NHL Hockey Player News

Raanta will start Thursday vs. the Wild.

Raanta stopped all 26 shots in the Coyotes shutout win over the Ducks last Saturday. Raanta has won three of his last four starts while posting a 1.75 GAA, .950 SV% and two shutouts. In his first start against the Wild, Raanta allowed three goals on 28 shots in a 4-3 OT win in early-February.

Antti Raanta
Markstrom is expected to start Wednesday vs. the Rangers.

Markstrom allowed two goals on 27 shots in the Canucks loss in Colorado on Monday. Despite starting back-to-back games, look for Markstrom to start for the third time in four nights tonight vs. the Rangers. He’s played very well as of late, stopping 74 of the last 77 shots that he has faced.

Jacob Markstrom
Rittich will start Wednesday in Colorado.

Rittich allowed seven goals on 26 shots in the Flames loss in Vegas last Wednesday. Jon Gillies started the last three games, but Rittich will start on the tail-end of the back-to-back tonight in Colorado. The 25-year-old comes in at 6-2-2 with a 2.76 GAA and .913 SV% on the road this season.

David Rittich
Howard will start Wednesday in St. Louis.

Howard allowed two goals on 38 shots in the Red Wings overtime win in New York on Sunday. Howard won both games of the Red Wings’ back-to-back over the weekend and continued his hot streak vs. the Rangers. Howard was pulled in his first start vs. the Blues, but St. Louis is struggling mightily right now and come in on the tail-end of back-to-back.

Jimmy Howard
Bishop will start Thursday vs. the Lightning.

Bishop stopped all 38 shots that he faced in the Stars shutout win over the Flames on Tuesday. The win snapped a bit of a ugly stretch for Bishop and the Stars, who will welcome the Lightning to American Airlines Center tonights. The 31-year-old netminder was lit up by his former team earlier in the season, but he is 19-8-1 with a 2.06 GAA and .933 SV% on home-ice.

Ben Bishop
The Sharks have signed Aaron Dell to a two-year contract extension worth $3.8M ($1.9M AAV).

Dell’s play has slipped a little bit recently but he has been strong for most of the 201-7-18 season. Overall, the 28-year-old is 25-11-4 with a 2.39 GAA and .920 SV% in his 45-game NHL career. He will continue to share the Sharks’ crease with Martin Jones for at least the next two seasons.

Aaron Dell
The Canucks have signed Alex Biega to a two-year contract extension worth $1.65M ($825K AAV).

Biega has served as a seventh defenseman for the majority of the season, picking up just six assists in 31 games. The Canucks obviously like him as a depth defenseman and will keep him around for two more seasons.

Alex Biega
Vasilevskiy starts Wednesday vs. the Sabres.

Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Lightning’s win over the Maple Leafs on Monday. Vasilevskiy has won three in a row and four of his last five starts while posting a 2.54 GAA and .922 SV%. It’s surprising that Vasilevskiy will get the front-end of the back-to-back, but he’s a must-start vs. the visiting Sabres.

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Berube will start Thursday in San Jose.

Berube allowed one goal on 43 shots in the Blackhawks win over the Sharks last Friday. It was an outstanding effort from the 26-year-old, who was 7-8-0 with a 2.37 GAA and .920 SV% in 15 games with Rockford (AHL) prior to his call-up. Tonight he will face the Sharks in San Jose—they are 18-9-3 on home-ice this season.

Jean-Francois Berube
Highmore was recalled from Rockford (AHL) and is expected to make his NHL debut on Thursday.

Highmore, 22, was an undrafted free agent that signed with the Blackhawks after five seasons with the Sant John Sea Dogs (QMJHL). In his first AHL season, Highmore has scored 21 goals with 14 assists (35 points) in 56 games. He’ll get a look down the stretch.

Matthew Highmore
Thorburn will be back in the Blues lineup on Wednesday.

Thorburn was a healthy scratch for the last two games but he will draw in for Patrik Berglund tonight vs. the Red Wings. Thorburn is still searching for his first goal of the season—he has just four assists and 33 PIMS in 33 games this season.

Chris Thorburn
Berglund will be scratched Wednesday vs. the Red Wings.

The Blues were absolutely blown out in Minnesota last night but Chris Thorburn replacing Berglund will be the only change to the lineup. Berglund has been held pointless in five games, posting a minus-6 rating in that time.

Patrik Berglund
Green (neck) will not play Wednesday in St. Louis.

Green is surprisingly still on the Red Wings roster following the trade deadline and tonight he will miss his seventh consecutive game with a neck ailment. The injury is probably what scared some teams away from Green, which is a bit surprising considering he is already nearing a return.

Mike Green
Varlamov will start Wednesday vs. the Flames.

Varlamov allowed a single goal on 32 shots in Colorado’s win over the Canucks on Monday. Varlamov has three wins his last seven appearances with a 2.81 GAA, .920 SV% and one shutout. With Jonathan Bernier and Andrew Hammond both hurt, Varlamov will continue to carry the torch for the Avalanche. He allowed five goals on 29 shots in a 5-1 loss to the Flames over the weekend.

Semyon Varlamov
Hutton will start Wednesday vs. the Red Wings.

Hutton allowed five goals on 25 shots after replacing Jake Allen in the Blues blowout loss in Minnesota last night. In his last three appearances, Hutton has surrendered 12 goals on 81 shots (.852 SV%) and the Blues come into Wednesday on a seven-game losing streak. Despite the rough stretch, Hutton has a solid matchup with Detroit in town—he is 9-5-0 with a 1.89 GAA and .937 SV% on home ice.

Carter Hutton
Howard is in the starter's crease at the Red Wings morning skate.

Howard allowed two goals on 38 shots in the Red Wings overtime win in New York on Sunday. Howard won both games of the Red Wings’ back-to-back over the weekend and continued his hot streak vs. the Rangers. Howard was pulled in his first start vs. the Blues, but St. Louis is struggling mightily right now and come in on the tail-end of back-to-back.

Jimmy Howard

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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