NHL Hockey Player News

Condon is expected to start Thursday vs. the Flames.

Condon stopped all 31 shots that he faced in a shutout win over the Capitals on Tuesday. Not a bad way to follow up a seven-goal against performance on Sunday. Condon has now won four of his las five starts and has posted a .918 SV% with two shutouts in that stretch. He isn’t the best option, but you can do worse as he faces a struggling Flames team.

Mike Condon
Budaj was the first goalie off of the ice.

Budaj allowed one goal on 25 shots in the Kings’ win in New Jersey on Tuesday. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for Budaj, who is tied for eighth in the NHL with 21 wins on the year. Budaj has filled in admirably for Jonathan Quick and heads to Carolina with a 7-9-2 record despite posting a 1.89 GAA and .931 SV% in 21 road games.

Peter Budaj
Nilsson will start Thursday in Dallas.

Nilsson allowed two goals on 34 shots in the Sabres’ win over the Red Wings last Friday. Nilsson has gone 3-3-1 with a 2.59 GAA and .924 SV% in his last seven appearances and comes into Dallas with a 2-5-3 record on the road. Nilsson has been a more than serviceable backup this season, but is risky start tonight.

Anders Nilsson
Hellebuyck will start Thursday in Chicago.

Hellebuyck was yanked after he gave up three goals on six shots in the Jets’ loss in Arizona on January 13th. After he was pulled twice in a row, allowing six goals on 13 shots (.538 SV%), Hellebuyck sat and watched six games in a row. Tonight he gets back in in Chicago and he is 3-0-0 with a 0.67 GAA, .977 SV% and one shutout against them this season.

Connor Hellebuyck
The Penguins have recalled Carter Rowney from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Rowney, 27, has registered 10 goals and 11 assists (21 points) in 24 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. Rowney could make his NHL debut tonight if Patric Hornqvist (lower-body) can’t play.

Carter Rowney
Rinne will start Thursday vs. the Blue Jackets.

Rinne allowed two goals on 23 shots in the Predators’ win in Minnesota on Sunday. Rinne has won four of his last five starts while posting a .943 SV%. The Predators will host a Blue Jackets team that has fallen back to the pack in recent weeks and Rinne comes in at 10-4-4 with a 2.13 GAA and .923 SV% on home ice this season.

Pekka Rinne
Bobrovsky will start Thursday in Nashville.

Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 24 shots in the Blue Jackets’ loss in Brooklyn on Tuesday. The loss moved Bobrovsky to 4-3-0 with a 2.46 GAA and .914 SV%in seven starts this month. Bobrovsky’s play has fallen off a bit, but he remains 11-4-2 with a 2.34 GAA and .917 SV% on the road this season and a strong option whenever he gets the nod.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Smith will start Thursday vs. the Canucks.

Smith surrendered two goals on 25 shots in the Coyotes win over the Panthers on Monday. Smith has now won two in a row and three of his last five, but remains a borderline fantasy option in standard leagues. Tonight he’ll take on a Canucks team that he has gone 0-2-0 with a 4.84 GAA and .829 SV% against so far this season.

Mike Smith
Holtby will start Thursday in New Jersey.

Holtby allowed one goal on 26 shots in the Capitals’ win over the Hurricanes on Monday. Holtby has been dominant for most of January, winning eight games with a .935 SV% and three shutouts. He’ll look to carry his play into the All-Star break with a win over the Devils.

Braden Holtby
Elliott will start Thursday in Ottawa.

Elliott allowed four goals on 28 shots in the Flames’ loss in Toronto on Monday. Chad Johnson lost again on Tuesday, so they’ll go back to Elliott tonight in Ottawa. The Flames are sliding big time and Elliott comes in having allowed eight goals on 81 shots (.901 SV%) in his last three starts.

Brian Elliott
Hornqvist (lower-body) will be a game-time decision on Thursday.

The Penguins called Hornqvist day-to-day on Wednesday, but he was on the ice for an optional morning skate and is now a game-time decision for tonight’s game. The Penguins could elect to hold him out and get him some rest over the All-Star break and if he sits, Carter Rowney will make his NHL debut.

Patric Hornqvist
Vasilevskiy will start Thursday in Florida.

Vasilevskiy allowed two goals on 36 shots in the Lightning’s win in Chicago on Tuesday. It was a great game for the young netminder, who was in need of a confidence boost. He will be rewarded with another game tonight in Florida. The 22-year-old is 4-7-0 with a 3.01 GAA and .908 SV% on the road this season.

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Murray will start Thursday in Boston.

Murray allowed three goals on 28 shots in the Penguins loss to the Blues on Tuesday. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Murray, who will make his sixth consecutive start in net tonight. Murray is 2-0-0 with a 1.98 GAA and .955 SV% in two starts vs. the Bruins this season.

Matt Murray
Wingels will make his Senators debut on Thursday.

Wingels was acquired in a trade with the Sharks and is set to make his Ottawa debut tonight vs. the Flames. The 28-year-old has eight points (5G / 3A) in 37 games this season and 122 points (51G / 71A) in 337 career games with the Sharks. He will replace Chris Neil and skate with Curtis Lazar and Chris Kelly.

Tommy Wingels

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

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