Goalie Start
Alex Lyon will start Wednesday vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Ilya Samsonov will start Wednesday vs. Florida.
Samsonov allowed six goals on 28 shots (.786 SV%) for his second loss in three games as he was defeated by the New York Islanders in his previous start. The 26-year-old has been strong in his first season as a Maple Leaf, with his 24-9-3 record, 2.46 GAA and .914 SV%. He will face the Florida Panthers, who are in a playoff chase but have lost four-straight games after a 5-2 loss to Ottawa last game.
Filip Chytil has been signed to a four-year, $4.4375 million AAV contract extension.
Goalie Start
Darcy Kuemper will start Wednesday vs. the New York Islanders.
Nikolai Knyzhov signed a two-year, $1.25 million extension with the Sharks Wednesday.
Mack Guzda has been recalled from Charlotte (AHL).
Guzda is 14-8-3 with a .899 SV%, 2.86 GAA and has been recalled to Florida to backup Wednesday vs. Toronto if Sergei Bobrovsky (game-time decision) is unable to go. The 22-year-old has never seen NHL action.
Brayden Pachal has been recalled from the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL).
Pachal has three goals, 12 assists, 90 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) and has been recalled to Vegas Wednesday. The 23-year-old has two assists, six PIMs and a +1 plus/minus in nine games with Vegas already this season.
Mike Hardman has been reassigned to Rockford (AHL).
Hardman had failed to pick up a point, had seven SOG and a -2 plus/minus through eight games this season but has been reassigned to Rockford (AHL) on Wednesday. The 24-year-old heads back to the IceHogs, where he had four goals, 12 assists, 30 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus through 49 games prior to his call-up.
The Avalanche have signed Jason Polin to a one-year entry-level contract.
Polin led the entire NCAA with 30 goals through 39 games this season with Western Michigan University (NCAA) and signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday. The 23-year-old finished his final collegiate season with 30 goals, 47 points, 13 PIMs and a +26 plus/minus through 39 games this season.
The Canucks signed Akito Hirose to a one-year entry-level contract.
Hirose had four goals, 23 assists, 18 PIMs and a +10 plus/minus through 38 games with Minnesota State University (NCAA) and has signed a one-year, entry-level contract which will begin right away. The 23-year-old will become a restricted free-agent at the end of the season.
The Bruins have signed Trevor Kuntar to a two-year entry-level contract.
Kuntar had 13 goals, 16 assists, 36 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 34 games with Boston College (NCAA) this season and signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Boston Wednesday. The 21-year-old was the Bruins 2020 third-round pick (89th overall).
The Stars have signed Matthew Seminoff to at three-year entry-level contract.
Seminoff had 31 goals, 51 assists, 44 PIMs and a +26 plus/minus through 62 games with Kamloops (WHL) this season and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Dallas Wednesday. The 19-year-old was the Stars' 2022 sixth-round pick (179th overall).
Matt Benning will be out Thursday vs. Vegas due to an undisclosed injury.
Benning left the Sharks' previous game after 17:49 TOI due to an undisclosed injury and will not play Thursday vs. Vegas. The 28-year-old has a goal, 23 assists, 55 SOG, 26 PIMs and a -15 plus/minus through 71 games played prior to the injury.
Alexander Barabanov is not expected to be available Thursday vs. Vegas (lower-body).
Barabanov missed the Sharks' previous game due to a lower-body injury and is not expected to be available Thursday vs. Vegas. The 28-year-old is having his best NHL season to date, with 15 goals, 32 assists, 120 SOG, 20 PIMs and a -30 plus/minus through 68 games played prior to his injury.
Goalie Start
Laurent Brossoit will start Thursday vs. San Jose.
Brossoit stopped 27 of 30 shots (.900 SV%) for his second win in three starts as he beat Edmonton in his previous start. The 30-year-old has been excellent in his limited work this season, with his 2-0-2 record, 2.42 GAA and .924 SV%%. He will face the San Jose Sharks, who snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Winnipeg last game.
Trevor Zegras is travelling on the Ducks' three-game road trip but is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Line Change
Ben Hutton will draw back into the Golden Knights' lineup Thursday.
Hutton was a healthy scratch for the Golden Knights' previous game but will draw into the lineup Thursday vs. San Jose as he replaced the injured Shea Theodore. The 29-year-old has two goals, an assist, 43 SOG, six PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 23 games this season.
Shea Theodore is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and will not play Thursday vs. San Jose.
Theodore left the Golden Knights' previous game vs. Edmonton after just 12:40 TOI due to an undisclosed injury and will not play Thursday as the team takes on the San Jose Sharks. The 27-year-old has eight goals, 33 assists, 134 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +17 plus/minus through 54 games played prior to his injury.
Pavel Buchnevich is out Thursday vs. Chicago with an upper-body injury.
Buchnevich has 25 goals, 41 assists, 118 SOG, 34 PIMs and a +14 plus/minus through 59 games played but is out Thursday vs. Chicago with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old is currently second in Blues' scoring and 10 points off of his career-high in points for a season.
Robert Thomas will not play Thursday vs. Chicago (upper-body).
Thomas left the Blues' previous game after 15:53 TOI due to an upper-body injury and will now miss Thursday's game vs. Chicago. The 23-year-old has 17 goals, 46 assists, 101 SOG, 22 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 70 games this season prior to his 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.