NHL Hockey Player News

The Devils have acquired Kevin Bahl, Nick Merkley, Nate Schnarr, a 2020 first-round pick and 2021 conditional third-round pick from the Coyotes for Taylor Hall and Blake Speers.

Bahl was a second-round pick (No.55 overall) in 2018 and is in his fourth OHL season. The 19-year-old defenseman has 20 points (5G / 15A) in 28 games with the Ottawa 67’s and is currently in camp for Canada’s World Juniors team.

Kevin Bahl
The Devils have acquired Nate Schnarr, Kevin Bahl, Nick Merkley, a 2020 first-round pick and 2021 conditional third-round pick from the Coyotes for Taylor Hall and Blake Speers.

Schnarr was a third-round pick (No.75 overall) in 2017 and turned pro this year after four years with the Guelph Storm (OHL). The 20-year-old centre had nine points (1G / 8A) in 22 AHL games with Tucson (AHL) but now is expected to report to Binghamton (AHL).

Nate Schnarr
The Devils have acquired Nick Merkley, Nate Schnarr, Kevin Bahl, a 2020 first-round pick and 2021 conditional third-round pick from the Coyotes for Taylor Hall and Blake Speers.

Merkley, who was a 2015 first-round pick (No.30 overall) who has 16 points (3G / 13A) in 26 games with Tucson (AHL) this season. He has appeared in just one career NHL game. He is expected to report to Binghamton (AHL).

Nick Merkley
The Coyotes have acquired Blake Speers and Taylor Hall from the Devils for Nick Merkley, Nate Schnarr, Kevin Bahl, a 2020 first-round pick and 2021 conditional third-round pick.

Speers was a third-round pick (No.67 overall) of the Devils in 2015 and has appeared in just three NHL games since. The 22-year-old centre has one assist in 10 games with Binghamton (AHL) this season. He is expected to report to Tucson (AHL).

Blake Speers
Nilsson will start Monday in Florida.

Nilsson allowed three goals on 41 shots in the Senators win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday. Nilsson has won two of his last three starts while stopping 102 of the 110 shots (.927 SV%) that he faced. Nilsson has stumbled on the road this season though, going 2-5-2 with a 3.73 GAA and .897 SV%, so he's a terribly risky option in Florida.

Anders Nilsson
The Coyotes have acquired Taylor Hall and Blake Speers from the Devils for Nick Merkley, Nate Schnarr, Kevin Bahl, a 2020 first-round pick and 2021 conditional third-round pick.

Hall is a pending unrestricted free agent, so this could be a pure rental but the Coyotes are expected to pursue an extension. Hall will look to improve his numbers in Arizona to maximize his next deal and he could benefit from playing on a line with Phil Kessel. Hall's numbers so far are still decent, scoring six goals one 109 shots (5.5 SH%) with 19 assists (25 points) in 30 games.

Taylor Hall
Holtby will start Monday in Columbus.

Holtby allowed two goals on 32 shots in the Capitals win over the Bruins last Wednesday. Ilya Samsonov started Saturday in Tampa Bay, so look for Holtby to start tonight in Columbus. A week ago, he allowed four goals on 37 shots in a loss to the Blue Jackets but they come into this matchup extremely banged up. Holtby is a must-start to kick-off the week.

Braden Holtby
Koskinen is expected to start Monday in Dallas.

Koskinen allowed three goals on 31 shots in the Oilers loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Koskinen has had a rough go as of late, losing three of his last four (1-3-0) while posting a 3.70 GAA and .883 SV%. Tonight he faces a Stars team that has been fantastic in Dallas--they are 10-1-1 while scoring 3.50 goals per game in their last 12 home games.

Mikko Koskinen
Sanford (upper-body) will return to the lineup on Monday.

Sanford missed the last three games with an upper-body injury but will play Monday vs. Colorado. Sanford, who will replace Ivan Barbashev (upper-body), will skate with Ryan O'Reilly and David Perron on the second line. He has 10 points (3G / 7A) in 26 games this season.

Zach Sanford
Bobrovsky will start Monday vs. the Senators.

Bobrovsky allowed three goals on 41 shots in the Panthers' loss to the Bruins on Saturday. Bobrovsky has lost three straight (0-3-0) despite posting an impressive 2.40 GAA and .941 SV%--Florida has scored just four goals in front of him. Tonight he faces a Senators team that has lost six of their last seven (1-5-1) on the road while scoring just 2.14 goals per game.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Grubauer will start Monday in St. Louis.

Grubauer will make his first start since December 7th after missing three games with a hamstring injury. Between his two injuries, Grubauer has gone 4-2-0 with a 2.69 GAA and .912 SV% in seven starts. On the season, he is 5-3-1 with a 2.68 GAA and .918 SV% on the road this year but faces a Blues team that has won five of their last seven home games.

Philipp Grubauer
Georgiev will start Monday vs. the Predators.

Georgiev surrendered three goals on just 18 shots but walked away with the win last Thursday in San Jose. Henrik Lundqvist started Saturday's shootout loss in Anaheim, so Georgiev will draw Monday's home game. Georgiev has won five of his last six outings while posting a 2.01 GAA and .943 SV%--12th and sixth-best in the NHL over that stretch.

Alexandar Georgiev
The Kings have placed Ilya Kovalchuk on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

Kovalchuk has not played since November 9th and the Kings have decided to part ways with the 36-year-old Russian winger. Kovalchuk will become a UFA and could sign with another NHL team or return to Russia.

Ilya Kovalchuk
Saros is expected to start Monday in New York.

Saros gave up four goals on 32 shots in the Predators loss in Buffalo last Thursday. Saros has lost three of his last four starts (1-2-1) while posting a 3.00 GAA and .896 SV%. Tonight he faces a Rangers team that has alternated wins and losses in their last 10 games (5-3-2) while scoring 2.90 goals per game. Saros is 2-4-1 with a 3.40 GAA and .891 SV% on the road.

Juuse Saros
Holtby is expected to start Monday in Columbus.

Holtby allowed two goals on 32 shots in the Capitals win over the Bruins last Wednesday. Ilya Samsonov started Saturday in Tampa Bay, so look for Holtby to start tonight in Columbus. A week ago, he allowed four goals on 37 shots in a loss to the Blue Jackets but they come into this matchup extremely banged up. Holtby is a must-start to kick-off the week.

Braden Holtby
Binnington will start Monday vs. the Avalanche.

Binnington allowed three goals on 22 shots in the Blues win over the Blackhawks on Saturday. Binnington has won four of his last six (4-2-0) with a 3.28 GAA and .894 SV%. He hasn't been great but has done enough to win lately. Tonight he faces a Colorado team that is on a nine-game point streak, going 8-0-1 while scoring 4.00 goals per game during that stretch.

Jordan Binnington
Bishop will start Monday vs. the Oilers.

Bishop gave up three goals on 32 shots in the Stars' loss to the Golden Knights on Friday. The loss snapped a three-game losing streak for Bishop, who enters Monday's game at 9-3-2 with a 1.74, .944 SV% and one shutout on home ice. He was yanked after allowing three goals on 15 shots in his first start vs. the Oilers (Nov.16).

Ben Bishop
Milano (upper-body) will not play on Monday.

Milano was hurt early in Saturday's game in Ottawa. He stumbled along the side-boards and it resulted in him taking an ugly hit from Mark Borowiecki. The Blue Jackets' medical staff had to help Milano off of the ice and it looks as if he could miss some time. Marko Dano was called up on Sunday and will replace Dano in the lineup on Monday.

Sonny Milano

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.

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