NHL Hockey Player News

Ken Appleby has been recalled from Bridgeport (AHL) on an emergency basis.

Semyon Varlamov exited Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period, his second injury in less than a week, prompting the Isaldners to recall Appleby again. If Varlamov is out for an extended period, Appleby will unlikely see much action between the pipes as Varlamov will take the reigns between the pipes.

Ken Appleby
Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) has been placed on the Injured Reserve.

Bortuzzo drew back into the Islanders lineup on Tuesday but played only 8:10 time-on-ice and exited the game with a lower-body injury. Bortuzzo had difficulty leaving the ice and will be out of action for at least one week as he was placed on injured reserve.

Robert Bortuzzo
Chicago has claimed Jaycob Megna from the Seattle Kraken.

The Kraken placed Megna on waivers Tuesday but he did not clear and has been claimed by the Blackhawks. Megna has spent most of the season in the press box for the Kraken, being limited to only two games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, scoring one point (1G / 0A). He has 141 NHL games under his belt, tallying 25 points (4G / 21A) in time split between the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle.

Jaycob Megna
Jake Oettinger (lower body) is now considered day-to-day after returning to Stars' optional practice Wednesday.

Oettinger has not played since exiting a contest against the Ottawa Senators on December 15th in the first period with an upper-body injury. Scott Wedgewood has taken the reigns in the Stars' crease during Oettinger's eight-game absence, helping the team go 5-2-1 in that stretch. With Oettinger's status being upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day, his return is on the horizon, and he should return to seeing the bulk of action between the pipes for the Stars.

Jake Oettinger
Jaden Schwartz (upper body) returned to Kraken practice in a normal practice sweater Wednesday and is considered day-to-day.

Schwartz has been on long-term injured reserve since November 28th, missing 15 games with an upper-body injury, but appears to be nearing a return after being a full participant at practice on Wednesday. Before his injury, Schwartz was in the midst of a cold streak, scoring only one point (0G / 1A) and registering a -5 plus/minus in his last eight games.

Jaden Schwartz
Troy Terry (upper body) will miss his second-straight game Wednesday vs. Toronto.

Terry did not play against the Edmonton Oilers on New Year's Eve and will miss the first game of 2024, his second-straight contest, as he continues to recover from an upper-body injury. Before his injury, Terry was beginning to turn the corner on a disappointing season, scoring nine points (4G / 5A) in his last 10 games after scoring only two points (0G / 2A) in his previous 11.

Troy Terry
Los Angeles has placed Tobias Bjornfot on waivers Wednesday.

Bjornfot has not played a game for the Kings since their season opener when he recorded one block in 10:12 time-on-ice. He has been placed on unconditional waivers and, if he goes unclaimed, will join the Ontario Reign (AHL), where he has scored zero points in nine games this season.

Tobias Bjornfot
Lukas Dostal will start Wednesday vs. Toronto.

Dostal will start the first game of 2024 for the Ducks, his first start since December 23rd, when he allowed three goals on 22 shots (.864 SV%) in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. In six December appearances (1-4-0), Dostal allowed fewer than three goals five times, posting a respectable .918 SV%. The Ducks are welcoming a Toronto Maple Leafs team that played the night before, a 3-0 shutout victory over the Los Angeles Kings, but are still +179 home underdogs as they look to snap a two-game losing streak in which they have been outscored 9-2.

Lukas Dostal
Matthew Poitras has returned from the World Junior Championships but will not be an option Thursday.

Poitras is making an earlier-than-anticipated return to the Bruins after an abrupt exit for him and the rest of the Canadian team at the World Junior Championship. In five tournament games, Poitras scored four points (2G / 2A). Before leaving the Bruins to join Team Canada, Poitras had only six points (1G / 5A) in his last 16 games after scoring seven points (4G / 3A) in his 11 games prior.

Matthew Poitras
Isac Lunderstrom (achilles) is expected to make his season debut Wednesday vs. Toronto.

Lundestrom will make his season debut on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, on schedule with his six-month recovery period after receiving off-season Achilles surgery. Lundstrom had four goals, 10 assists, 60 SOG, two PIMs and a -13 plus/minus through 61 games in 2022-23.

Isac Lundestrom
Daws will likely start Wednesday in Washington.

Daws played well and collected a win in his season debut last week, saving 25 of 27 saved (.926 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Daws' performance in his debut marked only the second time in the last eight games that a Devils goalie allowed fewer than three goals. Given the well-documented struggles of New Jersey's goaltending tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid, another strong performance for Daws on Wednesday could go a long way in securing him more playing time down the stretch. The Devils have lost both contests against the Washington Capitals this season (0-2-0), being outscored 10-6, but are -181 road favourites on Wednesday.

Nico Daws
Kirill Kaprizov (upper body) has been placed on the Injured Reserve.

The Wild announced Monday a pair of massive injuries as both Kirill Kaprizov and Filip Gustavsson will be away from the team for weeks due to injury. Kaprizov (upper body) left Minnesota's December 30th game after just 15:30 TOI and is now expected to miss the next 1-to-2 weeks after being placed on the Injured Reserve. The 26-year-old's absence will make a massive loss as he had 13 goals, 34 points and 110 SOG in 34 games played this year.

Kirill Kaprizov
Curtis Lazar (lower body) will return after a three-game abensce Wednesday vs. Washington.

Lazar has been day-to-day with a lower-body injury since the Devils returned from the Christmas break but will return on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals. Lazar has been a regular in the Devils lineup this season, scoring 10 points (4G / 6A) in 30 games and is expected to play on a line with Michael McLeod and Dawson Mercer.

Curtis Lazar
John Ludvig (upper body) has been placed on the Long-Term Injured Reserve and is expected to be out "longer term".

Ludvig's first NHL season has been riddled with injuries. He missed 11 games after suffering a concussion in his NHL debut in October, limiting him to only 19 games this season, tallying one point (0G / 1A) and 23 penalty minutes. His latest injury is upper-body, placing him on LTIR, has resulted in the Penguins recalling Ryan Shea from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL and is expected to keep him on the shelf for a lengthy amount of time.

John Ludvig
Ryan Shea has been recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Shea has appeared in 22 games this season but has yet to pick up a point while collecting 13 SOG, six PIMs and a -2 plus/minus. He was reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) on Tuesday but immediately recalled on Wednesday after John Ludvig (undisclosed) was placed on IR.

Ryan Shea
Kaliyev is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game against the Maple Leafs.

Kaliyev's absence for Tuesday's game is a surprise, and it's unclear at this time whether this is simply a healthy scratch or if it's due to an undisclosed injury. He has six goals and eight assists in 30 games this season. Jaret Anderson-Dolan will enter the lineup in his place.

Arthur Kaliyev

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.

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