NHL Hockey Player News

The Flames have signed Dustin Wolf to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Wolf was picked in the seventh-round of the 2019 draft and has been an absolute stud ever since. The 19-year-old had another terrific season with Everett (WHL), tying for the league-lead in Wins (34) and leading the league in GAA (1.88), SV% (.936) and shutouts (9). Unsurprisingly, he was named the WHL's top goaltender of 2019-20 and appears to be on the fast-track to the NHL.

Dustin Wolf
The Oilers signed Filip Berglund to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Berglund was picked in the third-round (No.91 overall) in the 2016 draft and finally signed his ELC after spending the last four seasons in the Swedish Elite League. The 22-year-old defenseman finished the 2019-20 campaign with career-bests in goals (5), assists (15) and points (20) in 52 games with Skelleftea AIK.

Filip Berglund
The Senators have signed Artem Zub to a one-year, entry-level contract.

Zub was an undrafted free agent defenseman out of Russia, who is coming off of a career-year in the KHL. The 24-old set new career-highs in goals (13), assists (9) and points (22) in 57 games with St. Petersburg SKA. In 2018 he represented Russia in the Olympics, where he had four assists in six games to help the team win gold.

Artem Zub
The Avalanche signed Justus Annunen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Colorado picked Annunen in the third round of the 2018 draft and is viewed as the potential future in net for them. The 20-year-old netminder was spectacular in the Finnish Elite League in 2019-20, going 15-5-3 while leading the league in both GAA (1.77) and SV% (.920). He also represented Finland at the World Juniors in 2020, where he finished the tournament with a 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% in six starts.

Justus Annunen
The Oilers have signed Markus Niemelainen to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Edmonton selected Niemelainen in the third-round (No.63 overall) in 2016. The 6-foot-5, 205 lbs. defenseman has been back in Finland for the last three years after spending two seasons with Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. In 2019-20, the 21-year-old had seven points (1G / 6A) and 42 PIMS in 55 games with Assat of the Finnish Elite League.

Markus Niemelainen
The Islanders signed Samuel Bolduc to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Bolduc was selected in the second-round (No.57 overall) in 2019 and just finished his fourth year in the QMJHL. Bolduc started the year with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada but was moved to Sherbrooke Phoenix midway through. Overall, the 19-year-old defenseman tallied 11 goals and 32 assists (43 points) in 61 games. His 43 points was a career-best and was eighth among QMJHL blueliners.

Samuel Bolduc
The Red Wings signed Victor Brattstrom to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Detroit drafted Brattstrom in the sixth-round of the 2018 NHL draft. The 23-year-old netminder was moved from Sweden's top league to Sweden's second league in 2020 and was one of the best goalies in the league. He finished with 33 wins in 45 appearances while ranking second in GAA (2.13) and sixth in SV% (.914).

Victor Brattstrom
The Canucks signed Nils Hoglander to a three-year, entry-level contract.

The Canucks drafted Hoglander with the No.40 overall pick in the 2019 draft. The highly-skilled winger had a strong year in the Swedish Elite League, scoring nine goals with seven assists (16 points) in 41 games as a 19-year-old. Hoglander also represented Sweden at the World Juniors, where helped them to a bronze medal and finished third on the team with 11 points (5G / 6A) in seven games.

Nils Hoglander
The Oilers have signed Theodor Lennstrom to a one-year, entry-level contract.

Lennstrom was an undrafted free agent out of Sweden. The 25-year-old defenseman picked up three goals and 12 assists (15 points) in 31 games with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Elite League. Lennstrom is likely headed to Bakersfield (AHL) for the 2021 campaign.

Theodor Lennstrom
The Red Wings signed Mathias Brome to a one-year, entry-level contract.

Brome was an undrafted free agent from Sweden, who was sixth in the SHL in scoring in 2020, posting 43 points (17G / 26A) in 52 games with Orebro HK. Brome will make the trip to North America for the 2021 season and could be an immediate contributor in the Red Wings top-9.

Mathias Brome
The Oilers have signed Gaetan Haas to a one-year contract extension worth $915K.

Haas was an undrafted free agent from Switzerland, who came to North America for the 2019-20 campaign. The 28-year-old spent most of the season in the NHL, where he had five goals and five assists (10 points) in 58 games with the Oilers. He's projected to be a part of Edmonton's bottom-6 in 2021 after signing a one-year extension on Tuesday.

Gaetan Haas
The Coyotes have signed Matias Maccelli to a three-year, entry-level contract.

The Coyotes selected Maccelli in the fourth-round of the 2019 draft. The 19-year-old winger finished his first season in the Finnish Elite League with 13 goals and 17 assists (30 points) in 43 games with Ilves Tampere. While representing Finland in the World Juniors, Maccelli had two goals and three assists (five points) in seven games.

Matias Maccelli
The Blue Jackets have signed Elvis Merzlikins to a two-year contract extension worth $8.0 million ($4.0M AAV).

Merzlikins exploded onto the scene in his first year in North America, going 13-9-8 with a 2.35 GAA, .923 SV% and five shutouts. Merzlikins went on an eight-game winning streak from mid-January to mid-February and was hurt right before the season paused. This signing comes less than a week after Columbus signed Joonas Korpisalo to a two-year, $5.6 million extension ($2.8M AAV), so they've got their young goaltending duo tied up for the next two seasons at a $6.9M AAV cap-hit.

Elvis Merzlikins
The Golden Knights have signed Nicolas Roy to a two-year contract extension worth $1.5 million ($750K AAV).

After being acquired from t he Hurricanes as a part of the Erik Haula trade, Roy split the 2020 campaign between the NHL and AHL. With the Golden Knights, he had 10 points (5G / 5A) in 28 games while scoring seven goals with 15 assists (22 points) in 27 games. Signing a two-year contract means he's signed through 2022 and will still be an RFA at the end of the deal.

Nicolas Roy

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!