NHL Hockey Player News

Brian Lashoff has cleared waivers and been sent to Grand Rapids (AHL).

Lashoff has two assists and a plus-4 rating in 11 games with the Red Wings this season. His demotion opens up a roster spot for either Alexey Marcheko or Xavier Ouellet to stay with the big-club full time.

Brian Lashoff
Halischuk has been placed on IR with an undisclosed injury.

Halischuk must have suffered the injury on Thursday night in Philadelphia. His movement to IR means he will miss at least seven days, so the injury must be relatively serious. With Halischuk out, T.J Galiardi will be in the lineup on Saturday.

Matt Halischuk
Malkin (lower-body) returned to Penguins practice on Saturday.

Malkin has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury, but his return to the ice on Saturday is a good sign he shouldn’t be out for much longer. The Penguins take on Nashville tomorrow afternoon, be sure to track Malkin’s status.

Evgeni Malkin
Quick was the first goalie off for the Kings.

Quick gave up three goals on 29 shots in the Kings win over Chicago on Wednesday. It was Quick’s first win since January 1st and pushed him to 2-3-3 with a 3.34 GAA And .868 SV% this month. Tonight he will meet the Bruins for the second time this season. In their first contest, he posted a 31-save shutout.

Jonathan Quick
Johnson will start this afternoon vs. the Red Wings.

Johnson allowed two goals on 18 shots in a win in Columbus on January 10th. Despite not having a back-to-back, Johnson will give Jaroslav Halak a breather today in Detroit. The Red Wings have been hot as of late and Johnson’s had a rough go so far. He enters play at 6-5-0 with a 3.38 GAA and .870 SV%.

Chad Johnson
Luongo will start Saturday vs. the Devils.

Luongo allowed two goals on 33 shots in the Panthers win over Columbus on Thursday. The win snapped a lengthy five-game losing skid for Bobby Lu and earned him the nod tonight in New Jersey. The Devils are 28th in the NHL in scoring (2.18 G/PG) so Luongo should be a safe start tonight.

Roberto Luongo
McElhinney will be between the pipes for the Blue Jackets.

McElhinney allowed three goals on 31 shots when the Blue Jackets lost to the Panthers on Thursday. He is now 3-1-0 with a 2.31 GAA and .923 SV% in four starts and two relief appearances in January. With Sergei Bobrovsky still out, the Jackets appear content with riding McElhinney for the time being. However he has an ugly matchup tonight in Tampa Bay.

Curtis McElhinney
Bishop is likely to start on Saturday.

Bishop stopped 27 of 28 shots in the Lightning’s 5-1 win over the Red Wings on Thursday. He has been victorious in seven of his last 10 games, while registering a 2.53 GAA and .908 SV% in the process. He has been really strong all year long and should be a great option tonight with the Blue Jackets in town.

Ben Bishop
Holtby will be in goal this afternoon.

Holtby stopped all 27 shots that he faced in the Capitals shutout win over the Penguins on Wednesday. Holtby enters play tonight with a 7-2-2 record, 2.17 GAA and .927 SV% in the month January. He allowed one goal on 24 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss to Montreal in the season opener.

Braden Holtby
Rask will be goal on Saturday vs. Los Angeles.

Rask allowed two goals on 45 shots in the Bruins 5-2 win over the Islanders on Thursday. Rask has been sensational lately. Dating back to early January, he has gone 6-2-0 with a 1.60 GAA and .950 SV%. Tonight he will make his eighth straight start—Rask is 14-5-4 with a 2.15 GAA and .922 SV% at home.

Tuukka Rask
Hutchinson will start on Saturday.

Hutchinson allowed four goals 31 shots in the Jets loss in Philadelphia on Thursday. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Hutchinson, who will face the Stars. In his first start vs. Dallas he allowed two goals on 28 shots shots in a 5-2 win. He makes for a good option whenever he gets the call.

Michael Hutchinson
Reimer will be in goal in Philadelphia tonight.

Reimer allowed four goals on 26 shots in the Maple Leafs loss in Ottawa on January 21st. Reimer hasn’t won a game since December 14th and has gone 0-3-0 with a 3.07 GAA and .912 SV% in January. The way the Leafs are going as of late, Reimer makes for a risky start tonight in Philly.

James Reimer
Hiller gets the nod on Saturday vs. Edmonton.

Hiller stopped 31 of 32 shots in the Flames 1-0 loss to the Wild on Thursday. Tonight he will make his third straight start, he is 1-1-0 with a 1.02 GAA and .960 SV% since regaining his number-1 status after the All Star break. Hiller faces an Edmonton team he has gone 2-0-0 with a 1.99 GAA and .915 SV% against this season.

Jonas Hiller
The Islanders have activated Lubomir Visnovsky (upper-body) from IR.

Visnovsky, who has missed the last 10 games, has been skating since before the break and it appears as iff he is ready to return to the lineup this afternoon vs. the Red Wings. Brian Strait will come out of lineup to make room for Visnovsky, who has 11 points (3G / 8A) in 29 games this season.

Lubomir Visnovsky
Mason will start against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Mason allowed two goals on 38 shots in the Flyers win over the Jets on Thursday. Since returning from a lower-body injury, Mason has stopped 58 of 61 (.951 SV%) shots and earned two straight victories. Mason starts against Maple Leafs team who are 1-10-1 while being outscored 37-16 in January.

Steve Mason
Kinkaid will start Saturday vs. the Panthers.

Kinkaid allowed four goals on 25 shots in New Jersey’s loss in Anaheim on January 16th. Cory Schneider had a really busy night vs. the Penguins last night, so Kinkaid will make his sixth start of the season tonight. He enters play at 1-3-3 with a 2.54 GAA and .913 SV%. Kinkaid has never faced the Panthers, but has gone 1-1-2 at Prudential Center.

Keith Kinkaid
Hackett leads the Sabres onto the ice for warmups.

Tonight will be Hackett’s first NHL start of the season of the season. He missed the start of the year due to offseason knee surgery. He recently returned to the Rochester (AHL) crease, going 1-2-0 with a 3.10 GAA and .886 SV%. He makes for a very risky start in his first start of the year.

Matthew Hackett
Mazanec will get his first start of the season on Friday.

Mazanec allowed two goals on 20 shots after replacing Carter Hutton on January 17th vs. the Red Wings. He went 13-8-3 with a 2.41 GAA and .909 SV% in 25 games with Milwaukee before being recalled. He has a solid matchup against an Avs team who is 23rd in the NHL in scoring.

Marek Mazanec

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!