NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 10, 2026, 4:20 AM ET
Injuries & Roster News
The Islanders confirmed Wednesday that defenseman Alexander Romanov has suffered a torn ACL and will be sidelined for six to eight months. In Florida, Panthers forward Brad Marchand is expected to miss a few weeks after injuring his left leg in Tuesday's win. Carolina's Seth Jarvis, meanwhile, has shed his no-contact jersey as he continues recovering from shoulder rehab.
Rookies & Breakouts
No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL goal for Toronto, adding an assist in the process. On the fantasy front, Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner has been red-hot and is worth adding to lineups now. ESPN's breakout forecast highlights young players poised for superstardom.
League Scoring & Season Start
The first three days of the earliest leaguewide start in NHL history have produced heavy scoring, a trend analysts attribute to the shortened preseason. ESPN's first regular-season update to its 1-32 power poll also tracks which players from each club made its Top 100 list.
Friday Schedule & Rankings
ESPN previews a four-game slate headlined by the Rangers and Capitals in an early Metro Division showdown. Separately, team personnel were polled on the Top 100 rankings, with executives weighing in on which players were rated too high or too low.
Ovechkin's Farewell Season
Alex Ovechkin marked his final home opener in Washington as a family affair, with his sons introducing him before the game and Ovechkin calling the moment "cool."
College Hockey
An Arizona State assistant coach will miss the home opener, leaving him off the bench for the program's first home game of the season.