The Blue Jackets 2022 first-round selection (6th overall) has failed to make Columbus' opening day roster and has been assigned to Cleveland (AHL) for the start of the 2023-24 season. The 19-year-old mega prospect appeared in only four games with Columbus in 2022-23, failing to pick up a point while collecting two PIMs and a -4 plus/minus. He returns to Cleveland where he spent most of last season and picked up six goals and 38 points in 55 games played.

Hartman is coming off a 37-point (15G / 22A), 59-game campaign, in which he predominantly centred a line between Kiril Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. The nine-year veteran is expected to reassume his role as the top-line center for the Wild.

Spurgeon is expected to be out week-to-week as he deals with an upper-body injury and his presence will be greatly missed on Minnesota's back end. Last season, he led all Wild defensemen with 34 points (11G / 23A) and was second in time on ice, averaging 21:49 per game. With Spurgeon out, Alex Goligoski will likely become a regular in the lineup and Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber will be thrust into larger roles.

Foligno had seven goals, 14 assists, 97 PIMs, 83 SOG, and a -6 plus/minus in 2022-23 and signed a four-year, $16 million extension with Minnesota on Friday. The 32-year-old is entering his seventh season in Minnesota and has 116 goals and 272 points across 12 NHL seasons and 743 games played. He should have a key-role in the Wilds' bottom six yet again this season.

Zuccarello had 22 goals, 45 assists, 198 SOG, 26 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 2022-23 with Minnesota and has signed a two-year, $8.250 million contract extension ($4,125,000) with the Wild. The 36-year-old enters his fifth season with the Wild and has an impressive 186 goals and 573 points in 766 career games played. He is expected yet again to be a key cog on the Wilds' top line with Kirill Kaprizov.

Gustavsson had a 22-9-7 record, 2.10 GAA (2nd in NHL), and a .931 SV% (2nd in NHL) in his first season in Minnesota in 2022-23 and has signed a $11.25 million extension ($3,750,000 AAV). The 25-year-old netminder was acquired in July of 2022 for Cam Talbot from Ottawa and excelled in his first season with the Wild. He will man Minnesota's crease for the next three years and brings a 32-22-10 career record, and a .920 SV% and a .2.51 career GAA into 2023-24.

Tarsenko had 18 goals, 32 assists, 169 SOG, eight PIMs and a -14 plus/minus through 69 games played with both St. Louis and New York in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $5,000,000 contract with Ottawa. The 31-year-old right-winger will join his third team in his 12th NHL season and has 270 goals, 573 points with 2124 SOG through 675 career games played.

Hinostroza had two goals, nine assists, 38 SOG, six PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 26 games played with Buffalo in 2022-23 and has singed a one-year, $775,000 AAV contract with Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old centre will be joining his fifth NHL team and has 53 goals, 95 assists and 99 PIMs across 360 games played through eight season.

After five years in the Golden Knights' organization, Jones signed with the Flames last July and finished third in Calgary Wranglers scoring with 54 points (17G / 37A) in 71 AHL games. With Matthew Phillips now with the Capitals, Jones will be a key member of the Wranglers lineup in 2024.

Gleason had nine goals, 24 assists, 40 PIMs and a +2 plus/minus through 68 games with Texas (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $1.550 Million contract ($775,000) with Edmonton. The 25-year-old undrafted offensive defensemen's only appearance in the NHL was in 2018-19 with Dallas, where he had an assist, two SOG and a -1 plus/minus.

Pitlick had seven goals, nine assists, 54 SOG, 14 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 61 games with St.Louis in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year contract with the New York Rangers worth $785,500. The 31-year-old centre is joining his eighth NHL team and has 55 goals and 105 points across 386 games and nine NHL seasons.

Petersen has been traded to Philadelphia in a three-team, five player, three draft-pick trade that also involved the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 28-year-old had a horrendous 2022-23 season, being assigned to the AHL in December after posting a 5-3-2 record, .868 SV% and 3.75 GAA. He has 101career NHL games played under his belt across five professional seasons.

Eriksson Ek played in only one shift throughout the entire first round of the playoffs after appearing in Game 3 for only 0:19 seconds TOI and has confirmed Monday that he broke his leg and has already completed surgery. The 26-year-old will have a long road to return from but will hope to be back for the 2023-24 season opener after picking up a career-high 23 goals and 61 points through 78 regular season games.

Zuccarello was not present for a second-straight Minnesota practice and will play after being a game-time decision for an undisclosed injury ahead of Game 6. If he is unable to go, Oskar Sundqvist will draw into Minnesota's lineup. The 35-year-old has had a great opening series, with two goals, three assists, 13 SOG, four PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through five games.

Zuccarello was not present for a second-straight Minnesota practice and is considered a game-time decision for an undisclosed injury ahead of Game 6. If he is unable to go, Oskar Sundqvist will draw into Minnesota's lineup. The 35-year-old has had a great opening series, with two goals, three assists, 13 SOG, four PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through five games.

Gustavsson allowed three goals on 24 shots (.875 SV%) for his second-straight loss as Dallas took a 3-2 series lead with a 4-0 defeat over Minnesota in Game 5. The 24-year-old has continued his outer worldly play from the regular season right into the playoffs, with his 2-2-0 record, 2.01 GAA and .928 SV%. He will hope to take the series to Game 7 as he takes on Dallas Friday, who finished the regular season seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.43).

Gustavsson allowed three goals on 24 shots (.875 SV%) for his first loss of the playoffs as Dallas evened the series at two with a 3-2 victory over Minnesota last game. The 24-year-old has continued his historic opening season in Minnesota with an incredible post season so far, with his 2-1-0 record, 1.72 GAA and .941 SV%. He will hope to get the Wild back into the win column vs Dallas, who finished the season seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.43).