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Colorado Avalanche News
Wedgewood will start the Predators' season opener against the Stars on Thursday.

With starting netminder Juuse Saros temporarily sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Wedgewood will make his Predators debut in a matchup against his former club, the Dallas Stars. Wedgewood was a steadying force as the backup goalie for the Stars for three seasons, posting a reliable 2.83 GAA and .907 SV% in 61 appearances (28-16-11). The vastly improved Predators enter action as +109 home underdogs against a Dallas Stars club they are expected to battle with for supremacy in the Central Division this season.

Scott Wedgewood
Wedgewood was the first goalie off the ice at the Predators' morning skate.

Head Coach Andrew Brunette stated the team has not decided on a starter due to injuries but with starting netminder Juuse Saros temporarily sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Wedgewood looks likely to make his Predators debut in a matchup against his former club, the Dallas Stars. Wedgewood was a steadying force as the backup goalie for the Stars for three seasons, posting a reliable 2.83 GAA and .907 SV% in 61 appearances (28-16-11). The vastly improved Predators enter action as +109 home underdogs against a Dallas Stars club they are expected to battle with for supremacy in the Central Division this season.

Scott Wedgewood
Blackwood will start San Jose's season opener on Thursday vs. St.Louis.

Yaroslav Askarov missed the entirety of training camp so he will begin the season with the San Jose Baracuda (AHL), leaving Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek to duel it out for the Sharks crease. Blackwood was serviceable last season, especially considering the Sharks ranked 31st offensively with 181 goals, posting a 3.45 GAA and .899 SV% in 44 games (10-25-4). After finishing dead last in the NHL last season, the Sharks should improve this season but still enter their opening night matchup as +140 home underdogs against the St. Louis Blues.

Mackenzie Blackwood
Lindgren (upper body) practiced in a non-contact jersey on Wednesday.

Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury early in training camp and is currently two weeks into his initial four-week timeline. The 26-year-old Lindgren will be an important part of the Rangers defensive core when he is healthy. He had 17 points (3G / 14A), 103 blocks, and 114 hits in 76 games last season.

Ryan Lindgren
Lindgren (upper-body) has been placed on IR.

Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury early in training camp and is currently two weeks into his initial four-week timeline. The 26-year-old Lindgren will be an important part of the Rangers defensive core when he is healthy. He had 17 points (3G / 14A), 103 blocks, and 114 hits in 76 games last season.

Ryan Lindgren
Vesey (lower-body) has been placed on LTIR.

The Rangers will be without Vesey in their bottom-six for an extended period due to a lower-body injury after he was placed on long-term injured reserve on Monday. The 31-year-old is entering his third season in New York after joining on a PTO in 2022-23 and put up an impressive 13 goals, 26 points, 20 PIMs and 116 SOG in 80 games played in 2023-24.

Jimmy Vesey
Lehkonen (shoulder) is still considered week-to-week.

Lehkonen has a check-in at the end of the month on the same shoulder he had surgery on in May and is not expected to return to the Avalanche until after the check-up is complete. The 29-year-old should find himself back in his top-six role when able to return and will hope to produce as efficiently as he did in 2023-24, with 16 goals and 34 points in 45 injury-plagued games played.

Artturi Lehkonen
Lindgren (upper-body) is not expected to be ready for the Rangers season opener.

Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury early in training camp and is currently two weeks into his initial four-week timeline. The 26-year-old Lindgren will be an important part of the Rangers defensive core when he is healthy. He had 17 points (3G / 14A), 103 blocks, and 114 hits in 76 games last season.

Ryan Lindgren
Colorado has claimed John Ludvig off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ludvig was placed on waivers by Pittsburgh on Friday and has been claimed by the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The 24-year-old defenseman spent his entire rookie season in 2023-24 with Pittsburgh and had three goals, five points and 47 PIMs in 33 games played.

John Ludvig
Lehkonen (shoulder) practiced in a non-contact jersey on Wednesday.

Lehkonen is expected to miss the start of the regular season due to offseason shoulder surgery. According to head coach Jared Bednar, they are trying to give him as long as they can without contact, but once he's cleared it won't be long before he returns to the lineup. With Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin both expected to miss the start of the season, newcomers Calum Ritchie and Nikolai Kovalenko could get a look in the Avalanche top-6 early on.

Artturi Lehkonen
Vesey (lower body) is out week-to-week and will not be ready for the start of the regular season.

New York will be without one of their key bottom-six forwards to start the season after it was announced Jimmy Vesey injured his lower body in practice and would be out week-to-week. The 31-year-old is entering his third season in New York after joining on a PTO in 2022-23 and put up an impressive 13 goals, 26 points, 20 PIMs and 116 SOG in 80 games played in 2023-24.

Jimmy Vesey
Lindgren (upper body) is expected to be out for a few weeks.

New York will be without one of their top defensemen for the start of the regular season after it was announced on Wednesday that Ryan Lindgren is expected to be out for a few weeks with an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old was a cog on New York's back end last season after putting up three goals, 17 points and a +22 plus/minus in 76 games played.

Ryan Lindgren
Lehkonen is expected to miss the start of the 2024-25 season after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

Lehkonen underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and will not be a full participant in Avalanche training camp. At this point, there's no firm timeline for his return to the Avalanche lineup. Lehkonen should be a back of your roster IR stash in Fantasy Drafts this fall.

Artturi Lehkonen
Colorado has signed Matthew Phillips to a one-year, two-way contract.

Phillips spent 2023-24 with two separate organizations (PIT, WASH) but has found himself a home for the 2024-25 season after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado on Friday. The 26-year-old has torn up the American Hockey League for seasons but has still struggled to find a home in the NHL and only produced a goal and five points in 31 games played in 2023-24.

Matthew Phillips
New York and Ryan Lindgren have settled on a one-year, $4.5 million contract through arbitration.

The final arbitration contract in the NHL was figured out on Tuesday as Ryan Lindgren and the New York Rangers agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension. The 26-year-old dfensemen is entering his seventh NHL seasn with New York and had three goals, 17 points, 36 PIMs and a +22 plus/minus in 76 games played in 2023-24.

Ryan Lindgren
The Hurricanes have re-signed Martin Necas to a two-year deal worth $6.5M AAV.

Necas was an RFA whose name was at the top of the trade rumours all offseason, but he signs a two-year deal to stay in Carolina through the 2026 season. The 25-year-old winger saw his production take a step back last season, as he went from 71 points (28G / 43A) in 2023 to 53 points (24G / 29A) in 2024. With Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen not returning to Carolina this summer, it opens up plenty of ice-time and opportunity for Necas to take advantage of in 2025.

Martin Necas
Carolina has signed Jack Drury to a two-year, $3.45 million contract extension. ($1,725,000 AAV).

Drury decided to go to arbitration with Carolina and led to him signing a two-year, $3.45 million contract extension. ($1,725,000 AAV) to remain with the Hurricanes. The 24-year-old centre appeared in 74 games for Carolina in his third NHL season, and had career highs with eight goals, 27 points, 33 PIM and 106 SOG.

Jack Drury
Colorado has signed Kevin Mandolese to a one-year, two-way contract.

Mandolese was acquired just a day before alongside a 2025 7th round pick from Ottawa for a 2025 6th round pick and has now signed a one-year, two-way contract to stay in Colorado. The 23-year-old goaltender appeared in 23 games for Belleville (AHL) in 2023-24 and had a 3.53 GAA to go alongside his .918 SV%.

Kevin Mandolese