Niederreiter (lower-body) will "probably" play on Friday.
NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Rinne was in the starter's crease at the Predators morning skate.
Rinne stopped all 27 shots that he faced in the Predators shutout win in New Jersey last Thursday. Rinne is riding a five-game winning streak while posting a 1.78 GAA, .940 SV% and one shutout. One of those wins came against the Kings, who he’ll face again tonight—he stopped 26 of 29 shots in a 4-3 win in Los Angeles.
Goalie Start
Fleury will start Thursday in Winnipeg.
Fleury allowed two goals on 33 shots in the Golden Knights win in Calgary on Tuesday. Fleury has won four of his last five starts while posting a 1.81 GAA and .939 SV%. Fleury has been great in all phases this season, including on the road, where he is 6-2-0 with a 1.37 GAA and .957 SV% in eight starts.
Goalie Start
Smith will start Thursday vs. the Lightning.
Smith allowed three goals on 34 shots in the Flames loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday. The losing streak extended to four games for Smith, who has posted an impressive 1.91 GAA and .938 SV% in the process. He has a terrible matchup with the Lightning in town, but he stopped 33 of 34 shots in a 5-1 win in Tampa Bay in mid-January.
Goalie Start
Montoya will start Thursday vs. the Avalanche.
Montoya allowed one goal on 12 shots after replacing Cam Talbot in the Oilers loss to the Sabres last Tuesday. Tonight he gets his first start with the Oilers and comes in having stopped 43 of 45 shots (.956 SV%) in three relief appearances. He catches a break with Nathan MacKinnon not in the Avalanche lineup tonight.
Martinook (upper-body) will be a game-time decision on Thursday.
Richardson (upper-body) will return to the Coyotes lineup on Thursday.
Sheary is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Kulikov (concussion) won’t play Thursday; fully expected to return on Saturday.
Line Change
Benn is expected to draw back into the Canadiens lineup on Thursday.
Line Change
Schlemko is expected to be a healthy scratch on Thursday.
Goalie Start
Quick was the first goalie off of the ice at the Kings morning skate.
Quick was pulled after giving up five goals on 19 shots in the Kings loss in Vancouver last Tuesday. Quick is hoping for a better month in February after going 2-6-0 with a 3.15 GAA and .894 SV% in January—by far his worst month of the season so far. Quick allowed four goals on 20 shots in a 4-3 loss to the Predators on January 6th.
Goalie Start
Sateri will start Thursday in Buffalo.
Sateri allowed one goal on 33 shots in the Panthers win against the Islanders on Tuesday. It was Sateri’s first career win and a significantly better performance than his previous three outings. Tonight he faces the Sabres, who are last in the Eastern Conference and 6-13-3 on home ice this season.
Forsberg (upper-body) will be a game-time decision on Thursday.
Goalie Start
Price will start Thursday in Carolina.
Price allowed two goals on 30 shots in the Canadiens loss in St. Louis on Tuesday. Price has lost six of his last seven games (1-4-2) while posting a 3.97 GAA and .879 SV%. Price has had a difficult campaign and has lost both of his starts against the Hurricanes with a 4.08 GAA and .875 SV%.
Thompson (lower-body) will be a game-time decision on Thursday.
Call up / Send down
The Oilers have recalled Laurent Brossoit from Bakersfield (AHL).
McAvoy (heart) has been cleared for full practice; won’t play Thursday but could be back on Saturday.
Schneider (groin) resumed skating on Thursday.
Goalie Start
Hellebuyck will start Thursday vs. the Golden Knights.
Hellebuyck allowed three goals on 39 shots last Thursday. Michael Hutchinson gave Hellebuyck a night off on Tuesday, but Hellebuyck will get back in the cage tonight vs. the Golden Knights. Hellebuyck went 5-2-2 with a 2.28 GAA, .927 SV% and one shutout in nine January starts. Tonight he will get his first look at the Vegas Golden Knights.
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.