Line Change
Prout will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
The Blue Jackets went with seven defensemen on Friday, but with Kerby Rychel recalled they will go back to six D-men tonight which means Prout will become a healthy scratch.
NHL Hockey Player News
Line Change
Rychel will play Saturday vs. the Coyotes.
Rychel was a minus-1 with five penalty minutes in his season debut and with Brandon Dubinsky out with an elbow injury, Rychel will be in the lineup tonight for the second time this season. Rychel had 11 points (4G / 7A) in 10 games with Lake Erie at the time of his call-up.
Goalie Start
Bobrovsky will be between the pipes on Saturday.
Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 29 shots in the Blue Jackets win over the Penguins last night. Bobrovsky has won three of his last four while posting a 2.27 GAA and .933 SV%. He draws a strong matchup vs. the Coyotes, but starting on back-to-back nights is always risky. He comes in without a win in five starts at Nationwide Arena.
Call up / Send down
The Canucks have recalled Hunter Shinkaruk from Utica (AHL).
Shinkaruk, 21, has scored 10 goals and three assists in 12 games with Utica this season. The 2013 24th overall pick is not expected to play on Saturday, but it appears as if his NHL debut is getting closer.
Goalie Start
Lehtonen starts Saturday vs. the Wild.
Lehtonen gave up three goals on 38 shots in the Stars win over the Jets on Thursday. Lehtonen has won four consecutive starts while posting a 2.00 GAA and .938 SV%. He will look to keep things rolling tonight vs. the Wild, who have won three in a row. Lehtonen has gone 2-1-0 with a 3.42 GAA and .896 SV% at home this season.
Call up / Send down
The Ducks have sent Korbinian Holzer to San Diego (AHL).
Holzer served as a healthy scratch for the last five games so it was a no brainer to send him down to make room for Nick Ritchie.
Call up / Send down
The Ducks have reassigned Max Friberg to San Diego (AHL).
Friberg had no points in five games with the Ducks, but he will head back to San Diego with Nick Ritchie and Michael Sgarbossa being recalled.
Call up / Send down
The Ducks have recalled Michael Sgarbossa from San Diego (AHL).
Sgarbossa, 23, has eight points (2G / 6A) in 12 games with San Diego this season. Sgarbossa has just one career assist in nine NHL games—he could make his Ducks debut next week.
Call up / Send down
The Ducks have recalled Nick Ritchie from San Diego (AHL).
Ritchie, 19, has scored nine goals with three assists (12 points) in 12 games with San Diego this season. Not a bad start to your professional hockey career. The 2014 10th overall pick is expected to make his NHL debut next week.
Goalie Start
Dubnyk starts Saturday vs. the Stars.
Dubnyk stopped 37 of 39 shots in the Wild’s win in Carolina on Thursday. Dubnyk has won three in a row while posting a 1.63 GAA and .949 SV%. He has been playing very well after struggling to start the year, but he will be in tough tonight vs. the high-octane Stars.
Scandella (personal) will play on Saturday.
Scandella has missed the last two games with a personal issue, but will be back in the lineup on Saturday. With Scandella back the Wild are expected to go with seven defensemen in Dallas. Scandal has two goals and three assists in 13 games this season.
Goalie Start
Berra starts Saturday vs. the Canadiens.
Berra allowed two goals on the 27 shots in Colorado’s win in Boston on Thursday. Berra has won back-to-back games and tonight will mark his fourth consecutive start. Overall, Berra has played very well this season posting a 3-3-0 record, 1.58 GAA and .948 SV%. He will be in tough vs. one of the NHL’s top teams in Montreal.
Goalie Start
Talbot will start Saturday vs. the Kings.
Talbot gave up four goals on 28 shots in the Oilers loss in Chicago on last Sunday. Anders Nilsson started the last two games, but the Oilers will go back to Talbot tonight in Los Angeles. Talbot has struggled with the Oilers—he has won three of 11 while recording a 3.00 GAA and .893 SV%. He will take on a Kings team that has alternated wins and losses in their last seven.
Goalie Start
Quick was the first goalie off of the ice at the morning skate.
Quick allowed three goals on 25 shots in the Kings loss to Arizona on Tuesday. Jhonas Enroth started on Thursday, so the Kings will go back to Quick tonight vs. the Oilers. Quick has lost three of his last four while allowing a combined 11 goals on 95 shots (.884 SV%). He draws a start-worthy matchup vs. an Oilers team that has lost three of four and 11 of 17 this season.
Goalie Start
Rask is expected start Saturday vs. the Red Wings.
Rask allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Bruins loss to the Avalanche. Rask has dropped three of his last four while posting a 3.07 GAA and .897 SV%. He draws a strong matchup vs. a Red Wings team who is averaging just 2.25 goals per game this season. Rask comes in 1-5-1 with a 3.89 GAA and .866 SV% at home this season.
Goalie Start
Smith gets the call for the Coyotes.
Smith made 27 saves on 28 shots in the Coyotes win vs. the Oilers. Smith has won each of his last two starts while stopping 60 of 63 shots (.952 SV%). Tonight Smith draws a strong matchup in Columbus—he has gone 4-2-1 with a 2.58 GAA and .918 SV% in seven road starts this season.
Barkov (hand) "could be" a game-time decision on Saturday.
Barkov, who returned to practice on Thursday, appears to have a chance to play on Saturday. The Panthers said he “could be” a game-time decision, so that basically means that he is a game-time decision. Monitor his status when pre-game warmups start at 6:30 pm ET.
Goalie Start
Luongo will start Saturday vs. the Lightning.
Luongo allowed three goals on 19 shots in the Panthers loss to the Sabres on Thursday. Luongo is 4-6-2 with a 2.42 GAA and .923 SV% in 12 games this season. On Saturday he will face a Lightning team that is surprisingly struggling to score goals early in the season.
Bellemare (lower-body) will return to the Flyers lineup on Saturday.
Bellemare has missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury, but he will return to the lineup tonight in Carolina. Bellemare leads the Flyers’ forwards in penalty killing, so this is a big player for the Flyers to get back, but he is not fantasy relevant.
Line Change
Lecavalier will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Lecavalier has served as a healthy scratch many times this season. He got back into the lineup for two games, but will come back out for Taylor Leier to make his NHL debut.
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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