NHL Hockey Player News

Luongo gets the nod Friday vs. the Blackhawks.

Luongo allowed two goals on 31 shots in the Panthers loss in Tampa Bay on Sunday. Al Montoya started on Monday, so Luongo will go tonight vs. the Blackhawks. Luongo has lost three in a row and is now 3-2-1 with a 2.24 GAA and .933 SV% in January. The Blackhawks winning streak was snapped at 12 last night, but there are much better matchups out there tonight.

Roberto Luongo
Hamonic (lower-body) will return to the Islanders lineup on Friday.

Hamonic has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury, but he will return to the lineup tonight in Ottawa. With Hamonic back in, Scott Mayfield will be a healthy scratch. Hamonic has two goals and six assists in 41 games this season.

Travis Hamonic
Halak starts Friday in Ottawa.

Halak stopped 25 of 26 shots in the Islanders shootout loss to the Canucks on Sunday. Since returning to the Islanders crease, Halak has gone 1-2-1 with a 2.21 GAA and .930 SV%. Halak will take on the Senators for the second time this season—in their first meeting he allowed three goals on 29 shots in a 3-2 OT loss.

Jaroslav Halak
Varlamov starts Friday vs. the Blues.

Varlamov allowed one goal on 28 shots in Colorado’s win over the Sabres on Wednesday. Varlamov has won two in a row while allowing just two goals on 65 shots (.969 SV%). Varlamov draws a tough matchup vs. the Blues who have won five of their last six games, including three in a row.

Semyon Varlamov
Quick leads the Kings onto the ice for warmups.

Quick allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Kings win over the Stars on Tuesday. Quick has won three of his last four and has gone 9-1-1 with a 1.72 GAA and .938 SV%. Quick has been outstanding and he draws an excellent matchup tonight with the Wild in town. Minnesota has lost five in a row and Quick stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 2-1 OT win against them back in October.

Jonathan Quick
Niemi will start Thursday vs. the Oilers.

Niemi gave up four goals on 39 shots in the Stars loss in San Jose last Saturday. Niemi has dropped four straight games while posting a 3.75 GAA and .878 SV%. The Stars have struggled recently, but they draw a strong matchup tonight vs. a banged up Oilers squad. I his first start in Edmonton, he allowed two goals on 24 shots in a 2-1 OT loss.

Antti Niemi
Granberg will be in the Predators lineup on Thursday.

Granberg has been a healthy scratch in the last four games, but will be in the lineup tonight in Winnipeg. Granberg has no points in 13:12 TOI in his season debut on January 9th. Anthony Bitetto will be a healthy scratch with Granberg back in.

Petter Granberg
Rinne led the Predators onto the ice for warmups.

Rinne allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Predators loss to the Blackhawks on Tuesday. Rinne has lost five consecutive starts while posting an ugly 3.73 GAA and .845 SV%. Rinne has struggled mightily in the last month, winning just two of his last nine games with a 3.39 GAA and .868 SV%. Don’t rely on Rinne the No. 1 netminder you drafted him as.

Pekka Rinne
Rask leads the Bruins onto the ice for warmups.

Rask stopped 38 of 39 shots that he faced in the Bruins win in Montreal on Tuesday. It was an outstanding performance from Rask, who usually struggles against the Habs. He has now won two in a row while allowing just three goals on 68 shots (.956 SV%). He is a great option tonight vs. the Canucks—he stopped all 17 shots he faced in a 4-0 shutout win in their first meeting.

Tuukka Rask
The Flyers have recalled Sam Gagner from Lehigh Valley (AHL); expected to play on Thursday.

Gagner had six points (1G / 5A) in nine games with Lehigh Valley but has been recalled to play with Sean Couturier out of the lineup with a lower-body injury. Gagner has five points (2G / 3A) in 18 games this season.

Sam Gagner
The Bruins have activated David Krejci from IR; he will play Thursday.

Krejci has been out since December 27th, but will be back in the lineup tonight vs. the Canucks. Krejci was excellent before getting hurt, so be sure to insert him back into your lineups tonight. Frank Vatrano has been reassigned to Providence (AHL) to make room for Krejci to be activated.

David Krejci
Cowen is back in the Senators lineup on Thursday.

Cowen will be in the lineup for the first time since December 29th. Marc Methot will come out of the lineup due to an injury and the Senators are hoping Cowen’s time off will help rejuvenate him.

Jared Cowen
Ekblad (concussion) is expected to return to the Panthers lineup on Friday.

Ekblad has missed the last four games with a concussion he suffered on a hit from Matt Hendricks on January 10th. Ekblad is expected to play vs. the Blackhawks, but Willie Mitchell will not play due to an undisclosed injury. Ekblad has 19 points (9G / 10) and a plus-17 rating in 42 games this season.

Aaron Ekblad
Kuemper starts Thursday in Los Angeles.

Kuemper allowed two goals on 17 shots in the Wild’s loss to the Devils on January 10th. With Devan Dubnyk back, Kuemper has served as the backup for the last four games, but he will start on the second game of the Wild’s Wednesday-Thursday back-to-back. Kuemper comes in at 1-0-3 with a 2.24 GAA and .917 SV% on the road this season.

Darcy Kuemper
Rinne is expected to start in Winnipeg.

Rinne allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Predators loss to the Blackhawks on Tuesday. Rinne has lost five consecutive starts while posting an ugly 3.73 GAA and .845 SV%. Rinne has struggled mightily in the last month, winning just two of his last nine games with a 3.39 GAA and .868 SV%. Don’t rely on Rinne the No. 1 netminder you drafted him as.

Pekka Rinne
Mrazek starts Friday in Buffalo.

Mrazek allowed two goals on 18 shots in the Red Wings loss to the Blues on Wednesday. Brian Elliott stood on his head at the other end and prevented Mrazek from winning his 17th of the season. Despite the loss, Mrazek is still 5-1-1 with a 1.41 GAA and .951 SV% in the month of January and tonight he faces the Sabres who he is 2-1-0 with a 2.96 GAA and .907 SV% against this season.

Petr Mrazek

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.

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