NHL Hockey Player News

Rinne is expected to start in goal for the Predators.

Rinne allowed six goals on 30 shots in the Predators crazy 7-6 overtime win over the Kings on Saturday. It was not his best performance, but Rinne was spotted a 5-1 lead and was able to hold on. Tonight he draws a nice matchup at home, where he is 14-2-1 with a 1.84 GAA and .931 SV% on the year.

Pekka Rinne
Smith will make his second straight start.

Smith allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Coyotes win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday. It was Smith’s first win since December 1st, snapping a five-game losing streak for the 32-year-old. Tonight he has a terrible matchup against a Blues team who lit him up for six goals in October.

Mike Smith
Ward will start in goal for the Hurricanes.

Ward stopped 23 of 24 shots in the Hurricanes win over the Flyers on Friday. He was given Sunday off, but will be back in goal tonight in Nashville. The Predators have been great all year, but in Ward’s first start vs. Nashville, he stopped 33 shots in a 2-1 win.

Cam Ward
Scratch that, Fasth will start vs. the Red Wings, not Scrivens.

Fasth was pulled after surrendering three goals on six shots in a loss to the Flames on December 27th. Ben Scirvens started the last four games, but it will be Fasth tonight vs. the Red Wings. Fasth is 2-9-2 with a 3.51 GAA and .881 SV% this season, but has gone 2-0-0 at home versus 0-9-2 on the road.

Viktor Fasth
Smith not taking part in optional morning skate; probable to start.

Smith allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Coyotes win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday. It was Smith’s first win since December 1st, snapping a five-game losing streak for the 32-year-old. Tonight he has a terrible matchup against a Blues team who lit him up for six goals in October.

Mike Smith
Bennett moved to the Penguins second line on Tuesday.

Bennett, who has three assists in three games since returning to the Penguins lineup, was moved up to the second line on Tuesday. He skated with Evgeni Malkin and Nick Spaling today and should start the game there on Wednesday.

Beau Bennett
Luongo will start vs. his former team on Thursday.

Luongo gave up three goals on 21 shots before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury after the second period in the Panthers loss to the Capitals on Sunday. Despite being hurt, the three days off will allow Bobby Lu to get the nod in Vancouver vs. his former squad. He is 7-4-4 with a 2.35 GAA and. 926 SV% on the road this year, but this game will be totally different from those other 16 starts.

Roberto Luongo
Kuemper will be in goal for the Wild.

Kuemper was pulled after he allowed four goals on 21 shots in the Wild’s blowout 7-1 loss to the Stars on Saturday. Over the last month, Kuemper has lost five of seven starts with a 3.15 GAA and .902 SV%. He has become an extremely risky fantasy investment. Be cautious until he proves otherwise.

Darcy Kuemper
Lindback was the first goalie off for the Stars.

Lindback allowed one goal on 10 shots after replacing Kari Lehtonen in the Stars shootout win over the Oilers on December 21st. He comes into play tonight with a 1-5-0 record, 4.28 GAA and .864 SV%. Yep, those are real numbers, so be extremely careful with Lindback.

Anders Lindback
Giroux (leg) will be a game-time decision on Tuesday.

Giroux missed the morning skate, but is listed as a game-time decision. He was listed as GTD on Saturday as well and did not come out for warmups, that is not likely to be the case tonight. Giroux did jump on the ice late in the skate just to shoot some pucks, so monitor his status during pre-game warmups.

Claude Giroux
Mason will start in goal for the Flyers.

Mason stopped six of eight shots after replacing Ray Emery in the Flyers loss to the Devils on Saturday. It was an ugly night for the Flyers altogether. He has not recorded a win since December 13th and is riding a five-game losing streak with a 2.44 GAA and .904 SV%.

Steve Mason

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!