NHL Hockey Player News

The Capitals have re-signed Pheonix Copley to a two-year, $1.3M extension.

Copley was brought over from St. Louis as a part of the Kevin Shattenkirk and went 11-5-0 with a 2.15 GAA and .931 SV% in 16 games with Hershey (AHL) and was 5-4 with a 2.13 GAA and .933 in nine AHL playoff starts. Copley will start the 2017-18 season in Hershey.

Pheonix Copley
The Senators have signed Max McCormick to a two-year contract extension.

McCormick spent most of last season in Binghamton (AHL), but after inking a one-way deal could find himself in Ottawa to start the 2017-18 season. McCormick has 21 goals and 15 assists (36 points) in 66 AHL games and failed to record a point in seven NHL games.

Max McCormick
The Hurricanes have signed Jake Chelios to a one-year extension worth $650K.

Chelios, 26, has not played in an NHL games since turning pro in 2013-14. Chelios has posted strong numbers with Charlotte (AHL) over the last two seasons, scoring 11 goals and 52 assists (63 points) in a combined 149 games.

Jake Chelios
The Hurricanes have signed Patrick Brown to a one-year deal worth $650K.

Brown spent the majority of 2016-17 with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), where he had 12 goals and 16 assists (28 points) in 66 games. The 25-year-old also skated in 14 NHL games and has now recorded two points (1G / 1A) in 28 career NHL games.

Patrick Brown
The Flyers have signed Mark Alt to a one-year contract extension.

Alt, 25, was a second round pick (No.53) in 2010 but has appeared in just one NHL game since. The 6-foot-4, 201 lbs. defenseman had 11 points (1G / 10A) in 40 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) a season ago.

Mark Alt
The Capitals have re-signed Brett Connolly to a two-year extension worth $3.0M ($1.5M AAV).

Connolly set a new career-high in goals in his first season with the Capitals, scoring 15 goals with eight assists (23 points) in 66 games. Connolly always has strong underlying numbers, but rarely sees enough ice-time to be a big factor offensively.

Brett Connolly
The Stars acquired Marc Methot from the Golden Knights for Dylan Ferguson and a 2020 second round pick.

Methot is a solid depth defeseman, but has limited offensive upside. In 2016-17, the 32-year-old had 12 assists in 68 games and has not topped 20 points in the last three seasons. Methot joins a Stars’ blueline that is crowded with young defensemen.

Marc Methot
The Wild re-signed Gustav Olofsson to a two-year, $1.45M deal ($725K AAV).

Olofsson spent the majority of last year in Iowa (AHL), where he amassed 24 points (6G / 18A) in 59 games. Olofosson has good size (6-foot-3 / 197 lbs) and his offensive game is improving, making him an up-and-coming two-way defenseman. This is a one-year deal and with the Wild cutting ties with Christian Folin, Olofsson will likely be in Minnesota from Day 1 this year.

Gustav Olofsson
The Blackhawks have signed Tomas Jurco to a one-year contract extension.

After years of failing to land a permanent in Detroit, Jurco was acquired by the Blackhawks for a third round pick in February and posted just one goal in 13 games. Jurco has been over a point-per-game player at the AHL level in his last three seasons there, but can’t seem to land a solid NHL role.

Tomas Jurco
The Blackhawks have signed Anton Forsberg to a two-year contract extension.

Forsberg was acquired from Columbus as a part of the Panarin-Saad trade last week and was a restricted free agent. The 24-year-old was 27-17-2 with a 2.28 GAA, .926 SV% and four shutouts in 51 games with Cleveland (AHL) last season. With Scott Darling now in Carolina, Forsberg is expected to be Corey Crawford’s backup this season. However, the Swedish netminder has an ugly 4.02 GAA and .879 SV% in just 10 career NHL games.

Anton Forsberg
The Sabres have signed Taylor Fedun to a two-year, two-way contract.

Fedun, 29, split his 2016-17 season between the AHL and NHL, so he gets another two-way deal. Fedun had seven assists in 27 games with the Sabres and added 23 points (5G / 18A) in 29 games with Rochester. Fedun will likely start the 2017-18 season in the AHL or as the Sabres’ No.7 defenseman.

Taylor Fedun
The Senators have inked Tom Pyatt to a two-year extension worth $2.2M ($1.1M AAV).

After spending two years in Switzerland, Pyatt returned to the NHL last year and registered 23 points (9G / 14A) while appearing in all 82 games for the Senators. The 30-year-old also added two goals in 14 playoff games and is signed with the Senators through the 2018-19 season.

Tom Pyatt
The Oilers have signed Zack Kassian to a three-year extension worth $5.85M ($1.95M AAV).

It seems like forever ago that Kassian was selected No.13 overall and after a few tough seasons and stops in Buffalo, Vancouver and Montreal, Kassian seems to have found a home in Edmonton. In his second season with the Oilers, the power-forward had 23 points (7G / 17A) in 79 games and added three more goals in 13 playoff games.

Zack Kassian
The Stars have signed Esa Lindell to a two-year extension worth $4.4M ($2.2M AAV).

Shortly after they announced that they will be buying out goalie Antti Niemi, the Stars used some of that cap-space to lock up Lindell for the next two years. The 23-year-old defenseman had 18 points (6G / 12A) in 73 games in his first full NHL season—a year after he had 42 points (14G / 28A) in 73 AHL games. He has a healthy amount of offensive upside and should factor into fantasy circles in 2017-18.

Esa Lindell
The Lightning have signed Yanni Gourde to a two-year extension worth $2.0M ($1.0M AAV).

Gourde, 25, had eight points (6G / 2A) in 20 games with the Lightning this season and had 48 points (22G / 26A) in 56 games while with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL). Gourde’s new deal is a one-way deal, so the undersized winger will likely start the year in Tampa Bay.

Yanni Gourde
The Stars will place Antti Niemi on waivers for purposes of a buyout.

After acquiring Ben Bishop from the Kings, the Stars were going to move or buyout Niemi or Kari Lehtonen. Niemi was set to enter the final year of his contract that carried a $4.5M cap-hit, but the buyout will cost the Stars $1.5M against the cap for the next two seasons. The veteran netminder struggled a season ago, posting a 3.30 GAA and .892 SV% in 37 games.

Antti Niemi
The Lightning have re-signed Andrej Suster to a one-year deal worth $1.95M.

Sustr registered three goals and 11 assists (14 points) while averaging 17:35 TOI/GM in 80 games this season. The towering defenseman is a solid third-pairing defenseman who isn’t asked to do too much and will be around in Tampa Bay for at least another season.

Andrej Sustr
The Hurricanes signed Trevor Carrick to a one-year, two-way deal worth $670K.

Carrick, 22, was a fourth round pick in 2012 and never made it to the NHL in 2016-17. The Canadian blueliner had 16 points (4G / 12A) in 57 games with Charlotte (AHL) and will have a tough time cracking a talented blueline in Carolina.

Trevor Carrick
The Hurricanes have signed Derek Ryan to a one-year extension worth $1.425M.

At 30-years-old Ryan came out of nowhere in 2016-17. After being in Europe for four years, Ryan signed with the Hurricanes in 2015-16 and posted 55 points (23G / 32A) in 70 AHL games. He enjoyed more AHL success early last year before being called up and registering 29 points (11G / 18A) in 67 NHL games. Ryan carries strong possession numbers and should be a quality depth centre for the Hurricanes in 2017-18.

Derek Ryan

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!