NHL Hockey Player News

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The Panthers have recalled Connor Brickley from Portland (AHL).

Brickley, 23, had one goal and two assists in 10 games with the Panthers this season. While in Portland, he has three points (1G / 2A) in six games. He has swapped places with Rocco Grimaldi.

Connor Brickley
Zidlicky in; Pelech out.

Zidlicky continues to rotate in an out of the lineup, so after sitting out on Sunday, he will be back in the lineup tonight vs. the Flyers. Zidlicky leads all Isles’ defensemen with 2:26 PP TOI this season, but that has only translated into two power-play assists in 18 games.

Marek Zidlicky
Halak will be in goal on Wednesday vs. Philadelphia.

Halak was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots in the Islanders loss to Montreal last Friday. Thomas Greiss started on Sunday, but the Isles will go back to Halak tonight vs. the Flyers. Halak is 2-3-0 with a 2.47 GAA and .907 SV% in November, but faces a Flyers team that has lost five of seven and rank dead last in the NHL in scoring (1.76 G/PG).

Jaroslav Halak
Ward is in the starter's crease this morning.

Ward allowed three goals on 29 shots in the Hurricanes win over the Kings on Sunday. Eddie Lack started and lost on Monday, so look for Ward to go tonight vs. the Oilers. Ward has gone 3-2-3 with a 2.72 GAA and .888 SV% in eight starts at home this season. He will take on an Oilers team that has lost four of their last five.

Cam Ward
Grossmann (lower-body) is expected to return to the Coyotes lineup on Wednesday.

Grossmann has missed the last seven games with a lower-body injury, but skated among the regulars in Tuesday’s practice which suggests that he will play on Wednesday vs. the Ducks. Grossmann has just two goals and one assists in 13 games this season.

Nick Grossmann
The Coyotes have reassigned Philip Samuelsson to Springfield (AHL).

Samuelson had five shots and two penalty minutes while averaging 15:51 TOI in three games with the Coyotes during his call-up. He heads back to the AHL with Nicklas Grossmann (lower-body) set to return on Wednesday.

Philip Samuelsson
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The Coyotes have recalled Dustin Jeffrey from Springfield (AHL).

Jeffrey had one assist in his only game with the Coyotes this season. Jeffrey has dominated the AHL and deserved to be back with the big club—he has posted seven goals and 11 assists (18 points) in 16 games with Springfield. Jeffrey could be back in the lineup on Wednesday.

Dustin Jeffrey
Nilsson starts Wednesday in Carolina.

Nilsson allowed one goal on 30 shots in the Oilers 1-0 loss in Washington on Monday. Nilsson’s teammates couldn’t find a way to get the puck past Braden Holtby at the other end, but it is a positive sign that he has allowed just two goals on 50 shots (.960 SV%) in his last two starts. Tonight he starts in Carolina—he is 2-3-0 with a 2.39 GAA and .931 SV% on the road.

Anders Nilsson
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The Flames have sent Ladislav Smid to Stockton (AHL) on a conditioning stint.

Smid has been a healthy scratch in the last five games and has only appeared in four games this season and has only averaged 9:55 TOI per night. Smid has fallen behind Deryk Engelland on the depth chart and will go to Stockton for a maximum of two weeks to get back up to speed.

Ladislav Smid
Allen will be between the pipes on Wednesday.

Allen allowed one goal on 25 shots in the Blues’ 2-1 win in Buffalo on Monday. It was a strong matchup and Allen did what he was supposed to do, earning his 10th win of the season. Allen has been great as of late, going 6-2-1 with a 1.97 GAA and .933 SV% in the month of November. Tonight he will face the Pens for the first time this year—he is 5-2-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .935 SV% on the road.

Jake Allen
Tanguay (knee) resumed skating on Tuesday.

Tanguay has been out since November 6th with a knee injury, but he was back on the ice with a small group of teammates on Tuesday. Tanguay was never given a definitive timetable to return, he was simply expected to miss “an extended period” of time. Tanguay’’s return to the ice is obviously a positive sign, but don’t expect to see him back in the lineup until December.

Alex Tanguay
Varlamov will be in goal on Wednesday vs. the Senators.

Varlamov made 20 saves on 21 shots in a win his return to the crease on Monday. Varlamov was struggling mightily before he got hurt and maybe some time off was just what he needed. Obviously one start doesn’t mean he is back and he will face a much stiffer test tonight with the Senators in town. Ottawa has won three in a row and have outscored their opponents 14-4 over that span.

Semyon Varlamov
Crawford will start on Wednesday in San Jose.

Crawford allowed five goals on 19 shots in last Saturday’s 6-3 loss in Vancouver. The Blackhawks road trip continues tonight in San Jose and Crawford comes in at 4-3-1 with a 3.53 GAA and .883 SV% in the month of November. It has been a struggle recently and tonight he faces a red-hot Sharks team and Crawford has been terrible on the road—3-4-0 with a 3.33 GAA and .893 SV% this season.

Corey Crawford
Dubnyk will start Wednesday vs. the Canucks.

Dubnyk stopped all 23 shots that he faced in the Wild’s 4-0 shutout win over the Predators on Saturday. It was a nice way to end a three-game losing skid for Dubnyk, who will start his 18th game of the season tonight. Dubnyk makes for a good start tonight vs. the Canucks at home, where he is 8-1-0 with a 1.90 GAA and .928 SV%.

Devan Dubnyk
Anderson will start again on Wednesday.

Anderson allowed four goals on 37 shots in the Senators 7-4 win in Dallas last night. The Sens were up 5-1 and then Anderson got a little leaky, but either way, he registered his ninth win of the year. With Andrew Hammond (concussion) still out, Anderson will start again tonight in Colorado. The matchup isn’t that intimidating, but starting on back-to-back nights after traveling from Dallas to Colorado is frightening.

Craig Anderson
Lehtonen left Tuesday's game with an undisclosed injury; will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Lehtonen entered Tuesday’s game in relief of Antti Niemi but only lasted 8:32 before being forced from the game after colliding with John Klingberg. Niemi struggled big time last night and Lehtonen has been great this season, so this would be a tough loss for the NHL leading Stars to handle. Expect an update on Wednesday.

Kari Lehtonen

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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