Stepan (ribs) will not play on Thursday; could play on Friday.
NHL Hockey Player News
Injury
Goalie Start
Lundqvist will start Friday in Winnipeg.
Lundqvist was sprung into duty last night after Antti Raanta left with a head injury. Lundqvist gave up four goals on 31 shots in the Rangers 5-2 loss in Minnesota. Lundqvist has struggled in December, going 2-2-1 with a 2.70 GAA and .912 SV% this month. Tonight he will face a Jets team that has lost three of four.
Goalie Start
Raanta will start Thursday in Minnesota.
Raanta allowed five goals on 27 shots in the Rangers loss in Calgary last Saturday. Raanta will start the first game of the Rangers’ back-to-back with Henrik Lundqvist going on Friday. After starting his Rangers’ career 4-0-0, Raanta has gone 0-3-1 in his last five games while posting a 2.60 GAA and .905 SV%. Tonight Raanta will face a Wild team that has won five of their last seven.
Goalie Start
Greiss starts Thursday in Colorado.
Greiss stopped all 27 shots that he faced in the Islanders shutout win vs. New Jersey on Sunday. Jaroslav Halak struggled on Tuesday, so Greiss will go tonight in Colorado. Greiss has won four consecutive games with a 1.47 GAA and .949 SV% . Greiss carries the NHL’s fourth best GAA (2.03) and fifth SV% (.933).
Injury
Sekac (ankle) will return to the Ducks lineup on Thursday.
Line Change
Goalie Start
Raanta looks like the Rangers starter tonight; not Lundqvist.
Raanta allowed five goals on 27 shots in the Rangers loss in Calgary last Saturday. Raanta will start the first game of the Rangers’ back-to-back with Henrik Lundqvist going on Friday. After starting his Rangers’ career 4-0-0, Raanta has gone 0-3-1 in his last five games while posting a 2.60 GAA and .905 SV%. Tonight Raanta will face a Wild team that has won five of their last seven.
Goalie Start
Ramo gets the nod vs. the Stars.
Ramo stopped 21 of 22 shots in the Flames win in Nashville on Tuesday. The win moved him to 4-0-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .918 SV% in the month of December. Ramo has been playing really well as of late and tonight he takes on a Stars team that he beat 16 days ago. However, Ramo is just 3-6-1 with a 3.00 GAA and .901 SV% on the road
Line Change
Carter took the morning off, but will be in the lineup vs. Montreal.
Carter was held off of the ice this morning, but he is expected to play tonight vs. the Candadiens. Carter looks like he will have a new linemate tonight with Milan Lucic moving to the top line and Michael Mersch moving to Carter’s wing. He has 11 goals and 16 assists (27 points) in 30 games this season.
Goalie Start
Talbot will be in goal on Thursday vs. the Blackhawks.
Talbot made 47 saves on 49 shots in the Oilers’ OT win in Boston on Monday. It was a superb outing for Talbot who is trying to wrestle the starting gig back from Anders Nilsson. It won’t be easy for him to string wins together with a rough matchup in Chicago tonight. In his first start vs. the Blackhawks he allowed four goals on 28 shots in a 4-2 loss.
Goalie Start
Anderson will likely start on Thursday vs. San Jose.
Anderson allowed three goals on 36 shots in the Senators win over the Kings on Monday. Andrew Hammond played well on Wednesday, but it looks like it will be Anderson to take on the Sharks tonight in Ottawa. Anderson is 4-4-0 with a 2.97 GAA and .913 SV% in December and comes in 7-3-3 on home ice this season.
Goalie Start
Rinne is expected to start Thursday vs. the Blues.
Rinne allowed two goals on 21 shots in the Predators loss to the Flames on Tuesday. That is now five losses in his last six starts while posting a 2.68 GAA and .898 SV%. Tonight will be Rinne’s second start of the season vs. the Blues—he allowed four goals on 28 shots in the Predators 4-0 loss to St. Louis back in early-November.
Injury
Jagr (illness) will return to the Panthers lineup on Thursday.
Jagr missed Tuesday’s game with an illness, but will be back in the lineup on Thursday. With Jagr coming back into the lineup, Connor Brickley will be a healthy scratch. Jagr has nine goals and 12 assists (21 points) in 28 games this season.
Braun (undisclosed) missed the morning skate; but expected to play vs. Toronto.
Braun was not on the ice this morning, but will play tonight in Toronto. Braun has on goal and four assists in his last five games and 11 points (1G / 10A) in 28 games on the season.
Goalie Start
Howard will start in goal on Friday vs. Vancouver.
Howard allowed three goals on 38 shots in the Red Wings OT loss in New Jersey last Friday. Howard is 1-0-2 with a 1.91 GAA and .943 SV% on December and tonight will be his 10th start on home ice—he has gone 5-4-0 with a 2.08 GAA and .922 SV% at Joe Louis Arena. Howard draws a great matchup vs. a struggling Canucks team that has just two goals in their last three games.
Hertl (lower-body) is expected to play on Thursday.
Hertl was a late scratch prior to Tuesday’s game, but he was on the ice for the Sharks morning skate and he is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday. Hertl was set to skate on the first line on Tuesday, but tonight he will start on the fourth line.
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.
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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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- NHL Player Injury Updates and Recovery Timelines – See all the latest NHL player injury updates, timelines for their return, and impact made on each team.
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- NHL Roster Changes and Transactions – Looking to see what the latest moves made by your favourite team were? Then check out the latest NHL roster changes and transactions here on DFO.