Talk about a triumphant return from last season’s shoulder surgery for Bean! For Werenski, who also had a season-ending shoulder injury in ’22-23… not so much… he’s expected to miss around two weeks with a quad injury. With five assists through the first 14 games, Bean seemed headed for a career-best before getting hurt last season, but he’s already matched his goal total and is sure to see much more PT this season, especially early on. It’s just one game, but he looks vastly improved, and is poised for a bigger role.

Still, his AHL numbers (.920 save percentage over 26 games) were promising. If you’re seeking a relative unknown goalie as a sleeper pick with some upside potential, consider big-bodied (6’4″, 206) Johansson. He could pay dividends over the first few weeks of the campaign, and certainly looked ready for the part on Friday, putting up a 42-save shutout.