NHL Hockey Player News

Pacioretty (knee) returned to practice on Thursday.

Pacioretty has sat out training camp and the preseason to this point, but his knee injury has gotten to a point where the doctors were able to clear him for practice. This is a big step in Pacioretty’s road to being ready for the first game of the season on October 7th.

Max Pacioretty
Boedker could move to the point on the Coyotes’ power-play in 2015-16.

Arizona is trying to replace Keith Yandle on the power-play after trading him to New York last March. Bodega has never played the point in the NHL, but used to play there alongside Oliver Edman-Larsson when they were both in the AHL. Boedker could be a good fit on the blueline and it could lead to more power-play points for the 25-year-old.

Mikkel Boedker
Smid (neck) has been cleared for light contact.

Said had his 2014-15 season cut short when he underwent neck surgery. He is in training camp with the Flames, but has yet to be cleared for full contact. He was cleared for some light bumping which is a good step in his recovery. The Flames will see how he responds to light contact before giving him full clearance.

Ladislav Smid
Brodie is expected to miss 3-6 weeks with a broken bone in his right hand.

This is a tough break for Brodie and the Flames to start the season. If he misses just three weeks, he would only miss the first week of the season, but there is a chance he could be sidelined until the first week of November. With Brodie out, the Flames will have to find someone to fill in—Tyler Wotherspoon and Jakub Nakladal are likely the front runners.

T.J. Brodie
Higgins is expected to miss three weeks with a fractured foot.

Higgins suffered the injury while blocking a shot in Monday’s preseason game. This injury could open the door for the Canucks to give Brendan Gaunce a look for the first week or two of the season.

Chris Higgins
Seidenberg will undergo back surgery and is expected to miss the next eight weeks.

After trading Dougie Hamilton this summer, the Bruins were already coming in with a weaker blueline than last season and now Seidenberg will be out of commission until late-November. Seidenberg had 14 points (3G / 11A) in 82 games with the Bruins last season. Seidenberg's injury could open the door for 22-year-old Colin Miller to make the opening day roster.

Dennis Seidenberg
Higgins left Monday’s preseason game with a foot injury and did not return.

Higgins was spotted wearing a walking boot on his right foot at Tuesday’s morning skate, which is never a good sign. Higgins sustained the injury while blocking a Brenden Dillion slapshot. The Canucks have not released any information about the severity of Higgins’ injury, but wearing a walking boot isn’t a good sign for him being available to start the season.

Chris Higgins
Griffith will miss 3-4 weeks with an MCL sprain.

Griffith sprained his left knee in the Bruins preseason opener. Griffith had 10 points (6G / 4A) in 30 games with the Bruins last season and was poised to battle for a roster spot in training camp. This injury will likely force Griffith to start in the AHL, where he had 31 points (12G / 19A) in 39 games a season ago.

Seth Griffith
The Ducks have signed John Gibson to a three-year contract extension worth $6.9M ($2.3M AAV).

Gibson is expected to start this season in the AHL after the Ducks signed Anton Khudobin this offseason. Gibson was going to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and Khudobin will become a UFA after this year. Which paves the way for Gibson to be a full-time NHLer next year. However, there is still a chance he is on the Ducks roster throughout this season.

John Gibson
The Coyotes signed Stefan Elliott to a one-year, two-way contract on Thursday.

Elliott, 24, was acquired for Brandon Gormley earlier in the week and signed with the team yesterday. He had 19 goals and 21 assists (40 points) in 64 games with Lake Erie (AHL).

Stefan Elliott
The Islanders have signed Marek Zidlicky to a one-year deal worth $1.5M.

Zidlicky had seven goals and 27 assists (34 points) in 84 games between the Red Wings and Devils last season. The 38-year-old blueliner joined the Islanders in training camp on Friday and will likely bump Brian Strait from the mix for 2015-16.

Marek Zidlicky
The Blackhawks have signed Michal Rozsival to a one-year deal worth $600K.

Rozsival, 37, had 13 points (1G / 12A) in 65 regular season games and one assist in 10 playoff games before fracturing his ankle in Game 4 versus the Minnesota Wild. There was speculation that Rozsival might retire, but he will go for another Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2015-16.

Michal Rozsival
Helm will miss 2-4 weeks with a separated shoulder.

Helm suffered a grade 1 slight separated shoulder in the first day of training camp on Thursday. Helm has had a difficult time staying healthy throughout his career and this is not the way he wanted to start his 2015-16 season. If he misses just two weeks, he could be ready for the Red Wings season opener, but if he misses four weeks he would miss the first four or five games of the Red Wings’ season.

Darren Helm
Josh Ho-Sang was sent back to the OHL after showing up late to training camp.

Ho-Sang’s training camp ended before it even started. He reportedly slept in and showed up late for the first day of Islanders’ training camp on Thursday. Ho-Sang was the 28th overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft. He was considered a top-10 talent, but slipped due to reported discipline issues. He will head back for another year in Niagra, where he registered 14 goals and 48 assists (62 points) in 49 games last season.

Josh Ho-Sang
Elias (knee) will be held out of the start of training camp.

Elias has been held out of the first couple days of training camp because of an issue with his right knee. The 39-year-old is coming off of a disappointing season in 2014-15 and missing a portion of training camp could slow his production to start the 2015-16 season.

Patrik Elias
The Islanders have acquired Taylor Beck, Carter Versarghe, Matt Finn, Tom Nilsson and Christopher Gibson from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Michael Grabner.

Beck was acquired from the Predators in mid-July but will not get a chance to play for the Maple Leafs as he heads to Long Island to join a potential playoff contender. Beck had 16 points (8G / 8A) in 62 games last year.

Taylor Beck
The Maple Leafs have acquired Michael Grabner from the Islanders in exchange for Taylor Beck, Carter Versarghe, Matt Finn, Tom Nilsson and Christopher Gibson.

Grabner, 27, was limited to 34 games last season due to a multitude of injuries including sports hernia surgery. In the 34 games he played in, the speedy winger tallied eight goals and five assists (13 points). He had a career-high 34 goals in 2010-11, but since then he has scored just 56 goals in four seasons. This trade helps his fantasy value because he moves from a team with an ultra crowded top-six to a team who is very thin at forward.

Michael Grabner
Panthers rookie Lawson Crouse will be given a nine-game NHL ‘audition’ to start the season.

Crouse, 18, was selected 11th overall in this summer’s draft. The 6-foot-4, 215 lbs. winger tallied 29 goals and 22 assists (51 points) in 56 games with the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) last season. Crouse has some competition to make the squad, but his size could prove to be a key factor in the Panthers decision. After the nine-game tryout, the Panthers will decide what is best for his future.

Lawson Crouse

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!