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NHL Hockey Player News

Washe has been reassigned to San Diego (AHL).

Washe appeared in two games for Anaheim last season directly after finishing his season with Western Michigan (NCAA), and earned himself a two-year contract worth $812,500 AAV ($1.625M total). The 23-year-old forward was a sought-after free agent after finishing his senior season with Western Michigan in 2024-25 with 16 goals and 38 points in 42 games played.

Tim Washe
Merzlikins will start in Minnesota on Saturday.

Jet Greaves was between the pipes for the Blue Jackets' 2-1 opening night loss to the Nashville Predators, but the team will turn to Merzlikins for their second game on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota had an impressive showing in its first game of the season, defeating the St. Louis Blues 5-0. The 31-year-old Merzlikins has struggled over the past few seasons, including posting a 3.18 GAA and .892 SV% in 53 games (26-21-5) in 2024-25, and now faces the pressure of Greaves looming in his shadow in 2025-26.

Elvis Merzlikins
Roslovic has cleared his physical but is not expected to make his Oilers' debut on Saturday vs. Vancouver.

After a lengthy offseason, which included a change in agents, Jack Roslovic has signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract to provide the Edmonton Oilers with offensive depth. The 28-year-old is entering his ninth NHL season after tying his career high in goals in 2024-25 with 22 and 39 points across 81 games played with Carolina.

Jack Roslovic
van Riemsdyk (personal) will be a game-time decision vs. Toronto on Saturday.

van Riemsdyk signed with the Red Wings during the offseason and could make his team debut on Saturday against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 36-year-old American forward scored 36 points (16G / 20A) in 71 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. He has 665 points (327G / 338A) in 1082 career games.

James van Riemsdyk
Talbot will start vs. Toronto on Saturday.

The Red Wings suffered an embarrassing 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in their season-opening game with John Gibson between the pipes. They will turn to Talbot on Saturday, hoping for a better result against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 36-year-old Talbot is entering his second season with the Red Wings after posting a 2.93 GAA and .900 SV% in 47 appearances last season (21-19-5).

Cam Talbot
Toropchenko (upper and lower body) is questionable for Saturday's game in Calgary.

Toropchenko played 10:43 time-on-ice in Thursday's season-opening 5-0 blowout loss to the Minnesota Wild. The 26-year-old scored 18 points (4G / 14A) in 80 games last season. His status for Saturday's contest against the Calgary Flames is unclear.

Alexey Toropchenko
Power (illness) will make the trip to Boston and will be a game-time decision.

Power has been absent from most of Buffalo's training camp due to an undisclosed injury and did not play in Thursday's season opener, but could be ready on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. The 22-year-old Power is coming off a career-best season in 2024-25, scoring 40 points (7G / 33A) in 79 games. With Rasmus Dahlin locked into Buffalo's top powerplay unit, Power will likely spend most of the season quarterbacking the second unit upon his return.

Owen Power
Benson (undisclosed) will remain out for Buffalo's second game of the season in Boston on Saturday.

Benson did not play in Buffalo's season opener on Thursday and will miss at least one more contest as he continues his recovery from an undisclosed injury. The 20-year-old Benson scored 28 points (10G / 18A) in 75 games last season.

Zach Benson
Norris (upper-body) is out vs. Boston on Saturday and is being further evaluated.

Norris exited Buffalo's season-opener late on Thursday after playing 18:51 time-on-ice. The 26-year-old Norris has missed significant time over the previous few seasons due to shoulder injuries but it's unclear if his current injury is related. He will not play on Saturday against the Boston Bruins.

Josh Norris
Evangelista is expected to make his season debut vs. Utah on Saturday.

Prolonged contract negotiations that didn't warrant a new contract for Evangelista until last week kept him out of the lineup in Nashville's season-opener on Thursday, but he will suit up on Saturday against the Utah Mammoth. The 23-year-old Evangelista had 32 points (10G / 22A) in 68 games last season.

Luke Evangelista
Hanifin (undisclosed) is out vs. San Jose and considered day-to-day.

Hanifin was a late scratch on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks due to an undisclosed injury. The 24-year-old Hanifin played 24:00 time-on-ice in the Golden Knights' season-opener and it's unclear if he will be ready when Vegas return to the ice on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken.

Noah Hanifin
Dunne has been recalled from Rochester (AHL).

Dunne was recalled several times last season by the Sabres but only drew into the lineup twice. With Josh Norris (upper-body) sidelined for at least one game, Dunne gets an opportunity again. The 26-year-old Dunne scored 29 points (10G / 19A) in 68 games with the Rochester Americans (AHL) last season.

Josh Dunne

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!