Stenberg's two-goal debut, Fiala's surgery and five rookie camp battles: NHL digest, Sept. 7–14
Rookie tournament breakouts, Kevin Fiala's surgery and Chris Kreider's Montreal deal give fantasy managers concrete lineup evidence five days before preseason games begin.
This edition covers Sept. 7–14, closing the final full week before NHL preseason games begin on Saturday, Sept. 19. The 84-game regular season opens Tuesday, Sept. 29, so this window contains no regular-season scores, weekly statistical leaderboards, or wild-card standings movement. In place of summer projections, rookie tournaments and early training-camp practices produced the first on-ice evidence of player deployment, roster openings, and revised fantasy draft targets. 1
Rookie tournament standouts and main camp promotions
Rookie tournaments in San Jose and Gatineau provided game-speed confirmation for top draft selections who entered the month with high fantasy expectations. At the same time, NHL coaching staffs began setting their initial forward lines by deciding which rookies skate directly with veteran rosters. 23
Ivar Stenberg scored two goals in 25 seconds during the third period of San Jose's 8-1 victory against Los Angeles on Saturday at the Rookie Faceoff. Stenberg skated on a top forward line alongside 2025 second overall pick Michael Misa and Igor Chernyshov, redirecting a shot for his first goal before completing a rapid passing sequence at 11:36. Stenberg has also skated in captain's practices with Macklin Celebrini and veteran defensemen Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse. That deployment indicates San Jose views the 18-year-old Swedish forward as an immediate top-six option with early power-play upside. 34
Gavin McKenna skated in his first rookie practice with Toronto on Friday before Maple Leafs management chose to keep him in Toronto rather than sending him to the two-game Prospect Challenge in Gatineau. The decision keeps the 18-year-old first overall pick training directly with Toronto's NHL veterans ahead of main training camp. McKenna has participated in informal skates with Auston Matthews and John Tavares, positioning him to compete for top-six minutes from opening night. Toronto Marlies coach Steve Sullivan highlighted McKenna's deceptive playmaking and anticipation during early drills, comparing his on-ice posture to Clayton Keller. 2
Viggo Bjorck scored the opening goal in Winnipeg's 3-1 win over Montreal at the NHL Prospect Challenge on Saturday, finishing a give-and-go wraparound with forward Brayden Yager. Bjorck also skated on Winnipeg's primary rookie power play. The 18-year-old center signed his entry-level contract on July 13 after recording 15 points in 42 Swedish Hockey League games and nine points in seven games at the 2026 World Junior Championship. Winnipeg's center depth gives Bjorck a path to challenge for an NHL roster spot during the upcoming two weeks of camp. 5
Ilya Protas reported to Washington's rookie camp at the U.S. Naval Academy measuring 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds. General manager Chris Patrick confirmed Protas enters main training camp as the favorite to center Washington's third line behind Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Protas won the AHL rookie of the year award last season with Hershey after posting 66 points in 69 games, then collected four points in four NHL games in April. His expected assignment between his brother Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson gives him immediate checking-line minutes with secondary scoring value. 6
| Player | Team | Sept. 7–14 event | Projected camp role | Fantasy draft action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivar Stenberg | San Jose Sharks | Scored two goals in 25 seconds vs Kings on Sept. 12 | Top-six winger with Michael Misa and Macklin Celebrini | Draft as a high-upside late-round winger in standard 12-team leagues 37 |
| Gavin McKenna | Toronto Maple Leafs | Kept in Toronto to practice with NHL veterans on Sept. 11 | Top-six winger alongside Auston Matthews or John Tavares | Target inside the top 80 picks in points formats 27 |
| Viggo Bjorck | Winnipeg Jets | Scored wraparound goal and skated on power play on Sept. 12 | Middle-six center battle against AHL development | Monitor preseason line combinations as a deep-league waiver watch 57 |
| Ilya Protas | Washington Capitals | Penciled in by GM Chris Patrick as third-line center on Sept. 13 | Third-line center between Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson | Late-round banger-league flier for hits, blocks and depth offense 67 |
Veteran signings, injuries and camp deployment
Several established veterans experienced changes to their health and contract status between Sept. 7 and Sept. 14, altering fantasy depth charts before the first exhibition games. 89
Kevin Fiala had follow-up surgery on his left femur on Thursday, Sept. 10, after breaking the bone during the Winter Olympics in February. The Los Angeles Kings announced Fiala will miss the start of training camp and provided no timetable for his recovery. Fiala produced 40 points in 56 games before his injury last season. His absence leaves an open scoring winger role on Los Angeles' top two lines and clears space on the first power-play unit. 8
Chris Kreider signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, Sept. 12, featuring a $2.15 million base salary and performance incentives that can reach $5 million. Anaheim placed Kreider on waivers earlier in the week to mutually terminate his contract, freeing salary cap space after matching Leo Carlsson's $18 million offer sheet. Kreider scored 22 goals in 75 games last season and reunites with former New York Rangers teammate Martin St. Louis, who coaches the Canadiens. Montreal projects Kreider as a net-front presence on power-play units that feature Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. 9
Mark Stone agreed to a two-year, $18 million contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, Sept. 12, carrying a $9 million average annual value through the 2028-29 season. Stone posted 73 points in 60 games during the 2025-26 regular season before helping Vegas reach the Stanley Cup Final. The extension removes contract uncertainty for the 34-year-old winger, who will skate on Vegas' top line with Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner. 10
Dylan Larkin issued a statement on Friday, Sept. 11, confirming he will report to Detroit's training camp on Sept. 17 despite his standing trade request. The Red Wings announced they will open the season without a captain while a search firm conducts interviews for a new general manager following Steve Yzerman's departure. Larkin scored 643 points in 652 career games with Detroit and remains the primary offensive driver in the Red Wings' lineup. 11
Edmonton's forward depth opened up on Friday, Sept. 11, as rookie camp began with Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark recovering from injuries. That development created immediate competition for 2025 Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard and 24-year-old Josh Samanski. Howard recorded 50 points in 47 AHL games with Bakersfield last year and seeks a top-six winger audition. Samanski, who centered Germany's top Olympic line with Leon Draisaitl, enters camp competing for a third-line checking role. 12
| Player | Team | Status / Contract | Lineup consequence | Fantasy draft adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Fiala | Los Angeles Kings | Sidelined for start of camp after leg surgery | Top-six winger spot and top power-play spot open | Drop Fiala outside the top 100 picks; draft as an injured-reserve stash 8 |
| Chris Kreider | Montreal Canadiens | Signed 1-year, $2.15M contract on Sept. 12 | Top-nine winger with net-front power-play assignment | Target as a late-round goal and power-play point specialist 9 |
| Mark Stone | Vegas Golden Knights | Signed 2-year, $18M extension on Sept. 12 | Locked into top-line right wing with Jack Eichel | Secure point-per-game floor inside the fifth round when healthy 10 |
| Dylan Larkin | Detroit Red Wings | Reporting to camp on Sept. 17; team has no captain | First-line center and first power-play playmaker | Maintain standard draft valuation in rounds four through six 11 |
| Isaac Howard | Edmonton Oilers | Auditioning at rookie camp on Sept. 11 | Challenging for Matt Savoie's vacated top-six winger slot | Add to deep-league draft queues as a preseason streamer 12 |
Crease battles and goalie market resets
Goaltending depth shifted across multiple franchises this week, highlighted by a veteran retirement and a confirmed three-goalie structure. 1314
Connor Ingram announced his retirement from professional hockey on Friday, Sept. 11, after five NHL seasons. The 29-year-old posted a 16-10-3 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 32 games for Edmonton last season, having previously won the Masterton Trophy in 2023-24. Edmonton chose not to re-sign Ingram in July and signed Frederik Andersen, who is expected to miss training camp with an injury. Ingram's retirement solidifies Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi as Edmonton's active training-camp tandem. 13
The New Jersey Devils confirmed they will carry three goalies into training camp: Jake Allen, David Rittich, and 25-year-old Nico Daws. General manager Sunny Mehta traded starter Jacob Markstrom to Florida on June 30 and signed Daws to a two-year, $2.2 million contract on July 1 to create an open runway for the young netminder. Carrying three netminders introduces start-sharing risk for fantasy managers seeking volume, while giving Daws a chance to claim the starter role through preseason competition. 14
In St. Louis, forward Adam Jecho entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Saturday, Sept. 12, leaving him away from the Blues indefinitely while he receives care. 15
Watchlist for preseason opening weekend
Exhibition games begin on Saturday, Sept. 19, with a seven-game slate that includes Dallas at St. Louis, a split-squad series between Toronto and Montreal, and Winnipeg at Edmonton. Fantasy managers should monitor four specific storylines during opening weekend: 1
- Toronto and San Jose rookie deployment: Watch whether Gavin McKenna dresses alongside Auston Matthews in Toronto's split-squad opener on Sept. 19, and check whether Ivar Stenberg remains on San Jose's top power-play unit when exhibition play begins Sept. 20 at Anaheim. 123
- Edmonton's top-six winger race: Track ice time and line assignments for Isaac Howard in Edmonton's home preseason match against Winnipeg on Sept. 19 to see if he claims Matt Savoie's open spot. 112
- New Jersey and Edmonton goalie starts: Check how New Jersey splits ice time between Nico Daws and Jake Allen, and observe whether Tristan Jarry or Devon Levi receives the primary workload for Edmonton. 1314
- Montreal power-play configuration: Observe Chris Kreider's role during Montreal's split-squad matches with Toronto on Sept. 19 to evaluate his net-front special-teams volume. 19
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