Morning Skate Report - 10/05: Ovechkin announces his final season, Barkov out 10 to 12 weeks, Rantanen plays after a maintenance day

What changed at the morning skates for Monday's 4 games, as of 2:18 pm ET.

The big news

• Alex Ovechkin (WSH) says 2026-27 is his final season. The NHL's all-time leading goal scorer announced it today (@usatodaysports). Nothing changes in his projection: he is still Washington's top-line, top power-play shooter.
• Aleksander Barkov (FLA) is out 10 to 12 weeks with the lower-body injury that put him on long-term injured reserve last week (@DFOFantasy). That puts his return in mid-December at the earliest. Florida's centre depth runs through Anton Lundell (17% rostered) in the meantime.
• Mikko Rantanen (DAL) plays tonight. He was not on the ice for the morning skate, and Glen Gulutzan called it maintenance (@Lassimak). Jake Oettinger starts, and Joel Kiviranta is in for Colin Blackwell.
• Connor Bedard (CHI) is back on the ice but not close. He joined the practice group for the first time and took line rushes with Anton Frondell and Tyler Bertuzzi, rotating with Teuvo Teravainen (@CRoumeliotis), but he is still not cleared for contact (@CHGO_Blackhawks) and stepped off when practice turned physical. The Frondell and Bertuzzi line is worth remembering for when he returns; that is not this week.
• Josh Doan (BUF) is off the top power play. Noah Ostlund took his spot on the first unit at practice, and Doan moved to the second (@rachelmlenzi).
• Connor Zary (CGY) is on waivers, per Pat Steinberg of QR Calgary 770 (@DobberNews).
• Edmonton's crease this week: Devon Levi starts Wednesday at Anaheim and Tristan Jarry Saturday at San Jose, Mike Babcock confirmed (@dfoedmonton).

Starting goalies

• Philadelphia at Tampa Bay, 7:00 pm ET: Dan Vladar (confirmed, @NHLFlyers) vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (likely)
• Ottawa at Boston, 7:30 pm ET: Linus Ullmark (confirmed) vs Jeremy Swayman (confirmed)
• Winnipeg at Pittsburgh, 7:30 pm ET: Clay Stevenson (confirmed) vs Sergei Murashov (confirmed)
• San Jose at Dallas, 8:00 pm ET: Yaroslav Askarov (confirmed, @Sheng_Peng) vs Jake Oettinger (confirmed, @Lassimak)

Lineup changes

Each team's morning-skate lineup against the lineup it dressed for its last game; changed units are in bold. A power-play move is reported only when last game's units, our projection coming in and the season's power-play time all agree it is one.

Tampa Bay vs Philadelphia, 7:00 pm ET

Lines from @benjaminjreport.

• Hedman is in.
• Lilleberg is out about a week after getting hurt in Saturday's fight, and Crozier draws in: Tampa Bay goes 11 forwards and 7 defencemen again (@EddieInTheYard).

Boston vs Ottawa, 7:30 pm ET

Lines from @smclaughlin9.

• Aspirot is scratched.
• Kuraly is scratched.
• Brunet draws in.
• Poitras draws in.

Pittsburgh vs Winnipeg, 7:30 pm ET

Lines from @pensinsidescoop.

• Hallander is scratched.
• Lizotte draws in.

Dallas vs San Jose, 8:00 pm ET

• Kiviranta draws in for Blackwell (@Lassimak).
• Rantanen plays after a maintenance morning.

No morning-skate lineup yet for Philadelphia, Ottawa, Winnipeg, San Jose.

Roster moves

• Damon Severson (CBJ): recalled from the AHL.
• Connor Zary (CGY): placed on waivers.

Injury updates

• Aleksander Barkov (FLA) is out 10 to 12 weeks (lower body; on long-term injured reserve).
• Andre Burakovsky (OTT) is on injured reserve (upper body; expected to be out until at least Oct 6).
• Jake Sanderson (OTT) is injured (lower body).
• Nikita Grebenkin (PHI) is on injured reserve (upper body; expected to be out until at least Oct 8).
• Emil Lilleberg (TBL) is injured (espn).

- "NEWS: Emil Lilleberg will miss about a week with an undisclosed injury. #GoBolts coach Jon Cooper said he got tangled up in fight Saturday night. Also, Dominic James will become an option to return Thursday, per Cooper. Won’t be in the lineup tonight." (@EddieInTheYard) - "#GoBolts will go 11 and 7 again tonight with Crozier drawing in for injured Emil Lilleberg." (@EddieInTheYard) - "Injury updates: Lightning coach Jon Cooper tells us #GoBolts D Emil Lilleberg won’t be available tonight after an injury from his fight, hope is to have him back within a week. Dominic James won’t play tonight, goal is to have him back for Thursday's game vs. MIN" (@BenjaminJReport)

• Marco Kasper (DET) is day-to-day (upper body).
• Aaron Ekblad (FLA) is day-to-day (personal).
• Danila Yurov (MIN) is day-to-day (undisclosed).

- "Upper body injury for Yurov" (@JoeSmithNHL)

• Joseph Veleno (NYR) is day-to-day (lower body).

- "#NYR spread in today’s @nypost ahead of practice⬇️ Blueshirts best Mammoth in 3rd win in a row ➡️ Vincent Trocheck return game ➡️ Sean Durzi embracing role ➡️ Joe Veleno injury could test center depth early ➡️" (@MollieeWalkerr)

• Matthew Robertson (NYR) is day-to-day (not injury related).
• Raphael Lavoie (VGK) is day-to-day (undisclosed).

From the beat reporters:

• Ottawa: "#Sens have recalled Jorian Donovan from Belleville. He suited up yesterday against Rochester. Missed most of camp with an injury" (@SunGarrioch)
• New Jersey: "Jesper Bratt is out early on the ice getting some puck touches before today's 11am practice. #NJDevils" (@amandacstein)
• Buffalo: "The bench door is closed and the #Sabres are on the ice for Monday practice, save for Conor Timmins (IR), Jason Zucker (sports hernia) and Alex Lyon (IR)." (@rachelmlenzi)
• Pittsburgh: "Bryan Rust, currently designated to injured reserve, skated today as well." (@SethRorabaugh)
• Nashville: "Justus Annunen (day-to-day) is on the ice for #Preds practice. Vitali Pinchuk is also back in Nashville and practicing after being recalled from Milwaukee yesterday. The Predators depart for Toronto this afternoon to begin a three-game swing through eastern Canada this week." (@brooksbratten)
• Pittsburgh: "Evgeni Malkin's reaction to the Alex Ovechkin news: "It's hard because he’s legend, fans love him. He’s done everything for team, for league. I hope he play good this year, no injury. He just stay healthy, score goals, and enjoy the game."" (@PensInsideScoop)
• Brad Marchand (FLA) is off the injury report.
• Gustav Forsling (FLA) is off the injury report.