseason games, but it wasn’t enough to beat out Anders Nilsson for the Oilers’ backup job. Scrivens was the Oilers’ starter last season, but will likely be the Condors’ starter this year.
Torres, who is a repeat offender, is expected to be suspended after receiving a match penalty for an illegal hit to the head on Silfverberg this weekend.
Gustavsson, who was with the Bruins on a PTO, won the Bruins’ backup job by going 1-1-0 with a 2.07 GAA and .923 SV% in two preseason games. In six NHL seasons, Gustavsson is 60-55-21 with a 2.89 GAA and .901 SV% between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings.
Fleischmann had one goal, two assists and 14 shots on goal in four preseason games with the Canadiens. Fleischmann had just 27 points (8G / 19A) in 66 games between the Panthers and Ducks last year.
Kassian was “all bloodied up and stuff. He was in a daze,” a witness told the Montreal Gazette after the accident. Kassian, who was acquired from the Canucks this summer, should be considered day-to-day.
Domi, 20, had just one assists, nine shots and a minus-2 rating in the preseason, but showed enough to crack the opening night roster after being sent home last year. The 2013 12th overall pick had 102 points (32G / 70A) in 57 games with London (OHL) last year.
Storm, 18, was the third overall pick this summer and had one goal, five shots and a minus-2 rating in five games this preseason. He returns to Erie, where he led the OHL in points a season ago (45G / 84A).
The oft-injured Nikitin had 10 points (4G / 6A) in 42 games last year for the Oilers. He didn’t appear to be in the Oilers plans for 2015-16 after the emergence of Oscar Klefbom and the addition of Griffin Reinhart. If he clears waivers he is expected to be assigned to Oklahoma City (AHL).
Bickell, who was placed on waivers on Friday, cleared on Saturday at noon but head coach Joel Quenneville said Bickell will not be sent to Rockford (AHL) at this time. The Blackhawks have been trying to move Bickell, who carries a $4M cap-hit but has had an impossible time finding someone to take on the contract.
Slepyshev will play on a line with Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall in the Oilers’ final preseason game. Slepyshev has two goals (both GWG) and two assists in six game this preseason. The 21-year-old had 15 goals and 10 assists (25 points) in 58 games with Ufa Salivate Yulayev (KHL) last season. If he does in fact start the season on that line, he makes for a speculative add in standard leagues.
Hanifin was the fifth overall pick in this summer’s draft and had an impressive enough training camp to make the Hurricanes opening night roster. Carolina could elect to give him an extended nine game look to start the season, before making the decision to burn the first year of his entry level deal.
Fleury, 19, was the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft and he held on until the end of trading camp, but will head back to Red Deer, where he had 28 points (6G / 22A) in 63 games a season ago.
Gonchar is 41-years-old but still had 13 points (1G / 12A) in 45 games with the Canadiens last season. However, he didn’t have a good enough training camp for the Penguins to hold onto him. This could be the end of the line for Gonchar.
Pouliot was expected to make the Penguins opening roster after having a strong 2014-15 season at both levels. However, he had a bad preseason and the Penguins have elected to have him start 2015-16 in the AHL. He had 24 points (7G / 17A) in 31 games with WBS last season—if he plays like that this year, he will work his way back into the NHL.
Pulkkinen, hasn’t played since September 24th because of an upper-body injury but is expected to play in the preseason finale and should be ready for the regular season opener. The 23-year-old had five goals and three assists in 31 games with the Red Wings last season and could have a breakout season in his first full NHL season.
Colborne underwent wrist surgery this offseason which put him behind the eight-ball to begin the preseason. To make matters worse he blocked an Andrew Ladd shot last night and was forced to exit the game. He is expected to be reevaluated on Friday where more details will be released.
Halak practice for the first time in over a week on Thursday, but was unable to make it all the way through the session. Head coach Jack Capuano said “we don’t know yet” when he was asked if Halak would be ready for next Friday’s season opener. Thomas Greiss would start the game against the Blackhawks should Halak not be ready.
If Bickell clears waivers, the Blackhawks could send him to the AHL and save about $950K in cap space. Chicago reportedly tried to trade Bickell all summer but could not find a suitor for his $4M cap-hit.
Chara has been out for over a week and has yet to join the Bruins for full practice yet. The Bruins are already without Dennis Seidenberg and they traded Dougie Hamilton, so they can’t afford to have Chara miss anytime at all. However, given his progress to this point, it seems unlikely that he will be ready for the season opener.
