Week 1 NHL fantasy primer as Olympic break looms. Four Ranger games lead a packed first week; teams juggle goalies and give rookies a bite at the apple. Bedard in Chicago anchors early fantasy value; McDavid in a contract-year spotlight; Barkov out for Florida complicates top-line math; rookies Fantilli, Carlsson, Marchenko, and Knight push for ice time. Plan for workload, streaming spots, and immediate upside across multiple rosters.

Stolarz and the Maple Leafs are negotiating a multi-year extension with leverage on the goalie market and a season-long prove-it arc in play. Term is the key battleground; insider chatter suggests a three-to-four-year frame, with the dollars adapting to the risk of injury and upside. If Stolarz shines, Toronto faces a tougher decision: pay more or lose him. The dynamic mirrors a wider trend where teams chase certainty in a shallow market while aiming to preserve cap flexibility.

Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly closing in on an Anthony Stolarz extension that would pair him with Joseph Woll in a budget-friendly tandem. The talks frame Stolarz as a 1A option, with Leafs aiming to lock both goalies for just over $8 million across a couple of years. Comparables like Kevin Lankanen and Karel Vejmelka set market expectations, while Knight’s contract looms as a ceiling. Fantasy managers should monitor workload splits, back-to-backs, and how these deals reshape Toronto’s goaltending depth for the upcoming season.

Blashill’s tough, high-tempo first day signals Chicago’s rebuild around Bedard, with a culture-first focus and a goalie situation that will define early-season ceilings. Brossoit’s long-term absenceopens clock for Knight and Soderblom, while Foligno anchors leadership as a very young roster learns Blashill’s system and line chemistry. Expect competitive nights from Chicago’s young core and a goalie split that could swing nascent fantasy values.

Spencer Knight signs a three-year, $17.5 million extension with the Chicago Blackhawks, locking in the 24-year-old as the team’s goalie of the future after a March trade that sent Seth Jones to Florida. Knight projects as the core of Chicago’s rebuild, with Arvid Söderblom in the wings and Petr Mrazek departed. Knight went 5-8-2 in 15 appearances for Chicago post-trade, carrying a career 49-33-9 record with five shutouts as the Blackhawks chart a path back toward respectability.