Bains made his NHL debut last season, being held without a point in eight games for the Canucks. The 23-year-old Bains spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL), tallying an impressive 55 points (16G / 39A) in 59 games and could be in line for a more prominent role in the NHL this season.
Hunt was the 65th overall pick of Minnesota in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut last season, playing 12 games, but spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, tallying 29 points (3G / 26A) in 51 games for the Iowa Wild.
Wallstedt is expected to fight for playing time in Minnesota this season but has been sent down to Iowa (AHL) for salary cap reasons ahead of their season opener on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in Iowa (AHL), posting a solid 2.70 GAA and .910 SV% in 45 games (22-19-4).
Entwistle was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks for the first four seasons of his NHL career and will likely begin his 2024-25 campaign with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) after being sent down on Wednesday. In 193 career games, all with the Blackhawks, Entwistle has 35 points (15G / 20A).
Driedger served as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky in the Panther's 6-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday but will return to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) with Spencer Knight being recalled to back up Bobrovsky. The 30-year-old Driedger spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, where he posted an excellent 2.26 GAA and .917 SV% in 39 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (24-7-7).
Knight played 53 games for the Panthers between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons (28-17-6), posting a 2.95 GAA and .905 SV% but spent the entirety of last in the AHL. The 23-year-old Knight posted a 2.41 GAA and .905 SV% in 45 games with the Charlotte Checkers (25-14-5). He will likely see a more prominent NHL role this season, serving as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky.
Friedman was apart of Vancouver's final roster cuts on Tuesday and has cleared waivers and been assigned to Abbotsford (AHL) on Wednesday. The 28-year-old defenseman joined Vancouver in 2023-24 and had a disappointing first season which saw him collect only one assist, 21 PIMs and 16 SOG in 23 games played.
Juuse Saros had a maintenance day, resulting in Murray being recalled from the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). Murray's call-up was most likely precautionary as Saros isn't expected to miss any time. The 26-year-old Murray spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, posting a 3.02 GAA and .896 SV% in 31 games (14-15-2) with the Texas Stars.
Watson signed a two-way, one-year contract with the Red Wings earlier this week but will likely start the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL). Since his first full NHL season in 2015-16 as a member of the Nashville Predators, Watson has established himself as one of the premier enforcers in the league and will add some grit and toughness to an up-and-coming Red Wings squad whenever he is called up. The 6'4 Watson spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, tallying four points (2G / 2A), 85 hits, and 93 penalty minutes in 33 games.
Cowan was never really expected to make Toronto out of training camp and has been loaned back to the London Knights (OHL) for the upcoming 2024-25 season. The 19-year-old who was Toronto's 2023 1st-round pick (28th overall) will rejoin an already stacked team in London that currently ranks third in the CHL's top ten rankings after week 1.
Lambert was the 30th overall pick of the Jets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and was speculated to be an option for the team on their opening-night roster but will begin the season with the Manitoba Moose (AHL). The 20-year-old Lambert scored 55 points (21G / 34A) in 64 games with Manitoba last season.
Bear was placed on waivers Friday but cleared on Saturday and has been loaned to the Hershey Bears (AHL) for the start of the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old is in the second year of a two-year, $4.13 million contract and had a goal, four points and 10 PIMs in 24 games played in 2023-24.
Askarov has missed the majority of San Jose's training camp with a lower-body injury and has unsurprisingly been assigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) for the start of the 2024-25 season. The newly acquired goaltender will need to spend some time in the minors getting back to speed before he makes his inevitable Sharks' debut this season.
It was expected by some that Martin might be claimed when originally placed on waivers on Wednesday, but the 29-year-old netminder would not face the same fate that originally brought him to the Hurricanes last season and has been reassigned to Chicago (AHL) after clearing on Thursday. The Oakville native spent 2023-24 split between Columbus and Carolina and produced an ugly 7-9-2 record with a .889 SV% and 3.30 GAA in 19 games last season.
L’Heureux made a strong push to make the Predators roster out of training camp but their depth pushed him back to the AHL to start the season. The 21-year-old winger had 48 points (19G / 29A) and 197 PIMS in 66 AHL games a season ago.
Entering training camp, it seemed as if Nazar had a chance to make the Blackhawks roster after appearing in three games with them at the end of last season. He had a disappointing preseason, though, and will get his first taste of AHL action with Rockford to begin 2024-25.
After appearing in 76 NHL games a season ago, Korchinski had a disappointing training camp and will begin the 2024-25 season in Rockford. With Korchinski off the roster, look for Alex Vlasic to quarterback the Blackhawks' second power-play unit.
Lysell was "cut" from training camp on September 29th but GM Don Sweeney made it clear that day that Lysell could be called back up for Thursday or Saturday's preseason game. Lysell was first round pick in 2021 but has yet to appear in an NHL game. The 21-year-old had 50 points (15G / 35A) in 56 AHL games last year and should be in the mix for a middle-6 role in Boston this season.
