Smith will draw into the Stars lineup on Saturday.
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NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Oettinger will start Saturday in Tampa.
Goalie Start
Georgiev will likely start Saturday in Florida.
Line Change
Vrana is expected to be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Miroshnichenko is expected to make his season debut on Saturday.
Kaiser will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Crevier will make his season debut on Saturday.
Line Change
Tomasino will a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Line Change
Parssinen will a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Kochetkov is in the starter's crease at the Hurricanes' morning skate.
Evangelista will be back in the Predators lineup on Saturday.
Evangelista was a healthy scratch on Wednesday, but he will replace Phillip Tomasino in the lineup on Saturday. The Predators were hoping to get more offence out of Evangelista than what he's provided so far this season, scoring jut two goals with six assists (eight points) in 19 games.
Goalie Start
Ullmark was the first goalie off of the ice at the Senators' morning skate.
Ullmark allowed three goals on 32 shots in the Senators loss to the Golden Knights on Thursday. Ullmark has now lost three in a row while posting an ugly 4.28 GAA and .841 SV%. Tonight he will face a Vancouver team without two of their top forwards, but they've still averaged 3.33 goals per game over their last nine games.
Line Change
Svechkov will make his NHL debut on Saturday.
Svechkov was recalled from the AHL on Saturday morning and he'll replace Juuso Parssinen in the lineup vs. the Jets. It's unclear where Svechkov will slot into the lineup but he's expected to provide some offence after posting eight points (5G / 3A) in his first seven AHL games this season.
van Riemsdyk will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
van Riemsdyk was in the lineup for the last two games but he'll be replaced by Kevin Labanc in the lineup on Saturday. van Riemsdyk has just five points (3G / 2A) in 14 games this season.
Line Change
Labanc will be back in the Blue Jackets lineup on Saturday.
Labanc was a healthy scratch on Thursday but he's expected to replace James van Riemsdyk in the lineup on Saturday. Labanc has been pretty productive so far this season, picking up 10 points (1G / 9A) in 14 games.
Goalie Start
Lindgren was the first goalie off the ice at the Capitals morning skate.
Lindgren stopped 24 of 26 shots in the Capitals win in Utah on Monday. Lindgren has won back-to-back games and three of his last five while posting a 2.64 GAA and .904 SV%. He draws a tough matchup on Saturday with the Devils coming in having won eight of their last 11 games.
Goalie Start
Vasilevskiy was the first goalie off the ice at the Lightning's morning skate.
Vasilevskiy stopped 17 of 19 shots in the Lightning's win in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He was given the night off on Thursday, so he'll be well-rested for tonight's matchup vs. the Stars. Vasilevskiy has been outstanding his last four outings, going 3-0-1 with a 0.97 GAA, .961 SV% and one shutout.
Goalie Start
Bobrovsky will start Saturday vs. the Avalanche.
Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 25 shots in the Panthers loss in Winnipeg on Tuesday. Spencer Knight started Thursday in Chicago, so Bobrovsky should be well-rested for Saturday's matchup with the Avalanche. Bobrovks has gone 5-2-1 with a 3.20 GAA, .883 SV% and one shutout in eight home games this season.
Goalie Start
Merzlikins will start Saturday vs. the Hurricanes.
Merzlikins surrendered six goals on 30 shots in the Blue Jackets 7-6 win over the Lightning on Thursday. It wasn't his best performance, but he did enough to earn his third-straight victory. Since returning from a personal leave, Merzlikins has gone 5-3-1 with a 2.88 GAA, .902 SV% and one shutout in nine appearances. He draws a tough assignment vs. a Hurricanes team with the third-most goals per game (3.9) in the NHL this season.
The Predators have reassigned Adam Wilsby to Milwaukee (AHL).
Wilsby has been recalled on several occasions but has yet to make it into an NHL game this season. He'll return to the AHL to make room for Fedor Svechkov to be recalled.
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!
- NHL Player Injury Updates and Recovery Timelines – See all the latest NHL player injury updates, timelines for their return, and impact made on each team.
- NHL Waiver Wire Moves and Implications – Check out all the latest moves made on the NHL waiver wire and their implications on the teams involved.
- NHL Latest Line Combination Changes – Bringing you every line combination from across all 32 NHL teams, check out the latest NHL line combination changes made ahead of their next tilt.
- NHL Player Signings and Contract Details – Your go-to spot during NHL free agency, check out the latest NHL player signings and contract details today.
- NHL Roster Changes and Transactions – Looking to see what the latest moves made by your favourite team were? Then check out the latest NHL roster changes and transactions here on DFO.