NHL Hockey Player News

Gionta (lower-body) will not play on Saturday.

Gionta did not take part in the Sabres’ morning skate and will miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury. With Gionta out, Zemgus Girgensons will play on a line with Jack Eichel and Evander Kane. GIonta remains day-to-day.

Brian Gionta
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Sabres have recalled Nathan Lieuwen from Rochester (AHL).

Lieuwen, 24, won his first start with Rochester this seasoned went 4-9-0 with a 3.29 GAA and .883 SV% in 16 AHL games last season. Lieuwen will serve as Chad Johnson’s backup with Robin Lehner out with a lower-body injury.

Nathan Lieuwen
Chara (upper-body) is doubtful for Saturday’s game vs. the Canadiens.

Chara was labeled as doubtful, but he stayed on the ice for extra work during the morning skate, which suggests he is very doubtful. This is the second straight game that Chara will have missed—however he continues to practice which suggests he could be back next week.

Zdeno Chara
Holtby will start the Capitals season opener on Saturday.

Holtby was tremendous in 2014-15, winning 41 games with a 2.22 GAA and .923 SV%. Holtby draws a great matchup in his first start of the season as he goes up against the low-scoring New Jersey Devils. Holtby was 4-1-0 with a 1.20 GAA and .958 SV% in five starts against the Devils last season.

Braden Holtby
Darling is likely starting Saturday vs. the Islanders.

After Corey Crawford started the first two games of the season, it looks like 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
Luongo will start the Panthers season opener on Saturday.

Luongo started 61 games last season, which was the first time he started 60-plus games since 2010-11 and it resulted in 28 wins, a 2.35 GAA and .921 SV%. It was a nice season for the 36-year-old, who stabilized the position for the Panthers. Florida should be an even better team in 2015-16, which gives Luongo No. 1 fantasy upside.

Roberto Luongo
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Wild recalled Jordan Schroeder from Iowa (AHL).

Schroeder is expected to make his season debut on Saturday after Tyler Graovac was injured in the season opener. Schroeder had three goals and five assists (8 points) in 25 games with Minnesota last season.

Jordan Schroeder
Mason will start Saturday vs. the Panthers.

Mason allowed three goals on 32 shots in the Flyers overtime loss to the Lightning in the season opener. Mason continues to play very well for the Flyers and will look to register his first win of the season tonight in Florida. Mason was 1-1-1 with a 1.32 GAA and .959 SV% in three starts against the Panthers last season.

Steve Mason
Dubnyk will start the Wild's home opener vs. St. Louis.

Dubnyk allowed four goals on 23 shots in the Wild’s 5-4 come from behind win over the Avalanche on Thursday. Dubnyk’s season did not get off to a great start. He allowed four goals on the first 11 shots that he faced, but settled in an was rewarded with the win. Tonight he will face a Blues team whom he was 2-1-0 with a 2.63 GAA and .918 SV% against last season.

Devan Dubnyk
Wisniewski is expected to miss six months with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Wisniewski was acquired this summer from Anaheim in a trade that saw Anton Khudobin go the other way. Wisniewski has battled injury issues throughout his NHL career and he only made it 47 seconds into his Hurricanes debut before he had to be helped off of the ice. Wisniewski is signed through next season, so he might get another chance to dress with the Hurricanes.

James Wisniewski
Lundqvist will start again on Saturday vs. Columbus.

Lundqvist stopped 31 of 33 shots that he faced in the Rangers’ 4-2 win in Columbus last night. He will start on back-to-back nights as the Rangers welcome the Blue Jackets for their home opener. Lundqvist has stopped 63 of 65 shots (.940 SV%) that he’s faced en route to a 2-0 start.

Henrik Lundqvist
Johnson will start Saturday for the Sabres.

Johnson allowed one goal on nine shots after replaced Robin Lehner in the Sabres 2-1 loss to the Senators on Thursday. With Lehner expected to miss an extended period of time, this is Johnson’s team for the foreseeable future. He comes in with a strong 2,41 career GAA and .914 SV%. However, he draws a tough matchup in his first start with the 2015 Eastern Conference Champions in town.

Chad Johnson
Reiner starts Saturday vs. the Senators.

Reimer stopped 12 of 13 shots after replacing Jonathan Bernier in the Maple Leafs 4-0 loss to the Red Wings last night. Reimer will make his first start of the season against the Senators—he allowed three goals on 25 shots in a loss in his only start against Ottawa last season. A strong start tonight could carve out a larger early-season role for Reimer.

James Reimer

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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