Goalie Start
Jones will start Saturday in Edmonton.
NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Bishop will start Saturday vs. the Red Wings.
Hall (lower-body) will not play on Saturday.
Hall will miss his second straight game and fourth game in the last eight due to a lower-body injury. The Devils don’t seem overly concerned about Hall missing an extended period of time so he could be back early next week.
The Blackhawks have activated Marcus Kruger (concussion) from IR.
Kruger missed the last four games with a concussion but is set to return to the lineup on Saturday. Jacob Nilsson was sent back to the AHL to open up a roster spot for Kruger, who has just five points (4G / 1A) in 33 games.
The Blackhawks have assigned Jacob Nilsson to Rockford (AHL).
Nilsson, 25, failed to record a point in two games during his call-up. With Marcus Kruger set to return to the lineup on Saturday, Nilsson returns to the AHL where he has 14 points (6G / 8A) in 31 games.
Seabrook (illness) will travel to Colorado.
Seabrook missed Friday’s practice because of an illness but will travel to Colorado for Saturday’s game. The Blackhawks are playing a bit better as of late but Seabrook has been held pointless with a minus-1 rating in his last five games.
Goalie Start
Hart will start Saturday in Florida.
Patrick (upper-body) will miss the next 4-to-5 days.
Patrick is expected to miss the rest of the Flyers road-trip, which consists of three games in four days. Patrick was forced to leave Tuesday’s game in Tampa Bay after logging 7:03 TOI and did not return. Jordan Weal will replace him in the lineup on Saturday.
The Stars have placed Martin Hanzal (back) on IR.
Hanzal is dealing with a lingering back issue which ruined his 2017-18 campaign. It looks like that could happen again in 2018-19 as he has no timetable for his return.
The Stars have placed Jason Dickinson (back) on IR.
Dickinson is dealing with back spasms and is officially listed as day-to-day. His movement to IR is retroactive to December 22nd, so he can return to the active roster whenever he is healthy.
The Stars have activated Connor Carrick (foot) from IR.
Carrick has been sidelined by a foot injury since October 28th but appears set to return to the blueline on Saturday. Carrick had four points (1G / 3A) and a minus-5 rating in his first nine games in Dallas.
The Stars have assigned Gavin Bayreuther to Texas (AHL).
Bayreuther appeared in 19 games during his call-up while the Stars blueline was decimated by injuries. The 24-year-old had five points (2G / 3A) during that time but returns to the AHL where has two goals and three assists in seven games.
Goalie Start
Bobrovsky starts Friday vs. the Maple Leafs.
Bobrovsky stopped all 39 shots that he faced in the Blue Jackets shutout win in New Jersey last Sunday. Bobrovsky is riding a four-game winning streak, having allowed just four goals on 134 shots (.970 SV%). The 30-year-old has been excellent as of late but he has a tough matchup with the Maple Leafs in town—he is 1-1-0 with a 2.53 GAA and .915 SV% in the first two meetings this season.
Goalie Start
Sparks was the first goalie off of the ice at the Maple Leafs morning skate.
Sparks allowed four goals on 30 shots in the Maple Leafs come-from-behind overtime win vs. Detroit last Sunday. Sparks is now 5-1-1 despite a below-average 3.00 GAA and .908 SV% this season. He will have to be great tonight as he goes head-to-head with Sergei Bobrovsky but he catches a break with the Blue Jackets playing last night.
Marchand (upper-body) will travel to Buffalo but is not expected to play Saturday.
Marchand missed Friday’s practice with an upper-body injury and is not expected to play tomorrow. With Marchand out, Danton Heinen skated on the Bruins first line in practice.
The Bruins have placed Charlie McAvoy (lower-body) on IR.
McAvoy was banged up before the Christmas break, missed Thursday’s game vs. New Jersey and was moved to IR on Friday. His move to IR simply means that he won’t play on Saturday but is eligible to play in the Winter Classic.
Goalie Start
Lehner will start Friday vs. the Senators.
Lehner allowed one goal on 20 shots in the Islanders win in Dallas last Sunday. Lehner has won two in a row while stopping 55 of 57 shots (.965 SV%). Tonight he has a good matchup with the Senators in town without their No.1 netminder. Lehner is 1-1-2 with a 2.17 GAA, .924 SV% and one shutout in just five appearances on home-ice this season.
The Coyotes have acquired Giovanni Fiore from the Ducks for Trevor Murphy.
Fiore has 11 points (6G / 5A) in 23 games with San Diego (AHL) this season. Fiore will report to Tucson (AHL). He did not record a point in his only career NHL games last season.
The Ducks have acquired Trevor Murphy from the Coyotes for Giovanni Fiore.
Murphy has registered five goals and eight assists (13 points) in 27 games with Tucson (AHL) this season. Murphy will report to San Diego (AHL). He has just three points (1G / 2A) in eight career NHL games.
Goalie Start
McKenna will start Friday against the Islanders.
McKenna allowed four goals on 33 shots in the Senators loss to the Islanders last Saturday. With Craig Anderson out, McKenna will make his fifth appearance of December. In his previous four outings, McKenna has gone 0-2-1 with a 2.96 GAA and .923 SV%. Tonight he will take on an Islanders team that is 8-5-3 on home-ice.
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.