Levi appears likely to enter the season as the starting goalie for the Buffalo Sabres after a seven-game stint (5-2-0) with the team at the end of the 2022-23 campaign that saw him post a 2.94 GAA and .905 SV%. Expectations are high in Buffalo for the rookie goaltender as the team around him has solidified an equally impressive core of young forwards and defensemen. The Sabres are +117 home underdogs tonight against a New York Rangers team that ranked 12th offensively last season, scoring an average of 3.33 goals per game. Working in his favour, Levi has already suited up twice against the Rangers in his young career, posting a dazzling 1.89 GAA and .934 SV% in those contests (2-0-0).

Levi appears likely to enter the season as the starting goalie for the Buffalo Sabres after a seven-game stint (5-2-0) with the team at the end of the 2022-23 campaign that saw him post a 2.94 GAA and .905 SV%. Expectations are high in Buffalo for the rookie goaltender as the team around him has solidified an equally impressive core of young forwards and defensemen. The Sabres are +117 home underdogs tonight against a New York Rangers team that ranked 12th offensively last season, scoring an average of 3.33 goals per game. Working in his favour, Levi has already suited up twice against the Rangers in his young career, posting a dazzling 1.89 GAA and .934 SV% in those contests (2-0-0).

The first overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Power is coming off an impressive rookie season. The 20-year-old registered four goals and 31 assists in 79 games despite receiving limited power-play minutes, and was a reliable defender in his own end. The lack of power-play time may not improve so long as Rasmus Dahlin is still in town, but Power nevertheless seems poised for a breakout year in 2023-24.

Norris' status isn't any more clear after suffering a setback in relation to his ongoing shoulder injury. He is not expected to play in the Senators' season opener, but outside of that his timeline remains completely up in the air. After only being able to play in eight games last season, Norris was hopeful to start the season in his familiar role as the second-line center on a much-improved Ottawa team. He has 93 points (54G / 39A) in 133 career games with the Senators.

McLeod has missed time throughout training camp but is expected to play Wednesday vs. the Canucks. McLeod, who had 11 goals and 12 assists (23 points) in 57 games a season ago, should serve as Edmonton's third line centre with Warren Foegele and Dylan Holloway on his wings.

Buffalo has locked up one of the league's premiere defensemen with a huge eight-year contract extension. The first overall pick from the 2018 NHL Entry Draft had a breakout season last year, scoring 73 points (15G / 58A) in 78 games. Look for Dahlin to build on those totals as the star defenseman is, once again, expected to compete for the Norris Trophy.

Lafferty had 12 goals, 15 assists, 102 SOG, 37 PIMs, and a -11 plus/minus through 70 games played with Chicago and Toronto in 2022-23 and has been traded from Toronto to Vancouver for a 2024 fifth-round pick. The 28-year-old centre will be joining his fourth NHL team in his fifth season and has 23 goals and 59 points in 210 career games played.

After being limited to only eight games last season because of his shoulder, Norris' availability for the upcoming season remains up in the air after suffering a setback last week. Any absence for Norris poses major concerns for Ottawa as it leaves a huge void in their second-line center position. Expect Ridley Greig, who recorded nine points (2G / 7A) as a rookie with the Senators last season, to take on a bigger role for the duration of Norris' injury.

“Little bit of — I don’t know if it was a setback — but we’re hopeful he plays on Saturday,” head coach D.J. Smith said when asked about Norris’ surprising absence from the practice on Wednesday. Norris will not play Thursday and is questionable for Saturday's pre-season finale. This leaves his status for the regular season opener in question, a huge issue for the Senators, who haven't re-signed RFA Shane Pinto yet. This could leave them without two of their top-3 centres to start the year.

Timmins was enjoying an incredible preseason with the Maple Leafs after leading all scorers thus far with two goals and four assists in three games but will now be forced to miss a significant amount of time as he is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. It is a tough loss for the 25-year-old as he was battling for one of Toronto's final roster spots after two goals, 14 points and 19 SOG in 27 games with Arizona and Toronto in 2022-23.

Quinn's original timetable was 4-to-6 months, but the latest update suggests that he'll be be back at the tail-end of that timeline. Quinn had a solid rookie season, scoring 14 goals with 23 assists (37 points) in 75 games. He figures to be a key figure in the Sabres' middle-6 once he returns to the lineup.

Norris suffered a shoulder injury last October and attempted to return to the lineup in January, but that only last three games before re-injuring his shoulder. Norris underwent surgery in late January and says he "feels good" and has been on the ice "a ton" and "training normally" this summer. Norris also said he should be ready to play in the preseason, and his goal is to be ready for opening night. Norris has missed 90 games over the last two seasons but recorded 37 goals and 21 assists (58 points) across 74 games, making him a strong mid-to-late round fantasy selection heading into 2023-24.

McLeod had 11 goals, 12 assists, 78 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 57 games played with Edmonton in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension ($2,100,000 AAV) with the Oilers. The 23-year-old has 20 goals, 45 points and two SHG across his 138 games NHL career after being drafted in the second-round of the 2018 Draft (40th overall) by Edmonton.

Benson was Buffalo's 2023 1st-round pick (13th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract Friday. The 18-year-old forward had 36 goals, 62 assists, 49 PIMs and a +68 plus/minus through 60 games with Winnipeg (WHL) in 2022-23. He is expected to return to Wenatchee (WHL) for the 2023-24 season.

Byram had 10 goals, 14 assists, 65 SOG, 38 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus across an injury riddled 42 games played in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract extension worth $7.7 million ($3.85M AAV) with Colorado. The 22-year-old was the Avalanche's 2019 1st round pick (4th overall) and has 15 goals, 43 points and a +15 plus/minus through 91 games across three shortened seasons.

Zucker has been with the Penguins for the last three seasons since being dealt from Minnesota win 2020. Injuries plagued him in his first two seasons with Pittsburgh, but he missed just four games last year, scoring 27 goals with 21 assists (48 points) in 78 games. With the Coyotes, Zucker will provide some much-needed offensive punch to their top-6 and looks primed to be traded to a contender at the 2024 Trade Deadline.

Bernard-Docker split his time between the NHL and AHL during the 2023 season. While in Ottawa, the 23-year-old defenseman had one assist, 22 shots and 23 hits in 19 games. He figures to be in the mix for regular playing time during the 2023-24 season.

The 2023 season was Brannstrom's first full NHL season, scoring two goals with 16 assists (18 points) in 74 games. Brannstrom is a quality offensive-defenseman but it will be hard for him to carve out a significant role with Thomas Chabot, Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson ahead of him on the depth chart.

Quinn had 14 goals, 23 assists, 126 SOG, 15 PIMs and a -7 plus/minus through 75 games in 2022-23 but will miss a good portion of the beginning of the 2023-24 season as he recovers from Achilles Surgery (4-6 Month recovery). It is a tough blow for the 21-year-old right-winger who was expected to take on a larger role in his second full season in Buffalo. He was the Sabres 2020 1st Round draft pick (8th overall).

Quinn suffered an Achilles tendon injury during training and underwent successful surgery on Wednesday. Quinn will miss the start of the 2023-24 season but could be back by early November.