NHL Hockey Player News

Hansen (undisclosed) did not play on Monday.

Hansen had been confirmed in the lineup by head coach Willie Desjardins, but he ended up being held out of the lineup vs.the Canucks. It was probably for the better, as the Canucks clearly did not need him as they easily disposed of Arizona. Consider Hansen day-to-day.

Jannik Hansen
Pickard will start Saturday vs. the Chicago.

Pickard allowed one goal on 35 shots in the Avalanche’s shootout win over the Red Wings last Sunday. He has won three of his last six starts while posting a 1.61 GAA and .955 SV%. He continues to force the Avs to keep him with the big-club and a few more strong performances could land him a permanent spot.

Calvin Pickard
Varlamov will start Tuesday vs. the Blues.

Varlamov (groin) has missed the last six games, but will be back between the pipes tonight vs. the Blues. In his only two starts in December, he has gone 0-1-1 with a 5.24 GAA and .836 SV%. He draws a tough matchup to return in—St. Louis ranks sixth in the NHL in scoring with 2.94 goals per game.

Semyon Varlamov
The Hurricanes recalled Brendan Woods from Charlotte (AHL).

Woods, 22, was the Hurricanes fifth round selection (129th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 215 lbs. forward has registered 13 points (6G / 7A) in 29 games in his second full season in Charlotte. Alex Semin was held out of Monday’s practice, which means that Woods could make his NHL debut tonight if Semin can’t go.

Brendan Woods
Schneider is expected to get the nod on Tuesday vs. Carolina.

Schneider gave up three goals on 20 shots in the Devils loss to the Hurricanes on Saturday. It was Schneider’s fourth consecutive loss while posting a 4.14 GAA and .893 SV%. It has been an ugly stretch for the 28-year-old, but he draws a great matchup tonight and has a good chance to head into the Christmas break on a high note.

Cory Schneider
Quick leads the Kings onto the ice for warmups.

Kings 4-2 victory over the Coyotes on Saturday. It was a nice easy night for Quick, who is in-line for his fifth consecutive start tonight vs. the Flames. Quick is 4-3-1 with a 2.37 GAA and .903 SV% in December, but makes for a strong start tonight vs. a slipping Flames squad.

Jonathan Quick
Miller will face the Coyotes on Monday.

Miller allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Canucks win over the Flames on Saturday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Miller, who now sits at 17-7-0 with a 2.66 GAA and .901 SV% this season. Tonight he draws a great matchup at home vs. the Coyotes—he is 8-2-0 with a 2.45 GAA and .900 SV% at home.

Ryan Miller
Allen starts for the Blues on Tuesday.

Allen surrendered three goals on 30 shots in the Blues 3-2 OT loss to the Sharks on Saturday. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Allen, who is now 11-3-2 with a 2.49 GAA and .907 SV% in 16 starts this season. Tonight, he will face the Avs’ for the second time this season—he stopped 23 shots in a 3-2 OT win in Colorado 10 days ago.

Jake Allen
Niemi will start for the Sharks.

Niemi stopped 18 of 20 shots in the Sharks win over the Blues on Saturday. That makes it seven straight wins for Niemi, who has posted a 2.27 GAA and .920 SV% over that span. He is as hot as any goalie in the NHL right now and has gone 2-0-0 vs. the Ducks in their first two meetings.

Antti Niemi
Smith will start for the Coyotes.

Smith gave up five goals on 38 shots in the Coyotes loss to Nashville on December 11th. He watched Devan Dubnyk get the last three starts, but will return tonight vs. Vancouver. He is 2-8-0 with a 3.17 GAA and .895 SV% on the road this season, so look elsewhere tonight.

Mike Smith
Neal (illness) is a game-time decision on Monday.

Neal, who missed Saturday’s game, was on the ice for Monday’s morning skate. He took line rushes on the Predators fourth line and said after the skate that he was not sure if he would play. Shortly after, head coach Peter Laviolette said that he believes Neal will play, so we will have to see in warmups.

James Neal
Flames now reporting that it will be Hiller in goal tonight.

It was originally reported that Karri Ramo would get the nod tonight vs. the Kings, but now it will be Hiller. He stopped 30 of 32 shots in a OT loss to the Canucks on Saturday and will get his fifth start in the Flames last six games. He is 0-4-1 with a 2.05 GAA and .921 SV% in December.

Jonas Hiller
Beauchemin (finger) will not play on Monday.

Beauchemin will miss his 13th straight game with a broken finger. He continues to practice, but is not quite ready to return to the lineup. This is the Ducks last game before the Christmas break, so monitor his status leading up to Saturday’s game vs. the Coyotes.

Francois Beauchemin
Jooris (upper-body) will not play on Monday vs. the Kings.

Jooris suffered the uper-body injury on Saturday vs. the Canucks. He will not play tonight vs. the Kings and is listed as day-to-day. Expect Brandon Bollig to return to the lineup with Jooris out.

Josh Jooris
Miller didn't take part in optional; expected to start vs. Arizona.

Miller allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Canucks win over the Flames on Saturday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Miller, who now sits at 17-7-0 with a 2.66 GAA and .901 SV% this season. Tonight he draws a great matchup at home vs. the Coyotes—he is 8-2-0 with a 2.45 GAA and .900 SV% at home.

Ryan Miller

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!