NHL Hockey Player News

White will play on the Senators top line on Saturday.

White has yet to record a point in eight games with the Senators this season but with Bobby Ryan out for at least the next two games, White will move to the top line. The 2015 first round pick had eight goals and nine assists (17 points) in 32 games in Belleville (AHL) when he was called up.

Colin White
Ryan (hand) will miss at least the next two games.

Ryan suffered yet another hand injury on Thursday and will miss both of the Senators games this weekend. Ryan will see a specialist and could be out for longer than just this weekend. Colin White will move up and play in Ryan’s spot.

Bobby Ryan
Bishop (face) will not be available on Saturday.

Bishop was hit in the face by a puck on the bench during Thursday’s game and won’t play Saturday. Bishop doesn’t have a concussion but they need to wait for some swelling to come down. A goalie will be recalled to backup Kari Lehtonen on Saturday.

Ben Bishop
Murray will start Friday vs. the Capitals.

Murray stopped 40 of 42 shots in the Penguins win over the Sharks on Tuesday. It was an exceptional return to the crease for Murray, who is now 10-4-1 with a 2.61 GAA and .921 SV% at the PPG Paints Arena this season. Tonight he will face the Capitals for the third time this season—he is 1-1-0 with a 2.51 GAA and .904 SV% in the first two meetings.

Matt Murray
Holtby will start Friday in Pittsburgh.

Holtby gave up three goals on 30 shots in the Capitals win over the Flyers on Wednesday. Holtby has won his last two starts while stopping 59 of the 64 shots (.922 SV%) he has faced. The 28-year-old netminder has gone 1-1-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .938 SV% in his first two starts against the Penguins this season.

Braden Holtby
The Hurricanes will not hold a morning skate on the tail-end of a back-to-back so their starting goalie won't be revealed until warmups.

Head coach Bill Peters would not disclose his starting goalie this morning so we will have to wait until warmups at 6:30 pm ET to figure out if they will go back to Cam Ward or roll with Scott Darling. Darling was on the ice with a handful of players this morning, which suggests it will be Ward, who stopped all 27 shots that he faced in a 2-0 shutout win over Montreal last night.

Cam Ward
Rowney (upper-body) will be a game-time decision on Friday.

Rowney has been out since January 2nd but could be back in tonight vs. the Capitals. Rowney has been an effective piece in the Penguins bottom-6 but doesn’t have any fantasy relevance having picked up just four points (2G / 2A) in 27 games this season.

Carter Rowney
Niederreiter (lower-body) will return to the Wild lineup on Friday.

Niederreiter has missed the last eight games but will draw back in tonight vs.the Golden Knights. Injuries have limited Niederreiter to just 31 of a possible 50 games this season, but he has played well when healthy, scoring at a 34-goal, 16-assist (50 points) per 82-game pace. Niederreiter will start on the second line with Eric Staal and Tyler Ennis.

Nino Niederreiter
Jones will start Friday in Columbus.

Jones allowed one goal on 44 shots in the Sharks’ shootout loss to the Red Wings on Wednesday. Jones was excellent in Detroit but got beat up on pretty back in the shootout to give him three straight losses. Tonight he makes his third start in four nights and will be facing a Blue Jackets team that has lost four of six.

Martin Jones
Jones is in the starter's crease at the Sharks morning skate.

Jones allowed one goal on 44 shots in the Sharks’ shootout loss to the Red Wings on Wednesday. Jones was excellent in Detroit but got beat up on pretty back in the shootout to give him three straight losses. Tonight he makes his third start in four nights and will be facing a Blue Jackets team that has lost four of six.

Martin Jones
Dubnyk will start Friday vs. the Golden Knights.

Dubnyk allowed two goals on 30 shots in Minnesota’s win in Columbus on Tuesday. Dubnyk has won four of his last six starts (4-1-1) while posting a 2.31 GAA and .922 SV%. He catches a break with the Golden Knights in town on the tail-end of a back-to-back but it still won’t be an easy test.

Devan Dubnyk
The Blue Jackets have recalled Markus Hannikainen from Cleveland (AHL).

Hannikainen has spent the majority of the year with the Blue Jackets, where he has two goals and two assists in 27 games. During his time Cleveland, the 24-year-old winger registered three assists in seven games. He is not expected to draw into the lineup on Friday.

Markus Hannikainen

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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