The Ducks have acquired Brock McGinn and a 3rd Round Pick from the Penguins for Dmitry Kulikov.
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NHL Hockey Player News
The Penguins have acquired Dmitry Kulikov from the Ducks for Brock McGinn and a 3rd Round Pick.
Kulikov's numbers took an expected dip in Anaheim this season, as he's been relied on to eat heavy minutes on one of the worst teams in the NHL. He registered three goals and 12 assists and was a minus 15 in 61 games for the Ducks this season. Kulikov will welcome the change of scenery, and he's been a useful defenseman for more competitive teams in the past. He picked up 24 points and was a plus 23 for the Wild last season.
Kesselring will make his NHL debut on Friday.
Kesselring has 13 goals, nine assists, 40 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 49 games with the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) and was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers alongside a 2023 3rd Round Pick for Nick Bjugstad (50% salary retention) earlier this week. He will make both his Coyotes' and NHL debut Friday.
Goalie Start
Vejmelka will start Friday vs. the Hurricanes.
Vejmelka stopped 23 of 24 shots (.958 SV%) to snap a two-game losing streak as he beat Chicago in his previous start. The 26-year-old has played well despite the team in front of him (32nd in SOG/GP), with his 16-18-5 record, 3.32 GAA and .904 SV%. He will take on the Carolina Hurricanes, who have lost their last two games but are third in the NHL in shots per game (35.0).
Line Change
William Eklund will be making his season debut Saturday for San Jose.
Eklund had 17 goals, 24 assists, 43 PIMs and a -9 plus/minus through 52 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) and will be making his season debut with the Sharks on Saturday. Eklund was a 2021 1st round pick (7th overall) and has played in nine career NHL games previously, picking up four assists.
Aleksander Barkov is expected to return to the Panthers' lineup Saturday (hand).
Barkov has missed the Panthers' previous three games due to a hand injury and is expected to return to the Panthers' lineup Saturday vs. Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old star has 16 goals, 50 points, 147 SOG, and a +4 plus/minus through 49 games this season.
Frederic Allard has been traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Nate Schnarr.
Allard has two goals, five assists, and 30 PIMs across 35 games played with the Ontario Reign (AHL) and has been traded Friday for Nate Schnarr. The 25-year-old defenseman has previously played in one NHL game in 2020-21 with Nashville, failing to pick up a point and being a -2 plus/minus.
Nate Schnarr has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Frederic Allard.
Originally a third-round pick by the Coyotes in the 2017 draft, Schnarr has spent the last four seasons in the AHL, making stops in Tuscon, Binghamton, and Utica before joining the Canadiens organization prior to the 2021-22 season. He registered three goals and four assists in 27 games with Laval (AHL) this season.
Goalie Start
Stuart Skinner is in the starters' net for Friday's morning skate.
Skinner stopped 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%) to snap a two-game losing skid as he beat Toronto in his previous start. The 24-year-old Edmonton native continues to see the majority of the Oilers' starts due to his strong 16-13-4 record, .912 SV% and 2.88 GAA. He will take on the struggling Winnipeg Jets, who have lost four straight games after their 6-5 shootout loss to Los Angeles last game.
The Jets have acquired Vladislav Namestnikov from the Sharks for a 2025 4th Round Pick.
The Sharks acquired Namestnikov from the Lightning on Wednesday, and he now leaves for the Jets before having ever played a game for San Jose. Namestnikov scored six goals and added nine assists in 57 games with the Lightning this season. He is likely to slot into Winnipeg's bottom-six.
Line Change
Nikita Zaitsev has been activated from the non-roster list Friday.
Anders Bjork has been recalled from Rockford (AHL).
The Flyers have acquired Brendan Lemieux and a 2024 5th Round Pick from the Kings for Zack MacEwen.
Lemieux had three assists, 22 SOG, 53 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 27 games with the Los Angeles Kings and has been traded alongside a 2024 5th Round Pick from the Kings for Zack MacEwen. Lemieux has spent the last three seasons in Los Angeles and will be joining his fourth NHL team.
The Kings have acquired Zack MacEwen from the Flyers for Brendan Lemieux and a 2024 5th Round Pick.
MacEwen has missed the Flyers last 11 games with a fractured jaw. MacEwen has picked ups four goals and five assists in 12:18 ATOI in 46 games this season. His first chance to make his Kings debut will be Saturday night's game against the Blues.
The Devils have acquired Curtis Lazar from the Canucks for a 2024 4th Round Pick.
Lazar missed the Canucks last six games with a lower-body injury. He has just two goals and three assists in 45 games this season. He'll likely slot into the Devils' bottom-six and should see some time on the penalty-kill.
Goalie Start
Grubauer is the likely starter for Friday's game 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).
Marchand (lower-body) is expected to play Saturday against the Rangers.
Marchand suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's game vs. the Sabres and did not return. It's unclear where Marchand suffered the injury but he was tangled up with Peyton Krebs at one point and was hit hard by Ilya Lyubushkin shortly after. He's registered 19 goals and 34 assists in 53 games this season.
Line Change
Puljujarvi is expected to make his Hurricanes debut Tuesday in Montreal.
Puljujarvi is an extremely useful play driver, that has had a very difficult time finishing his chances. The 24-year-old winger has scored just five goals on 88 shots (5.7 SH%) with nine assists (14 points) in 58 games this season. In Carolina, Puljujarvi will likely serve a bottom-six role, with Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas ahead of him on the depth chart.
The Avalanche have recalled Keith Kinkaid from Colorado (AHL).
Kinkaid was recently acquired from the Bruins, and could make his Avalanche debut during their back-to-back this weekend. Kinkaid has spent most of the season in the AHL, going 8-7-4 with a 3.10 GAA and .909 SV%.
The Flyers activated Laczynski (lower-body) from the IR on Friday.
Laczynski has not played since December 5th but getting activated clears the way for him to return to the lineup on Sunday. Laczynski has picked up just four points (2G / 2A) in 19 games this season.
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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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