NHL Hockey Player News

David Gustafsson has been activated off the injured reserve Friday (upper body).

Gustaffson hasn't played since January 10th due to an upper-body injury and has been activated off the injured reserve Friday. The 22-year-old centre has five assists, 36 SOG, and six PIMs through 38 games played this season prior to his injury.

David Gustafsson
The Ducks acquired Sustr along with the rights to Nikita Nesterenko and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick in exchange for John Klingberg.

Sustr returns to Anaheim after finishing the 2021-22 season with the Ducks. He's spent the entirety of this season with Iowa (AHL), registering two goals and ten assists in 39 games this season.

Andrej Sustr
Ville Husso is dealing with a minor injury and will not play Saturday vs. the New York Islanders.

Husso has a 23-15-6 record, 2.95 GAA and .903 SV% this season but will be out of the Red Wings' lineup vs. the New York Islanders Saturday. The 28-year-old is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Ville Husso
The Wild acquired Klingberg on Friday in exchange for Andrej Sustr, a 2025 fourth-round draft pick, and the rights to Nikita Nesterenko.

After signing a one-year contract with the Ducks in the off-season, Klingberg moves on from a disastrous 50-game stint in Anaheim. He scored eight goals and added 16 assists in those 50 games while posting a plus/minus of -28. The 30-year-old will look to regain the form he showed across his eight seasons in Dallas, where he registered 374 points across 552 games.

John Klingberg
Sandin (visa issues) is expected to make his Capitals debut in San Jose on Saturday.

Sandin was acquired from the Maple Leafs on Tuesday in exchange for Erik Gustafsson and a 2023 first-round pick. The 22-year-old was selected 29th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He registered ten goals and 38 assists across 140 career games with the Leafs. His offensive production could see a boost in Washington if he's able to get some ice time with Alexander Ovechkin on the Caps' top power-play unit.

Rasmus Sandin
Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie has been traded to Arizona for Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie.

Mackey had two goals, three points, nine PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 10 games with the Calgary Flames and has been traded alongside Brett Ritchie for Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie. The 26-year-old has 29 career NHL games across 19 games played.

Connor Mackey
Nick Ritchie and Troy Stecher have been traded to the Calgary Flames for Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie.

Ritchie has nine goals, 12 assists, 87 SOG, 43 PIMs and a -15 plus/minus through 58 games played with the Arizona Coyotes and has been traded alongside Troy Stecher for Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie. The 27-year-old now joins his fourth NHL team across 465 career NHL games.

Nick Ritchie
Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie have been traded to the Calgary Flames for Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie.

Stecher has seven assists, 62 SOG, 29 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 61 games played with Arizona and has been dealt alongside Nick Ritchie to Calgary for Connor Mackey and Brett Richie. The 28-year-old defenseman has 96 points (15G/81A) through 420 career NHL games.

Troy Stecher
Dante Fabbro has signed a one-year, $2.5 million extension with the Nashville Predators.

Fabbro has a goal, seven assists, 70 SOG, 36 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 56 games played and has signed a one-year, $2.5 million extension with Nashville. The 24-year-old has 12 goals, 56 points and 121 PIMs through 230 career NHL games across five seasons.

Dante Fabbro
The Predators acquired Asplund from the Sabres on Friday in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick.

A second-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Asplund moves to Nashville after spending the first four years of his career in the Sabres organization. Limited to a bottom-six role, Asplund has just two goals and six assists in 27 games this season.

Rasmus Asplund
Austin Wagner has been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations.

Wagner has nine goals, three assists, 33 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus through 24 games played with Ontario (AHL) and has been traded to Chicago for future considerations. The 25-year-old has played in 171 career NHL games through three seasons, picking up 22 goals, and 40 points along with 70 PIMs.

Austin Wagner
Patrick Brown has been traded to the Ottawa Senators for a 2023 sixth-round pick.

Brown has two goals, five assists, 44 SOG, 17 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 43 games this season with Philadelphia and has been traded to Ottawa for a 2023 sixth-round pick. Brown has played in 120 NHL games throughout his career, picking up eight goals and 19 points.

Patrick Brown
Meier (upper-body) has been cleared for contact but will not play in Vegas on Friday.

Meier participated in line rushes at practice this morning in a regular jersey. The 26-year-old had 31 goals, 52 points and 255 SOG through 57 games with the Sharks prior to being traded. Meier's next chance to make his Devils debut will come Sunday in Arizona.

Timo Meier
Oskar Sundqvist has been traded to Minnesota for a 2023 4th-round pick.

Sundqvist had seven goals, 14 assists, 59 SOG, 20 PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through 52 games with Detroit but has been traded to Minnesota for a 2023 4th-round pick. It will be Sundqvist's fourth team across nine NHL seasons.

Oskar Sundqvist
The Maple Leafs have acquired Radim Zohorna from the Flames for Dryden Hunt.

The 6-foot-6 Zahorna will likely be assigned to the Marlies (AHL). He has zero points in eight games with the Flames this season. Though he's struggled to produce at the NHL level, Zahorna did register ten goals and 29 assists in 40 AHL games for the Calgary Wranglers this season.

Radim Zohorna
The Flames have acquired Dryden Hunt from the Maple Leafs for Radim Zohorna.

Hunt will join his fourth team of the season. The Maple Leafs acquired Hunt from the Avalanche on December 19 in exchange for Denis Malgin. He started the season with the Rangers and played three games for them before being claimed off waivers by Colorado. In total, Hunt has three goals and zero assists in 37 games this season.

Dryden Hunt

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!