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NHL Hockey Player News

Kreider (illness) will not play against the Kings on Friday.

Kreider is coming off a one-goal performance in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars, but is battling an illness and will miss Friday's game against the Los Angeles Kings. The 34-year-old veteran has 25 points (15G / 10A) in 42 games this season.

Chris Kreider
Carlsson (thigh) underwent successful surgery on Friday and will miss approximately 3-5 weeks.

Carlsson's injury was first reported after he left practice on Monday and was originally deemed to be questionable for Tuesday's game against the Dallas Stars. This latest development puts his status for the 2026 Winter Olympics in doubt, though no official determination has been made on his availability for Team Sweden at this time. The 21-year-old Carlsson is having an excellent season for Anaheim, with 44 points (18G / 26A) in 44 games, but has drifted off in recent weeks as the Ducks have struggled, being held off the scoresheet in nine of the team's last 11 games.

Leo Carlsson
Saros will start in Colorado on Friday.

The Predators will unsurprisingly turn to their franchise netminder when they travel to Denver to take on the mighty Avalanche on Friday. Saros secured the victory in his last start, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Oilers on Tuesday. The 11-year-veteran owns an 18-15-3 record and an .897 SV% across a league leading 36 appearances this season. Saros and the Preds enter action on Friday as major underdogs at +260 on the money line.

Juuse Saros
Vasilevskiy will start in St. Louis on Friday.

The Lightning will hand Vasilevskiy his 29th start of the season when they travel to St. Louis on Friday. Vasilevskiy won his eighth straight start in spectacular fashion on Tuesday, allowing just a single goal on 27 shots in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Penguins. The former Vezina Trophy winner is enjoying another fantastic season between the pipes for the Lightning, posting a 19-7-2 record and a .914 SV% across 28 appearances. The Lightning enter action on Friday as heavy favourites at -200 on the money line.

Andrei Vasilevskiy
The Hurricanes placed Philp (concussion) on injured reserve on Friday.

Philp is an undrafted 27-year-old who made his NHL debut last season after some success at the AHL level. He scored three points (2G / 1A) in 15 games with the Oilers this season before being placed on waivers and ultimately claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes. He has zero point in two games with Carolina.

Noah Philp
Skinner will be a healthy scratch vs. Detroit on Friday.

With Will Smith (upper body) set to return, Jeff Skinner will head to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old Skinner has struggled this season with only 13 points (6G / 7A) in 32 games. That said, he has five points (1G / 4A) in his last five games.

Jeff Skinner
Askarov will start in Detroit on Friday.

In their last 21 games (12-9-0), the Sharks have allowed fewer than three goals only three times, all while Alex Nedeljkovic has been between the pipes. During that stretch, the Sharks rank second-worst in the league defensively (4.00 GA/GP), and have not received the stout netminding from Askarov that they became accustomed to earlier in the season. In his last 13 games (7-6-0), the 23-year-old Askarov has an ugly 3.64 GAA and .865 SV%. The Sharks enter Friday’s contest as +158 road underdogs against a Detroit Red Wings team whose four-game winning streak was snapped on Tuesday in a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Yaroslav Askarov
Slavic (rehab) will return to Carolina’s lineup vs. Florida on Friday.

Slavin just recently returned after missing ten games with an upper-body injury, and was given the night off after playing two games. He will return to the lineup on Friday against the Florida Panthers. The 31-year-old veteran defenseman has one assist in seven games this season.

Jaccob Slavin
Carrier (lower-body) will be out vs. Florida on Friday.

Carrier is battling an undisclosed injury, did not play for Carolina on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings, and will remain sidelined on Friday against the Florida Panthers. The 31-year-old Carrier scored a goal in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken, giving him 10 points (5G / 5A) in 38 games this season.

William Carrier

NHL Player News: Your Ultimate Source for Hockey Player News

At Daily Faceoff you can stay in the know regarding all 32 teams and their top players this season. From trades, to injuries, and everything in between, you can find all the latest NHL player news today here. Staying up to date with player news NHL can also give you a competitive edge in your fantasy hockey leagues, as well as your NHL bets.

Check out all the latest NHL updates below and learn more about the hottest updates in the hockey world today.

Who are the top NHL players to watch this season?

There’s never been more talent scattered across the NHL than there is this season. With living legends like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin still setting records left-and-right, alongside today’s current superstars such as Connor McDavid and Nathan Mackinnon, the level of talent in the NHL is at an all-time high. Along with these established stars, there’s plenty of budding stars emerging every season such as Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, and Matvei Michkov.

What are the latest updates on NHL player suspensions or disciplinary actions?

Already this season we’ve seen the hammer brought down by the NHL Department of Player Safety. Notable suspensions and fines include Ryan Reaves of the Toronto Maple Leafs who was given a five-game suspension for an illegal check to the head against the Edmonton Oilers, and Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot who was dealt a three-game suspension, also for an illegal hit to the head.

In the 2023-24 season, there were a total of 14 suspensions and 17 fines issued throughout the NHL. The longest suspension served was dealt to former-Detroit Red Wing David Perron at six-games after a cross-checking penalty dealt ironically against his current team in the 2024-25 season, the Ottawa Senators. Additionally, Perron was fined $148,437.48 for his actions.

How are NHL player performances impacting fantasy hockey?

NHL player performances make a direct impact on the outcome of any fantasy hockey matchup. Staying up to date with the latest news and performances of your team’s players can be the difference between winning and losing.

Some notable fantasy hockey performers that flew under the radar in most drafts this year include Martin Necas (123 ADP) of the Carolina Hurricanes and Kiefer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks. While sleeper picks are always a great get, nothing is worse than a bust taken early on. Some of the most disappointing players of the fantasy hockey season includes Zach Hyman (28 ADP) of the Edmonton Oilers and Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars (33 ADP).

Whether you’re checking out how your current rostered players are performing or scouting for hidden gems on the waiver wire, the latest player news can help you make your next winning move this season.

Which NHL players are having breakout or comeback seasons?

Every season there are several players who have breakout years, establishing themselves as some of the best up-and-coming stars in the league. In the 2024-25 season early breakout candidates have emerged such as Dylan Strome of the Washington Capitals (on-pace for his first 100-point season) and Ivan Barbashev of the Vegas Golden Knights (on-pace for career-high in points).

Additionally, nothing beats a comeback story, and that can be said about surging veterans such as Anze Koipitar of the Los Angeles Kings, and Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars.

How often is NHL player news updated?

Our player news is updated regularly throughout the season, bringing you fresh player updates every day throughout the calendar year. Providing our users with a one-stop destination for everything you need to know from across the NHL, our player news is the go-to spot for all the biggest stories in the hockey universe.

What types of information does NHL player news cover?

Our NHL news covers every aspect of the hockey season. From injuries to trades to rumours and even suspensions, we’ve got you covered through it all with credible and fast-updates all-season long.

Are there specific sources for reliable NHL player updates?

All of our sources come from credible and reputable areas. When you’re at Daily Faceoff, you can trust that we are never going to spoon-feed you fake news. You can trust you’re only reading legitimate news that matters.

How does NHL player news impact betting lines?

Player news has a massive impact on the latest hockey betting lines. From daily game lines and prop bets, to Stanley Cup futures bets, every trade, roster change, and injury can shake up the odds set by oddsmakers.

By staying informed on the latest NHL updates, you can become a better NHL bettor as you’ll have a winning edge thanks to our in-depth news coverage.

DFO’s Specialized News Categories

Get the most out of your hockey news with our in-depth coverage of the NHL with our comprehensive player news updates. Below we’ve compiled go-to destinations for player injuries, trades, signings, line combinations, and more!