NHL Hockey Player News

Clarkson (lower-body) is expected to make his season debut on Friday.

Clarkson had no points in three games with Columbus after being acquired from Toronto. He was a disaster with the Maple Leafs, posting just 15 goals and 11 assists (26 points) in 118 games after signing a massive deal with his hometown team. Now with the Blue Jackets, he will make his season debut against his former team.

David Clarkson
The Canadiens have re-signed Tomas Plekanec to a two-year deal worth $12M ($6M AAV).

Plekanec has four goal in five games so far this season and is now locked up for another two years. The most important part of this contract extension, is that it ends the same season as Carey Price’s contract, giving the Habs a lot of flexibility to resign Price.

Tomas Plekanec
Pavelec is expected to start in goal for the Jets.

Pavelec allowed three goals on 43 shots in the Jets loss to the Islanders on Monday. He was given Tuesday off, but will start tonight in Calgary. Pavelec has faced 74 shots in two starts, he’s stopped 69 of them for a .932 SV%. Tonight he will take on a Flames team that has scored just seven goals in their first three games.

Ondrej Pavelec
Schneider will start Friday vs. the Sharks.

Schneider allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Devils loss to the Jets in the season opener. He sat out the last two games after his wife had a baby, but will be back in goal tonight vs. the Sharks. It might be wise to stay away from Schneider tonight given how well Martin Jones and the Sharks have started the season.

Cory Schneider
The Sharks have recalled Nikolay Goldobin from San Jose (AHL).

Goldobin, 20, was the 27th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. The Russian winger had five points (3G / 2A) in nine games with Worcester (AHL) after coming over from HIFK Helsinki last season. He will make his NHL debut tonight with Logan Couture out of the lineup.

Nikolay Goldobin
Glendening (lower-body) will play on Friday vs. Carolina.

Glendening was listed as questionable for tonight’s game after dealing with a lower-body injury after Tuesday’s win. He was on the ice for the Red Wings’ morning skate and will be in the lineup tonight vs. Carolina.

Luke Glendening
Howard will start in goal Friday vs. the Hurricanes.

Howard allowed one goal on 21 shots in the Red Wings 3-1 win over the Lightning on Tuesday. It was a huge win for Detroit and another great game from Howard, who has only allowed one goal on 43 shots (.977 SV%) so far this season. Tonight he will face a Hurricanes team that the Red Wings beat last weekend, despite being outshot 47-19.

Jimmy Howard
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Blue Jackets have recalled Kerby Rychel from Lake Erie (AHL).

Rychel, 21, registered an assist in Lake Erie’s season opener and was recalled this morning after Alexander Wennberg was placed on waivers. Rychel, a former first round pick, has three assists in five career NHL games.

Kerby Rychel
Couture will undergo surgery to repair a broken fibula; expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Couture broke his fibula when his skate caught a rut in the ice and he is expected to miss at least one month. It all reality the news could have been much worse for Couture, but the Sharks’ offence takes a huge hit losing Couture. With their second line centre out, the Sharks recalled Nikolay Goldobin, who will make his NHL debut on Friday.

Logan Couture
McKenzie left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return.

McKenzie was crushed from behind on Thursday night and the hit resulted in McKenzie spending the night in the hospital. He went head first into the boards but he ended up suffering a lower-body injury on the play. A day after losing Patrick Eaves, it looks like the Stars will need to recall another forward for Saturday’s game.

Curtis McKenzie
Vermette left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return.

Vermette left halfway through Thursday’s game and is listed as day-to-day. Head coach Dave Tippett doesn’t think the injury is “too serious” so there’s a chance that he could be in the lineup on Saturday vs. Boston.

Antoine Vermette
Bobrovsky will start in net on Friday vs. Toronto.

Bobrovsky allowed six goals on 26 shots in the Blue Jackets loss to the Senators on Wednesday. Bobrovsky’s season is off to a dreadful start. He has lost all four of his starts while allowing at least four goals in each game. Tonight he faces a winless Maple Leafs team, but enters with a 5.05 GAA and .830 SV%.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Allen starts Friday vs. the Canucks.

Allen allowed three goals on 19 shots in the Blues loss in Minnesota in his first start of the season. Brian Elliott started three of four games to start the season, but Allen will make his second start tonight in Vancouver. Allen was 10-3-3 with a 2.42 GAA and .917 SV% on the road in 2014-15.

Jake Allen
Berra will make his first start of the season on Friday.

Berra stopped all five shots that he faced after replacing Semyon Varlamov on Wednesday. Berra was 5-4-1 with a 2.65 GAA and .918 SV% in 19 games with the Avs’ last season. He is a decent backup, but the Avalanche have struggled defensively, allowing 14 goals in the first three games. The Ducks are looking to breakout offensively and it could happen tonight.

Reto Berra
Rinne leads the Predators onto the ice for warmups.

Rinne allowed a single goal on 23 shots in the Predators win over the Devils on Tuesday. It was a late goal that broke Rinne’s bid for a second straight shutout. He is off to a crazy good start to the season—he is 3-0 and has only allowed two goals on 80 shots (.975 SV%). Tonight he will face an Islanders team who have just seven goals in three games.

Pekka Rinne
Darling leads the Blackhawks onto the ice for warmups.

Darling stopped 28 of 29 shots in the Blackhawks win over the Islanders last Saturday. Darling has established himself as one of the better backups in the NHL and one of the best fantasy spot-start options there is. Tonight it looks like he’ll go against a high octane Capitals offence.

Scott Darling

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

Get the most out of your hockey news with our in-depth coverage of the NHL with our comprehensive player news updates. Below we’ve compiled go-to destinations for player injuries, trades, signings, line combinations, and more!