Saros stopped all 23 shots that he faced in the Predators' shutout win over the Kraken on Thursday. It was an outstanding performance for Saros, who allowed four goals on 34 shots in a loss in Tampa on opening night. Saros carries a 2.05 GAA and .929 SV% into tonight's game in Boston.
Saros will be looking to rebound against Seattle on Thursday after a difficult opening-night matchup against the Lightning. The 28-year-old workhorse surrendered four goals on 33 shots enroute to a 5-3 defeat. Saros remains one of the best goaltenders in the NHL despite the poor start to the season he endured on Tuesday, and he’s got a great chance of notching his first win of the campaign at home against the Kraken on Thursday.
Saros was 33-23-7 with a 2.69 GAA and a .919 SV% in 63 games started in 2022-23 and will take the crease for Nashville's season opener vs. Tampa Bay on Tuesday. He will face the Lightning, who finished last season eighth in the NHL in goals for (280) and 13th in shots per game (32.0).
Haula is battling an undisclosed injury and his status for the Devils' opening game is uncertain. Last season was Haula's first with the Devils, in which he scored 41 points (14G / 27A) in 80 games. Haula is projected to center a talented third line between Ondrej Palat and Alexander Holtz but if he is unable to play, Michael McLeod might temporarily fill his position.
Annuen was expected to make the Avalanche's opening-day roster until they scooped up Ivan Prosvetov from Arizona on waivers Monday which has led to the netminder being assigned to Colorado (AHL) to start the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old Finnish netminder appeared in two games for the Avalanche in 2022-23 and had a 1-1-0 record, .854 SV%, and 3.58 GAA.
Blankenburg was fighting for a final roster spot in Columbus but has been assigned to Cleveland (AHL) for the start of the 2022-23 campaign. The 25-year-old defensemen had four goals, 10 assists, 50 SOG, 16 PIMs, and a -16 plus/minus through 36 games with Columbus in 2022-23. He will start the season in Cleveland but is expected to play a depth roll with the Blue Jackets as bodies are needed.
Lucchini had a goal, 14 SOG, and a -2 plus/minus through 11 games played with Ottawa in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV. The 28-year-old forward also had 19 goals, 34 assists, six PIMs and a -20 plus/minus through 61 games with Belleville (AHL) in 2022-23 after making his NHL debut in the same season.
Lind was drafted in the second-round of the 2023 draft (46th overall) by Nashville and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Nashville. The 18-year-old left-winger is coming off a 16 goal, 44 point season in 43 games with the Red Deer Rebels (WHL) and is expected to return to junior in 2023-24.
Molendyk was Nashville's 2023 first-round pick (24th overall) and has officially signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators. The 18-year-old defenseman is coming off a season in Saskatoon (WHL) which saw him put up nine goals and 37 points across 67 games in 2022-23.
Oesterle played the last two seasons with the Red Wings, finishing with a combined 19 points (4G / 15A) across 97 games. Oesterle operated as the No.6 defenseman for Detroit last season, averaging just 15:39 TOI/gm. Expect similar deployment in his first season with the Flames.
Annunen appeared in two regular season games in 2022-23 posting a 1-1-0 record, 3.58 GAA and .854 SV% with Colorado and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension ($775,000). The 23-year-old netminder was the Avalanche's 2018 third-round pick (64th overall) and has a 2-1-1 career record with a 3.92 GAA and .859 SV%.
Bunting had 23 goals, 49 points, 174 SOG, 103 PIMs and a +21 plus/minus through 82 games with Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a three-year contract worth $13.5 million ($4.5M AAV) with Carolina. The 27-year-old left-winger will be joining his third NHL team after two seasons in both Arizona and Toronto and brings 57 goals and 126 points across 187 career games to the Hurricanes.
Englund had four assists, 31 SOG, 35 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 47 games played with Colorado and Chicago in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract worth $2.0 million ($1.0M AAV). The 27-year-old defender will be joining his fourth NHL team and has yet to pick up a goal across 80 career NHL games despite having seven assists, 59 PIMs and 46 SOG across that span.
O'Reilly had 16 goals, 14 assists, 102 SOG, 16 PIMs and a -21 plus/minus through 53 games in 2022-23 with both St.Louis and Toronto and has signed a four-year contract worth $18.0 million ($4.5M AAV). The 32-year-old centre joins his fifth NHL team and is only nine games from the prestigious 1000 game mark with 256 goals and 702 points during that span.
Haula had 14 goals, 27 assists, 164 SOG, 47 PIMs and a +13 plus/minus through 80 games in his first season in New Jersey in 2022-23 and has signed a three-year contract extension ($3.15 Million AAV) with the Devils on Friday. The 32-year-old left-winger is entering his 11th NHL season having suited up for seven different teams along that span and collecting 281 points (126G/155A) through 614 career games.
Murray played most of the 2023 season in the AHL, where he went 18-10-5 with a 2.37 GAA, .911 SV% and three shutouts with the Texas Stars. However, he also got his first taste of the NHL, going 1-2-0 with a 3.39 GAA and .844 SV% in Dallas. With Jake Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood still under contract for the 2024 season, Murray will most likely start the season in the AHL.
Bunting is finished serving his three-game suspension for a high hit on Erik Cernak but is expected to remain out of the Maple Leafs' lineup upon his return. It is a bit of a surprising move after the 27-year-old had 23 goals and 49 points through 82 regular season games.
