NHL Hockey Player News

Allen will make his Canadiens debut on Saturday.

Allen was acquired for Rene Bourque on Thursday and will be in the lineup tonight vs. the Bruins. Allen does not provide much in the way of offence, but he is a reliable blue liner who brings physicality and size to the Habs’ back-end. Allen is in the final year of a three-year deal.

Bryan Allen
Klingberg will skate on the Stars’ top-pair and top power-play unit.

After acquiring Jason Demers from the Sharks, the Stars have moved Klingberg up to the top-pair with Alex Goligoski. He will also man the point on the top PP unit. His NHL career has been off to a hot start, posting one goal and four assists in his first six games. He makes for a great add in standard leagues.

John Klingberg
Koivu (illness) is expected to play on Saturday.

Koivu missed the Wild’s practice on Friday, but was back on the ice for the morning skate on Saturday and is expected to be in the lineup vs. Tampa Bay. He will centre the second line with Nino Niederreiter and Justin Fontaine.

Mikko Koivu
Kuemper starts in goal for the Wild.

Kuemper surrendered two goals on 39 shots in the 3-2 victory over the Flyers on Thursday. After a three-game losing skid, Kuemper was now won three game and two starts in a row. He appears to be back on track and sits at 9-5-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .918 SV% on the year.

Darcy Kuemper
Lehtonen was the first goalie off of the ice at the Stars morning skate.

Lehtonen stopped 26 of 27 shots in the Stars 3-1 win over the Coyotes on Thursday. The win snapped a three game losing streak for Lehtonen, who is 3-5-0 with a 3.05 GAA and .903 SV% in November. It has been an ugly first quarter of the season for Lehtonen, but the Stars are hoping Thursday is a sign of things to come.

Kari Lehtonen
Bishop will start for Tampa Bay.

Bishop surrendered four goals on 20 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Thursday. It was the first time this season that Bishop has allowed more than three goals, marking his worst outing of the season. Look for him to bounce-back at home where he is 7-1-1 with a 2.20 GAA and .923 SV% this season.

Ben Bishop
Holtby starts Saturday vs. the Sabres.

Holtby stopped 27 of 29 shots in the Capitals 3-2 win over the Avalanche on Thursday. Holtby has been sizzling as of late, winning four of five starts with a 1.59 GAA and .946 SV%. Things should continue in that direction tonight vs. the visiting Sabres.

Braden Holtby
Halak gets the call in goal on Saturday.

Halak allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Islanders’ 5-2 win over the Lightning on Tuesday. He was given last night off, but will start tonight vs. the Penguins in the second game of a home-and-home. Halak has won five straight while allowing just seven goals on 139 shots (.950 SV%).

Jaroslav Halak
Bernier is the Maple Leafs likely starter.

Bernier is not on the ice for the Maple Leafs morning skate, which suggests he will start tonight vs. Detroit. He had a nice bounce-back game on Thursday, stopping 26 of 28 shots in a 5-2 win over the Lightning. It has been a crazy up-and-down first quarter of the season for Bernier, but he was great in his first outing vs. the Wings—he stopped 31 of 32 shots in a 1-0 OT loss.

Jonathan Bernier
Elliott is expected to get the start vs. Ottawa this afternoon.

Jake Allen lost in the Blues last game and Elliott has been their number-1all season; plus the Senators are his former team. Elliott stopped 15 of 17 shots in a 2-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday. Despite the Blues outshooting the B’s badly, Tuukka Rask stood on his head at the other end. He has a 1.89 GAA and .928 SV% through 12 starts, so he can be trusted this afternoon.

Brian Elliott
Alfredsson (back) will not play this season and his retirement could come as soon as Monday.

Monday would be a fitting date because the Red Wings host the Ottawa Senators; the only two teams Alfie ever played for. Despite playing in just 68 games in his first season in Detroit, Alfredsson finished tied for the team lead in points (49) and had 18 goals. He did tell the Wings in June that he wanted to play another season, but he needed to make sure his back could hold up before finally deciding on his future.

Datsyuk (groin) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game vs. the Maple Leafs.

Datsyuk had been working his way towards a return tonight vs. Toronto, but it did not come to fruition. The Maple Leafs have caught a break, this is their third time facing Detroit and Datsyuk has yet to suit up in any of those games. Monitor his status prior to Monday’s home game vs. Ottawa.

Pavel Datsyuk
The Penguins have recalled Jayson Megna from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Megna, 24, has recorded a team-high nine goals with three assists (12 points) in 17 games with WBS before his recall. He has yet to suit up for the Penguins this season, but has nine points (5G / 4A) in 36 career games (all in 2013-14). There’s no word on if this recall is related to an injury to current Penguins forward.

Jayson Megna
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Avalanche have recalled Tomas Vincour from Lake Erie (AHL).

With injuries to Dennis Everberg, Alex Tanguay and Jamie McGinn, the Avalanche recalled three forwards on Friday. Vincour, 24, has one goal and one assist in three games with Lake Erie this season. He spent the majority of last season in the KHL, but has the most NHL experience of any of the call-ups; he has 16 points (7G / 9A) in 88 career NHL games (all with Dallas).

Tomas Vincour
The Avalanche have recalled Andrew Agozzino from Lake Erie (AHL).

With injuries to Dennis Everberg, Alex Tanguay and Jamie McGinn, the Avalanche recalled three forwards on Friday. Agozzino, 23, has three goals and five assists in 14 games with Lake Erie this morning. The undrafted free agent finished tied for the team lead with 49 points (17G / 32A) in 75 games last season.

Andrew Agozzino
The Avalanche have recalled Ben Street from Lake Erie (AHL).

With injuries to Dennis Everberg, Alex Tanguay and Jamie McGinn, the Avalanche recalled three forwards on Friday. Street, 27, has one goal and one assist in four games with Lake Erie. The former Calgary Flames’ centre has two assists in 19 career NHL games.

Ben Street
Enroth starts Saturday for the Sabres.

Enroth stopped 19 of 20 shots in the Sabres’ 4-1 win over the Sharks on Tuesday. It was an uncharacteristically easy night for Enroth, who shouldn’t get used to that kind of evening. He is 2-8-1 with a 3.63 GAA and .900 SV% and should be avoided on the road vs. Alex Ovechkin and the Caps.

Jhonas Enroth
Howard starts on Saturday vs. Toronto.

Howard stopped all 28 shots that he faced in the Red Wings 5-0 win over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. He was given Thursday night off, so he should be fresh for the Wings’ third meeting with the Maple Leafs. They have won the previous two, but Howie only started one—stopping 23 of 24 in a 4-1 win.

Jimmy Howard

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.

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