NHL Hockey Player News

The Oilers have signed Ty Rattie to a one-year deal worth $700K.

Rattie, 24, averaged 23 goals and 22 assists (45 points) in his first three AHL seasons, but had just five points (2G / 3A) in 22 games with Chicago (AHL) last year. The former No.32 overall pick has registered 10 points (4G / 6A) in 35 career NHL games, but posted elite numbers in junior and will be given a shot to make the Oilers out of training camp.

Ty Rattie
The Blues have signed Beau Bennett to a one-year deal worth $650K.

Bennett, 25, was the No.20 overall pick in 2010 but has yet to produce like a first rounder, largely thanks to injury issues. Bennett had 19 points (8G / 11A) in 65 games with the Devils last year and has just 64 points (24G / 40A) in 194 career NHL games. Bennett will likely serve as a bottom-6 forward in St. Louis.

Beau Bennett
The Lightning have acquired Carter Verhaeghe from the Islanders for Kristers Gudlevskis.

Verhaeghe, 21, was a third round pick (No.82 overall) in 2013 but has split his last two seasons between the AHL and ECHL. Last season he had 29 points (16G / 13A) in 45 games with Bridgeport (AHL) and an impressive 32 points (12G / 20A) in just 16 games with Missouri (ECHL). Verhaeghe will likely report to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) to start 2017-18.

Carter Verhaeghe
The Islanders have acquired Kristers Gudlevskis from the Lightning for Carter Verhaeghe.

Gudlevskis went 15-10-4 with a 2.65 GAA and .897 SV% in 37 games as the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) starter in 2016-17. Gudlevskis has had some strong performances while representing Latvia internationally, but has not posted a SV% above .907 in single AHL season. Gudlevskis will likely report to Bridgeport (AHL) to start 2017-18.

Kristers Gudlevskis
The Kings have signed Mike Cammalleri to a one-year deal worth $1.0M.

The Kings have thinned out on the wing over the years and Cammalleri helps add some much needed scoring to their top-6. Even at 35-years-old, Cammalleri has posted consistent offensive numbers, but staying healthy has been a bugaboo for the veteran winger. During his three years in New Jersey, Cammalleri missed 75 games—or 30.5% of the games.

Michael Cammalleri
The Bruins have signed Paul Postma to a one-year deal worth $725K.

Postma posted elite numbers in juniors 10 years ago and has had great seasons in the AHL but that game has failed to translate into the NHL. Postma has a strong shot and should help infuse some offence into the Bruins bottom-pairing and help replace the loss of Colin Miller.

Paul Postma
The Canucks have signed Patrick Wiercioch to a one-year deal worth $650K.

Wiercioch had 12 points (4G / 8A) in 57 games with the Avalanche last season and has never appeared in more then 56 games in any of his first five NHL seasons. Now in Vancouver, Wiercioch is expected to serve as their No.7 defenseman.

Patrick Wiercioch
The Blackhawks have inked Tommy Wingels to a one-year contract.

With a lot of high priced forwards at the top of their lineup the Blackhawks needed to fill out their roster with some value contracts and that’s what Wingels provides. Wingels hasn’t posted good numbers in the last few seasons, but has posted great numbers at lower levels and earlier in his NHL career, making him a low-risk/high-reward signing for Chicago.

Tommy Wingels
The Stars have signed Tyler Pitlick to a three-year deal worth $3.0M ($1.0M AAV).

Pitlick has split his time between the AHL and NHL in his first three professional seasons. Last year he had 21 points (7G / 14A) in 37 games with Bakersfield and 11 points (8G / 3A) in 31 games with Edmonton. He is a capable scorer with good size (6-foot, 202 lbs) who brings some offence and some upside to the Stars bottom-6.

Tyler Pitlick
The Penguins have signed Antti Niemi to a one-year deal worth $700K.

Niemi’s numbers have been slipping for the last few years, finally resulting in an .892 SV% and a buyout in 2016-17. Niemi is a value option to serve as Matt Murray’s backup with Marc-Andre Fleury being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights. A limited role is probably best for the 33-year-old and he will be playing behind a more defensively responsible team than he was in Dallas.

Antti Niemi
The Stars have signed Martin Hanzal to a three-year deal worth $14.25M ($4.75M AAV).

Hanzal, 30, had 20 goals and 29 assists (49 points) in 71 games with the Coyotes and Wild last year. Hanzal has always had a lot of offensive potential to go along with great size (6’6” / 226 lbs.) but has had a tough time with durability. Hanzal heads to Dallas where he will replace Cody Eakin, who was picked up by the Vegas Golden Knights. The Stars have arguably the best offence he has ever been a part of and that could unlock the offensive potential Hanzal has been teasing us with for years.

Martin Hanzal
The Hurricanes have signed Josh Jooris to a one-year deal worth $775K.

After two years in Calgary, Jooris split his 2016-17 season between the Rangers and Coyotes, where he had four goals and eight assists (12 points) in 54 games. Jooris is a hard-working forward that plays all three forward positions, but has posted limited offensive numbers in his brief three-year NHL career.

Josh Jooris
The Blackhawks have signed J-F Berube to a two-year deal worth $3.0M ($1.5M AAV).

Berube was a part of a goaltending trio in Brooklyn for the last two seasons and will likely have to battle with Anton Forsberg for the backup job to Corey Crawford. The 25-year-old has posted a career 3.10 GAA and .900 SV% in 21 career NHL starts, but has amassed impressive numbers at the AHL level.

Jean-Francois Berube
The Blues have signed Chris Thorburn to a two-year deal worth $1.8M ($900K AAV).

The Blues traded Ryan Reaves to the Penguins at the NHL Draft so bring in Chris Thorburn to replace the lost toughness. The 34-year-old had three goals, one assist and 95 PIMS in 64 games with the Jets a year ago.

Chris Thorburn
The Penguins have signed Matt Hunwick to a three-year deal worth $6.75M ($2.25M AAV).

After struggling offensively for years, Hunwick managed to post 19 points (1G / 18A) in in 72 games with the Maple Leafs a season ago. Hunwick will help replace Trevor Daley, who left for Detroit in free agency and should be third pairing defenseman.

Matt Hunwick
The Red Wings have signed Luke Witkowski to a one-year deal worth $750K.

Witkowski, 27, is a Michigan native that is headed home after spending the first five years of his professional career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Witkowski is capable of playing on the blueline or on the wing and adds some size and toughness to the Red Wings’ depth chart. Witkowski has just four assists and 58 PIMS in 54 career NHL games.

Luke Witkowski
The Hurricanes have signed Justin Williams to a two-year deal worth $9.0M ($4.5M AAV).

Williams was in Carolina from 2004 until his was traded to Los Angeles midway through the 2009 season. Since then, he has posted 20-plus goals in four of seven full 82-game seasons, while posting 40-plus points in six of seven. Williams helps add depth and playoff experience to the wing of a young Carolina team that has playoff aspirations in 2017-18.

Justin Williams
The Avalanche have acquired Colin Wilson from the Predators for a 2019 4th round pick.

Wilson was the No.7 overall pick in 2008, but never really lived up to expectations, posting a career-high of just 20 goals and 42 points (2014-15). Wilson was slipping down the Predators depth chart, but should play an increased role in Colorado, where mid-30’s points should be his floor.

Colin Wilson
The Sabres have signed Benoit Pouliot for one-year at $1.15M.

Pouliot had 33 goals and 37 assists (70 points) in 113 games in his first two seasons in Edmonton, but struggled a year ago leading to a buyout. The 30-year-old winger goes from being overpaid to potentially one of the best value contracts in 2017-18 free agency. Pouliot will likely play on the second or third line behind Evander Kane and is capable of posting a 20-20 season if he can stay healthy.

Benoit Pouliot
The Predators have signed Nick Bonino to a four-year deal worth $16.4M ($4.1M AAV).

Bonino had one of the best seasons of his career 2016-17, posting 18 goals and 19 assists (37 points) in 80 games and added an additional seven points (4G / 3A) in 21 playoff games to help the Penguins to their second Stanley Cup in a row. Bonino will fill the hole left by Mike Fisher’s expected departure and should serve as the Predators No.2/No.3 centre.

Nick Bonino

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!