Henrique (MCL sprain) is expected to be out until late-March/early-April.
NHL Hockey Player News
Vaakanainen is expected to miss 5-to-6 months after undergoing hip surgery last week.
Goalie Start
Murray (ankle) is expected to return to the Maple Leafs crease on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Schmid led the Devils onto the ice for warmups.
Schmid stopped 23 of 23 shots for his first career shutout as he handled the Philadelphia Flyers easily in his previous start. The 22-year-old has been incredible in his small sample size this season, with his 6-4-0 record, 1.91 GAA and .930 SV%. He takes on the Vegas Golden Knights, who won their last game 3-2 vs. Carolina and are 10th in the NHL in shots per game (32.5).
Goalie Start
Montembeault led the Canadiens onto the ice for warmups.
Goalie Start
Gibson led the Ducks onto the ice for warmups.
Schmaltz (upper-body) is on the ice for warmups and expected to play on Friday.
Schmaltz suffered an upper-body injury in the Coyotes game in Dallas on Wednesday. Schmaltz has been on a heater as of late, scoring four goals with three assists (seven points) on a five-game point streak.
Goalie Start
Raanta led the Hurricanes onto the ice for warmups.
Raanta was perfect in his last start, stopping 32 of 32 shots for his third shutout of the season as he beat the Ottawa Senators. The 33-year-old Hurricanes' backup has rarely lost this season, with his 15-2-3 record, 2.32 GAA and .908 SV%. He takes on Arizona, who have lost three of their last four games and are last in the NHL in shots per game (25.7).
Goalie Start
Grubauer starts Friday in Columbus.
Grubauer stopped 16 of 17 shots (.941 SV%) in a rare relief win as he beat the Detroit Red Wings last night. The 31-year-old has been steadily improving his rough early season numbers, with his now 9-11-3 record, 3.05 GAA and .894 SV%. He will face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have won two of their last three games but are 30th in the NHL in scoring (2.59).
The Red Wings have signed Alex Chiasson to a one-year, one-way contract worth $750K.
Chiasson had nine goals, 20 points, 14 PIMs, and a +6 plus/minus through 29 games this season with Grand Rapids (AHL) and has signed a one-year, one-way contract worth $750,000. He played 67 games for the Vancouver Canucks in 2021-22, scoring 13 goals and 22 points.
The Predators have signed Kevin Lankinen to a one-year, $2.0M contract.
Lankinen is 13-7-5 with a .922 SV% and 2.58 GAA in his first season as Nashville's backup goalie and has signed a one-year, $2.0 million contract extension. The 27-year-old is in his third NHL season.
The Red Wings have recalled Alex Nedeljkovic from Grand Rapids (AHL) under emergency conditions.
Nedeljkovic was 9-7-2 with a .909 SV% and a 2.89 GAA with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) and has been recalled under emergency conditions to the Red Wings. He previously played nine games with Detroit this season, posting a 2-4-2 record, .880 SV% and 2.89 GAA.
Line Change
Max Domi is expected to make his Stars' debut vs. Colorado Saturday.
Domi was acquired in a trade late Thursday and will make his Dallas debut Saturday vs. Colorado. The 28-year-old has 18 goals, 31 assists, 143 SOG, 76 PIMs and a -9 plus/minus through 60 games played with Chicago this season.
Goalie Start
Hellebuyck will start Friday in Edmonton.
Hellebuyck allowed five goals on 37 shots (.865 SV%) for his third-straight loss as he was defeated by Los Angeles in his last start. The 29-year-old has been great this season despite his recent struggles, with his 26-18-2 record, 2.52 GAA and .922 SV%. He takes on the Edmonton Oilers, who won their last game 5-2 over Toronto and are top in the NHL in goals per game (3.82).
Wyatt Kalynuk has been traded to the New York Rangers for future considerations.
Kalynuk had four goals, 13 assists, 46 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 46 games with the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) and has been traded to the New York Rangers for future considerations.
Gustav Rydahl has been traded to the Colorado Avalanche for Anton Blidh.
Rydahl has seven goals, eight assists, 32 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 40 games with Hartford (AHL) and has been traded to Colorado for Anton Blidh. The 28-year-old has yet to play in an NHL game throughout his career.
Anton Blidh has been traded to the New York Rangers for Gustav Rydahl.
Blidh had no points, four PIMs and nine SOG through 14 games with the Colorado Avalanche and has been traded to the New York Rangers for Gustav Rydahl. The 27-year-old has 12 points (4G/8A) through 84 career NHL games.
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.
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.
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.
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.