Waiver Move
The Wild have placed Stu Bickel on waivers.
Bickel has one assist and 46 PIMS in nine games with the Wild this season. He is unlikely to be claimed, so he will head to Iowa (AHL).
NHL Hockey Player News
Call up / Send down
The Wild have recalled Jordan Schroeder from Iowa (AHL).
Schroeder, 24, has registered 10 goals and 14 assists (24 points) in 28 games with Iowa this season. Tonight he is expected to skate on an all University of Minnesota line with Thomas Vanek and Erik Haula.
Call up / Send down
The Wild have recalled Jon Blum from Iowa (AHL).
With Marco Scandella out, the Wild have promoted 25-year-old blue liner Jon Blum. He has 16 points (4G / 12A) in 29 games with Iowa this season. He is expected to play in his second game of the season with the Wild tonight.
The Wild have placed Darcy Kuemper (undisclosed) on IR.
Kuemper suffered an injury in practice on Wednesday and has been placed on IR. His designation on IR means that he will miss at least the next four games (including tonight). Niklas Backstrom will serve as the Wild’s number-1 with John Curry as his backup.
Liles (illness) will be back in the Hurricanes lineup on Thursday.
Liles has missed the last five games with an illness, but will replace Brett Bellemore tonight vs.the Sabres. He will play alongside Ron Hainsey.
Semin (upper-body) will return to the Hurricanes lineup on Thursday.
Semin missed the last seven games, but will be back on a line with Jeff Skinner and Riley Nash, a line that coach Bill Peters hopes can produce some secondary scoring.
The Predators have placed Eric Nystrom (undisclosed) on injured reserve.
There is no word on the nature or severity of Nystrom’s injury, but he must have suffered it on Tuesday vs. the Hurricanes. He will miss at least the next two games.
Call up / Send down
The Predators have recalled Miikka Salomaki from Milwaukee (AHL).
Salomaki, 21, has 16 points (5G / 11A) and 26 penalty minutes in 29 games for the Admirals this season, in addition to ranking among the AHL’s Top 10 forwards in plus/minus rating (+13).
The Predators have placed James Neal (lower-body) on IR.
Neal’s placement on IR means that he will miss his fourth consecutive game with a lower-body injury. There is no word on how many games past today that Neal will miss. Monitor his status prior to Saturday’s game in Minnesota.
Goalie Start
Mason will start for the Flyers.
Mason stopped 41 of 42 shots and four of five shootout attempts in the Flyers 2-1 shootout win over the Senators on Tuesday. The win snapped a five-game losing streak and was his first since December 13th. Tonight he will start with the Flyers hosting the Capitals—he is 6-4-2 at Wells Fargo Center.
Line Change
Schenn in; MacDonald out.
Schenn has served as a healthy scratch in three of the last four games, but he will be back in tonight for Andrew MacDonald. He will be paired with Michael Del Zotto. Schenn has one goal, two assists and a minus-8 rating in 30 games.
Call up / Send down
The Maple Leafs have recalled Troy Bodie from Toronto (AHL).
Bodie, 29, has seven points (5G / 2A) with 34 PIMS in 32 games with the Marlies this season. He had three goals, seven assists and 26 PIMS in 47 games with the Maple Leafs last season.
Call up / Send down
The Maple Leafs have sent Greg McKegg back to Toronto (AHL).
McKegg averaged 7:49 TOI and had one shot in two games during his recall. The 22-year-old forward returns to the Marlies where he has 15 points (7G / 8A) in 23 games.
Semin (upper-body) is expected to play on Thursday.
Semin has missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury, but it looks like he will return tonight vs. the Sabres. He has struggled this year, posting just six points (1G / 5A) in 22 games this season.
Goalie Start
Ward will start in goal vs. Buffalo.
Ward allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Hurricanes 3-2 loss to the Predators on Tuesday. Despite posting a 2.10 GAA and .925 SV%, Ward is 3-8-1 in his last 12 starts. He draws a great matchup tonight at home vs. the Sabres--Ward is 7-5-2 with a 1.92 GAA and .927 SV% at home this year.
Ramo (undisclosed) left Wednesday’s game and did not return.
Ramo left the game after following a collision with teammate Raphael Diaz. With Ramo out, Jonas Hiller manned the crease. Joni Ortio is not on the ice with Adirondack (AHL) this morning, so the belief is that he has been recalled, which is obviously not a good sign for Ramo’s health.
Goalie Start
The Capitals will not have a morning skate because of the back-to-back set. Coach Barry Trotz will address the media at 5 PM ET, he might announce the starter then.
Goalie Start
Ward is the Hurricanes likely starter vs. the Sabres.
Ward allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Hurricanes 3-2 loss to the Predators on Tuesday. Despite posting a 2.10 GAA and .925 SV%, Ward is 3-8-1 in his last 12 starts. He draws a great matchup tonight at home vs. the Sabres--Ward is 7-5-2 with a 1.92 GAA and .927 SV% at home this year.
Goalie Start
Mason is in the starter's crease; looks like he starts tonight.
Despite leaving practice early on Wednesday, it looks like Mason will start vs. the Capitals. He is coming off of a 41-save performance in the Flyers 2-1 shootout win over the Senators on Tuesday. The win snapped a five-game losing streak and was his first since December 13th. Looks like he will start at home vs. Washington—he is 6-4-2 with a 2.22 GAA and .927 SV% at Walls Fargo Center.
Injury
The Wild will recall John Curry from Iowa (AHL).
Darcy Kuemper is out for “a little bit” with a minor injury, so Curry will be recalled to backup Niklas Backstrom tonight.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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