NHL Hockey Player News

Budaj leads the Kings onto the ice for warmups.

Budaj allowed two goals on 23 shots in the Kings’ win over the Penguins on Thursday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Budaj, who has no won five of his eight starts and carries a 2.31 GAA and .902 SV% into tonight’s game vs. Calgary. The Flames come in having won four of their last six, while averaging 2.67 goals per game.

Peter Budaj
Niemi leads the Stars onto the ice for warmups.

Niemi allowed two goals on 30 shots in the Stars’ win over the Blues on Thursday. Niemi has won three games with a 3.35 GAA and .889 SV%. Niemi came into 2016-17 as a low-end No.2 option, but the Stars injuries have really hurt his production. He’ll be in tough yet again tonight—the Blackhawks come in on a four-game winning streak, while averaging 3.75 goals per game.

Antti Niemi
Rinne leads the Predators onto the ice for warmups.

Rinne allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Predators’ overtime loss in Arizona on Thursday. Rinne can’t seem to get on a roll. He has lost six of his last seven starts and sits with a 2.74 GAA and .915 SV% on the season. Fortunately for him, he will face the Hurricanes on home ice tonight—Rinne has a .934 SV% in two starts at Bridgestone Arena so far this season.

Pekka Rinne
Talbot leads the Oilers onto the ice for warmups.

Talbot allowed four goals on 30 shots in the Oilers’ loss in New York on Thursday. After a five-game winning streak, Talbot has dropped his last three starts while posting a 2.68 GAA and .902 SV%. It looks like Talbot will make his 12th consecutive start to kick-off 2016-17 and it will come against a struggling Islanders team that has lost four of their last five games.

Cam Talbot
McElhinney will make his first start of the season on Saturday.

McElhinney will start his first game of the season following Sergei Bobrovsky’s nine straight starts. The 33-year-old netminder was 2-7-3 with a 3.30 GAA and .890 SV% in 12 starts and six relief appearances a season ago. He is a risky start in St. Louis with his team playing last night.

Curtis McElhinney
Bishop will start Saturday vs. the Devils.

Bishop stopped 26 of 27 shots in the Lightning’s win in Brooklyn on Tuesday. The win snapped a brief two-game losing streak for Bishop, who comes into Saturday at 4-3-0 with a 3.30 GAA and .891 SV%. It hasn’t been an ideal beginning to 2016-17, but Bishop draws a strong matchup tonight vs. the Devils—New Jersey has lost two of their last three and rank 24th in goals (2.33 G/PG).

Ben Bishop
Ward will be in goal Saturday in Nashville.

Ward surrendered two goals on 32 shots in the Hurricanes’ overtime loss in Ottawa on Tuesday. Ward has lost three of his last four starts while posting a 3.01 GAA and .896 SV%. It looks like he will make his fifth consecutive start tonight in Nashville. The Predators have lost four of their last five while averaging 2.20 goals per game.

Cam Ward
Jones will start Saturday vs. the Penguins.

Jones allowed three goals on 22 shots in the Sharks’ loss to the Flames on Thursday. After winning three in a row, Jones has now dropped his last two starts and sits at .500 on the season. His 2.34 GAA is great, but his .909 SV% is down from last season (.918). He’ll be in tough tonight vs. the visiting Penguins—he allowed three goals in a loss in his first start vs. Pittsburgh.

Martin Jones
Budaj was the first goalie off; is expected to make his ninth consecutive start.

Budaj allowed two goals on 23 shots in the Kings’ win over the Penguins on Thursday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Budaj, who has no won five of his eight starts and carries a 2.31 GAA and .902 SV% into tonight’s game vs. Calgary. The Flames come in having won four of their last six, while averaging 2.67 goals per game.

Peter Budaj
Rask will start Saturday vs. the Rangers.

Rask allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Bruins’ win in Tampa Bay on Thursday. Rask has won all six of his starts, while posting a 1.48 GAA and .951 SV%. The undefeated Bruins’ netminder will draw arguably his toughest test of the season tonight vs. the Rangers. New York comes into play leading the NHL in goals for, with 4.09 goals per game so far.

Tuukka Rask
Murray will start Saturday in San Jose.

Murray allowed one goal on 33 shots in the Penguins’ win in Anaheim on Wednesday. It was an excellent season debut for the young netminder, who will start again tonight in San Jose. The Sharks have started the year at 6-5-0 and rank 23rd in the NHL in scoring (2.45 G/PG).

Matt Murray
Talbot was the first goalie off of the ice at the Oilers' morning skate.

Talbot allowed four goals on 30 shots in the Oilers’ loss in New York on Thursday. After a five-game winning streak, Talbot has dropped his last three starts while posting a 2.68 GAA and .902 SV%. It looks like Talbot will make his 12th consecutive start to kick-off 2016-17 and it will come against a struggling Islanders team that has lost four of their last five games.

Cam Talbot
Murray was the first goalie off of the ice at the Penguins' morning skate.

Murray allowed one goal on 33 shots in the Penguins’ win in Anaheim on Wednesday. It was an excellent season debut for the young netminder, who will start again tonight in San Jose. The Sharks have started the year at 6-5-0 and rank 23rd in the NHL in scoring (2.45 G/PG).

Matt Murray
Pickard will start Saturday afternoon vs. the Wild.

Pickard allowed two goals on 26 shots in Colorado’s win in Arizona last Saturday. Semyon Varlamov has struggled in his last two outings, so Pickard will get the first game of the Avalanche back-to-back. Pickard has won his two starts while posting a 2.49 GAA and .912 SV%, but makes for a risky start vs. a hot Wild squad.

Calvin Pickard
Dubnyk will start Saturday afternoon in Colorado.

Dubnyk allowed two goals on 24 shots in the Wild’s loss to the Sabres on Tuesday. The loss snapped a three-game shutout and winning streak for Dubnyk, who has five wins in eight starts with a 1.51 GAA and .948 SV%. Dubnyk is a must-start against an Avalanche team that has lost four of their last five and sit 27th in goals (2.22 G/PG).

Devan Dubnyk
Rinne is expected to start Saturday vs. the Hurricanes.

Rinne allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Predators’ overtime loss in Arizona on Thursday. Rinne can’t seem to get on a roll. He has lost six of his last seven starts and sits with a 2.74 GAA and .915 SV% on the season. Fortunately for him, he will face the Hurricanes on home ice tonight—Rinne has a .934 SV% in two starts at Bridgestone Arena so far this season.

Pekka Rinne
Bishop was the first goalie off of the ice at the Lightning's morning skate.

Bishop stopped 26 of 27 shots in the Lightning’s win in Brooklyn on Tuesday. The win snapped a brief two-game losing streak for Bishop, who comes into Saturday at 4-3-0 with a 3.30 GAA and .891 SV%. It hasn’t been an ideal beginning to 2016-17, but Bishop draws a strong matchup tonight vs. the Devils—New Jersey has lost two of their last three and rank 24th in goals (2.33 G/PG).

Ben Bishop

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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