NHL Hockey Player News

Johansson led the Lightning onto the ice for warmups.

Johansson stopped 28 of 31 shots in the Lightning's win over the Predators on opening night. It was a nice start to the season for the much-maligned netminder, who will be leaned on heavily while Andrei Vasilevskiy is out. Tonight, he'll face a Red Wings team that lost 4-3 in New Jersey in their season opener.

Jonas Johansson
Nedeljkoivc will make his Penguins debut on Saturday.

Nedeljkovic fell into a backup role with the Red Wings last season and went 5-7-2 with a 3.53 GAA and .895 SV% in 15 games (13 starts). This summer he signed with Penguins, where he'll serve as Tristan Jarry's backup. He had a strong pre-season but is far from the goalie we saw in 2021 when he posted a 1.90 GAA and .932 SV%. Nedeljkovic has a sub-par matchup vs. the Flames and should probably be left on the waiver wire until he has a better matchup.

Alex Nedeljkovic
Hellebuyck led the Jets onto the ice for warmups.

Hellebuyck allowed four goals on 21 shots in the Jets' loss in Winnipeg on opening night. It was a tough start to the season for the workhorse netminder, but he should be relied upon whenever he gets the nod. This afternoon he'll face a Panthers team that was shutout in their first game and come in without Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour and Sam Bennett.

Connor Hellebuyck
Gibson will likely start Saturday in Vegas.

Gibson went 14-31-8 with a 3.99 GAA and .899 SV% in 53 games (52 starts) last year. It was the third time in four years that Gibson led the NHL in losses but the first time he allowed over 200 goals in a season. The Ducks should be a little better in front of him this season, but he remains a low-end fantasy option on most nights. Tonight he faces the Golden Knights, who he was 1-2-0 with a 4.75 GAA and .880 SV% against last year.

John Gibson
Andersen was the first goalie off the ice at the Hurricanes' morning skate.

Andersen allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Hurricanes' win over the Senators on Wednesday. It was a strong start to the season for Andersen, who figures to have a good chance at picking up a 'W' whenever he gets the nod. Tonight he'll start in Los Angeles--he struggled against the Pacific Division last year, going 3-4-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .861 SV%.

Frederik Andersen
Korczak will make his season debut on Saturday.

Korczak was the No.41 overall pick in 2019 and has appeared in just 11 career NHL games since being drafted. He spent most of last season in Henderson (AHL), where he tallied 14 points (4G / 10A) in 50 games. Korczak will replace Alex Pietrangelo, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Kaedan Korczak
Pietrangelo (upper-body) is day-to-day and will not play on Saturday.

Pietrangelo was high high by a pick late in Thursday's win in San Jose. Pietrangelo will be held out of the lineup in Anaheim but is considered day-to-day and isn't expected to be sidelined long-term. Pietrbngelo's absence is always detrimental, but it hurts even more when the Golden Knights are already without Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud on the blueline. Kaedan Korczak will draw into the lineup for Pietrangelo.

Alex Pietrangelo
Jiricek is expected to make his season debut on Saturday.

Jiricek probably would have made the team out of training camp if he wasn't waiver exempt but because he was it was an easy decision to send him back to the AHL. With Zach Werenski out for at least one week, Jiricek was recalled and Eric Robinson was waived to make room for him. The 2022 No.6 overall pick had 38 points (6G / 32A) in 55 AHL games last season.

David Jiricek
Binnington will start Saturday vs. the Kraken.

Binnington allowed one goal on 34 shots in the Blues' overtime loss in Dallas on Thursday. It was an outstanding start to the season for Binnington, who had the worst season of his career in 2022-23. Tonight he'll face the Kraken, who he was 1-1-0 with a 3.49 GAA and .883 SV% against last season.

Jordan Binnington
Spence is expected to draw into the Kings' lineup on Saturday.

Spence was a healthy scratch in the Kings' season opener, but he will suit up for Saturday's game vs. the Hurricanes. It's unclear exactly who Jordan Spence will replace in the lineup, but expect it to be Andreas Englund. Spence spent most of last year in the AHL, where he had four goals and 41 assists (45 points) in 56 games with the Ontario Reign.

Jordan Spence
Niemelainen has cleared waivers and has been assigned to Bakersfield (AHL).

The Oilers had to play a man short in their first game, so they waived Niemelainen to make room for Adam Erne to suit up as their 12th forward. Niemelainen spent most of the 2022-23 in the AHL, where he had seven points (2G / 5A) in 30 games with Bakersfield (AHL).

Markus Niemelainen

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!