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Forwards Nick Paul and Steven Lorentz were missing from Leafs practice on Thursday while forward Dakota Joshua is taking part, according to TSN's Mark Masters.
Paul, 31, was acquired by the Maple Leafs from the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1 in exchange for netminder Dennis Hildeby, a fourth-round pick in 2027, and a third-round pick in 2028. The 6-foot-4 winger only skated 4:42 on Wednesday in the team's 6-1 pre-season win over the Ottawa Senators in Toronto and considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Head coach Jim Hiller told reporters that he is unsure if Paul will be ready for the team's season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Lorentz was placed on waivers on Thursday, the team told Masters. The-30-year-old skated 16:41 in the team's 4-2 win over the Senators in Ottawa on Wednesday recording a goal. He had seven goals and 18 points in 71 games with the Maple Leafs last season.
Joshua has been labeled day-to-day with a core muscle injury. He had 10 goals and 18 points in 55 games last season. Toronto also placed forwards Vinni Lettieri, Michael Pezzetta, Henrik Rybinski, Brendan Brisson, and Ryan Tverberg, and defencemen Philippe Myers and Marshall Rifai on waivers Thursday.
Additionally the Leafs assigned goaltenders Artur Akhtyamov, Samuel Hlavaj, and Ken Appleby, defencemen Noah Chadwick, Blake Smith, and Ben Danford, and forwards Landon Sim, Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, and Miroslav Holinka to the AHL's Toronto Marlies on Friday and returned forward Tinus Luc Koblar to Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League. The Kings assigned defencemen Angus Booth, Kirill Kirsanov, and Jared Woolley, and forwards Aatu Jamsen, and Koehn Ziemmer to the AHL's Ontario Reign on Thursday.
They also placed forwards Martin Chromiak, Cole Guttman, Lane Pederson, and Francesco Pinelli and defencemen Joe Hicketts on waivers for the purpose of sending them to the Reign. Additionally, forward Jan Jenik and defenceman Jakub Dvorak were placed on the injured non-roster list while prospect Liam Lefebvre was returned to the QMJHL's Cape Breton Eagles.
More here on today's transactions and a few thoughts on tougher roster decisions to come over the next few days 👇The Rangers assigned forwards Jacob Battaglia, Dylan Roobroeck, Brody Lamb, and goaltenders Callum Tung, and Spencer Martin to the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack on Thursday. Wiesblatt, 24, appeared in 40 games with the Predators last season, recording a goal and five points. He also had 15 goals and 40 points in 64 games with the Admirals last season.
Forward Ben Kindle is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, according to Penguins executive Amanda Kessel. Kindle, 19, was drafted 11th overall by the Pengins in 2025 and recorded 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games as a rookie last season. The 5-foot-11 centre skated 6:13 during Monday's 4-1 pre-season victory over the Buffalo Sabres before leaving the game with the injury.
Additionally, forward Justin Brazeau participated in the team's skate with the non-game group on Thursday, according to head coach Dan Muse. The 6-foot-7 winger registered 17 goals and 34 points in 64 games in his first season with the Penguins last year. Pittsburgh assigned goaltender Taylor Gauthier, defenceman Daniel Laatsch, and Finn Harding, and forwards Brayden Edwards, Max Graham, Jack Horbach, Hugh McGing, Mark Senden, Tiernan Shoudy, and Daniel Laatsch to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thursday.
Forward Melvin Fernstrom and goaltender Gabriel D'Aigle were designated as injured non-roster players and will rehab with the AHL team. The team also placed defenceman Phil Kemp on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Amanda Kessel provided an update on Ben Kindel's lower-body injury that was initially listed as day-to-day: "It's looking more week-to-week at this point.
We're awaiting some more testing results today, but if anything changes on that, we'll update you guys as soon as possible.
"Zaijeck, 25, played his first season in North America in Providence last season, going 14-6-0 with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. The Wild have trimmed their pre-season roster to 27 players on Thursday and placed defencemen Matt Kiersted Carson Lambos,, and Roman Schmidt, and forwards Caedan Bankier, Dylan Gambrell, Justin Kirkland, Tyler Pitlick, and Mason Shaw on waivers for the purpose of assigning them to the AHL's Iowa Wild.
Additionally, the Wild assigned defencemen Ben Dexhelmer, and Viking Gustafsson Nyberg, and forwards Jagger Joshua, Hunter Haight, Riley Heidt, Rasmus Kumpulainen, and Rieger Lorenz to Iowa on Friday. The Hurricanes have placed forward Viktor Neuchev, defenceman Ronan Seeley, and goaltender Zach Sawchenko on waivers Thursday for the purpose of assigning them to the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
The Ducks assigned forwards Herman Traff, Yegor Sidorov, Ethan Procyszyn, and Coulson Pitre, defencemen Matt Basgall, and Konnor Smith, and goaltender Damian Clara to the AHL's San Diego Galls on Thursday as they trimmed their pre-season roster to 38 players. The Oilers are projected to use these lines when they visit the Vancouver Canucks in pre-season action on Thursday:Defencemen Shane Pinto, Thomas Chabot, Jordan Spence, and forward Shane Pinto did not practice on Thursday but are expected to play in pre-season action over the weekend, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.
Head coach Travis Green added that Pinto's absence was precautionary with an undisclosed injury and they'll know more about his status on Friday. Forward Ivan Demidov missed his second straight practice on Thursday after he blocked a shot during the team's pre-season overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators in Trois-Rivieres on Monday, according to Arpon Basu of The Athletic.
Demidov is expected to return to the ice on Friday and get back into game action on Saturday when the Canadiens take on the Senators against in a pair of split squad games. Ivan Demidov is nursing a bruise after blocking a shot in Trois-Rivières on Monday, which is why he’s been off the ice the last two days . I’m told he’s expected to skate tomorrow and play Saturday.
The Stars loaned forwards Emil Hemming, Dylan Hryckowian, and Artem Shlaine, defenceman Jack Anderson, and goaltender Arno Tiefensee to the AHL's Texas Stars on Thursday. Additionally, the team released forward Michael Sgarbossa from his professional player try-out contract and forward Ellis Rickwood from his amateur try-out contract. The Blackhawks have signed forward Oliver Moore to a five-year, $21.25 million contract extension that carries an annual cap hit of $4.25 million on Thursday.
Moore, 21, is entering the final season of his three-year, entry-level deal and was slated to be become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 campaign. The 5-foot-11 centre was drafted 19th overall by the Blackhawks in 2023 and registered five goals and 19 points in 51 games with the Blackhawks last season Chicago also assigned defenceman Dylan Anhorn, and forwards Jiri Felchman, Martin Misiak, and Marek Vanacker to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Thursday.
Washington-Capitals--Sports--Hockey--Team--Team-Nh Alex-Ovechkin--Sports--Hockey--Player--Player-Nhl- Toronto-Maple-Leafs--Sports--Hockey--Team--Team-Nh Nick-Paul--Sports--Hockey--Player--Player-Nhl-Api- Steven-Lorentz--Sports--Hockey--Player--Player-Nhl Dakota-Joshua--Sports--Hockey--Player--Player-Nhl-
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