NHL Hockey Player News

Dubnyk will start Thursday in Arizona.

Dubnyk allowed two goals on 30 shots in the Wild’s win over the Blues on Saturday. Dubnyk has posted a 3.00 GAA and .891 SV% through his first two games and while those numbers aren’t pretty, he is still 2-0. He will look to stay unbeaten tonight against an Arizona team who is off to a red-hot start to the season.

Devan Dubnyk
Bobrovsky is expected to start Monday morning vs. the Sabres.

Bobrovksy was pulled after allowing four goals on 22 shots in the Blue Jackets 5-2 loss in New York on Saturday. It was his second game in as many nights, which is never an easy thing to do, but Bobrovksy struggled mightily. He enters play on Monday having allowed eight goals on 47 shots (.830 SV%) but draws a strong matchup vs. the Sabres.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Johnson is expected to start Monday afternoon vs. the Blue Jackets.

Johnson allowed four goals on 31 shots in his first start of the season. They lost 4-1 to the Lightning, but Johnson played well enough to earn another start today vs. the Blue Jackets. So far this season he has allowed five goals on 50 shots (.875 SV%) which certainly isn’t great. There are better options than Johnson on Monday.

Chad Johnson
Connolly expected to move to the Bruins’ top line on Monday.

Brad Marchand sufferd a concussion on Saturday night and is out indefinitely. Marchand’s injury leaves a hole on the Bruins’ top line, which Connolly filled in Sunday’s practice. Connolly has no points and a minus-4 rating through the first two games of the season.

Brett Connolly
Chara (upper-body) is expected to return to the Bruins lineup on Monday.

Chara missed the Bruins’ first two games of the season with an upper-body injury, but he practiced over the weekend and is likely to return tomorrow vs. the Lightning. Chara is likely to take Matt Irwin’s spot in the lineup after Irwin was placed on waivers on Sunday morning.

Zdeno Chara
Matt O’Connor will make his NHL debut tonight vs. the Canadiens.

After Craig Anderson stopped 37 of 41 shots in a shoutout win over the Maple Leafs last night, the Senators will turn to rookie Matt O’Connor to face the Canadiens tonight. The 23-year-old was superb at Boston University last season, going 25-4-4 with a 2.18 GAA and .927 SV%.

Matt O'Connor
The Bruins have placed Matt Irwin on waivers.

Irwin signed a one-year deal with the Bruins this offseason but has struggled through the first two games of the season. Irwin is a minus-5 while averaging 14:56 TOI. It wouldn’t be surprising if Irwin is claimed by another team--he had 19 points (8G / 11A) in 53 games with San Jose last year.

Matt Irwin
Lehner is expected to miss 6-10 weeks with a high-ankle sprain.

Lehner suffered the injury in the Sabres’ season opener on Thursday. He will miss at least a month and a half, but could be out for 10 weeks. In the meantime the Sabres will go with Chad Johnson as their starter, but don’t be surprised if they make a trade for another goalie.

Robin Lehner
Gionta (lower-body) returned to practice on Sunday.

Gionta has missed the Sabres’ first two games of the season, but he returned to practice this morning which suggests that the veteran winger could return to the lineup on Monday vs. the Blue Jackets.

Brian Gionta
Marchand left Saturday’s game with a head injury and did not return.

Marchand left last night’s game and was not on the ice for Bruins’ practice this morning. Immediate concern is that Marchand suffered a concussion, which could sideline him for a little while. The Bruins play on Monday, monitor Marchand’s status heading into tomorrow’s morning skate.

Brad Marchand
Niemi gets the nod vs. the Ducks.

Niemi was spectacular in his first start with the Stars. He stopped all 37 shots that he faced while recording two assists in the Stars’ 3-0 win over the Penguins. It was a dream start for Niemi, who is in line to start his second straight game tonight in Colorado. Niemi was 17-10-2 on the road with San Jose last season.

Antti Niemi
Smith will start again Saturday vs. Pittsburgh.

Smith stopped 40 of 41 shots that he faced in the Coyotes win over the Kings last night. What a great start to the season for Smith, who had the worst season of his career last year. Smith is the Coyotes clear No. 1 netminder which is why the Coyotes will turn to him again in tonight’s difficult matchup with the Penguins.

Mike Smith
Talbot leads the Oilers onto the ice for warmups.

Talbot played very well in his first start with the Oilers, stopping 28 of 30 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Blues. It was a strong debut for the 28-year-old, who will see increased goal support as the season goes on. Tonight he will be in tough against Pekka Rinne and a strong Predators team.

Cam Talbot
Rinne leads the Predators onto the ice for warmups.

Rinne allowed one goal on 26 shots in the Predators 2-1 win over the Hurricanes on Thursday. It was a nice start to the season for Rinne, who will start again tonight vs. Edmonton. The Oilers have a lot of young, talented forwards, but Rinne dominated them last season going 3-0-0 with a 0.98 GAA, .966 SV% and one shutout.

Pekka Rinne
Darling will start Saturday vs. the Islanders.

After Corey Crawford started the first two games of the season, the Blackhawks will turn to Darling in the second game of the home-and-home with the Islanders. In his first NHL season, Darling went 9-4-0 with a 1.95 GAA and .936 SV%. Crawford is expected to start nearly 60 games, making Darling one of the NHL’s best spot-start options for the other 22 games.

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.

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