Call up / Send down
The Maple Leafs have sent Viktor Loov to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA
NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Goalie Start
Jones starts Friday vs. the Sabres.
Jones allowed three goals on 41 shots in the Sharks shootout loss in Colorado on Wednesday. Jones has allowed a combined 10 goals on 105 shots (.905 SV%), but he comes in having won five of his last seven. Jones stopped 30 of 31 shots in the Sharks win over the Sabres back in November and Buffalo comes in tonight after being shutout by the Ducks on Wednesday.
Goalie Start
Rask starts Friday in Carolina.
Rask stopped 41 of 42 shots in the Bruins 5-1 win in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Rask stood on his head to earn his 23rd win of the season and third in four games. Tonight will be Rask’s 45th start of the season and it comes in Carolina. He is 13-5-3 with a 2.10 GAA and .932 SV% on the road this season and the Hurricanes are coming off of a 3-1 loss to the lowly Maple Leafs last night.
Goalie Start
Andersen starts Friday vs. Edmonton.
Andersen stopped all 26 shots that he faced in the Ducks shutout win over the Sabres on Wednesday. Andersen has won four straight starts while posting a 2.47 GAA, /915 SV% and one shutout. The 26-year-old has gone 1-0-1 with a 3.46 GAA and .870 SV% in two starts vs. the Oilers this season, but disregard though numbers, Andersen should be a safe start tonight.
Kuhnhackl (lower-body) missed Friday's practice; will be a game-time decision for Saturday.
Kuhnhackl is questionable for today’s game vs. Winnipeg, but the young forward has just three points in 20 games, so he is not on the fantasy radar.
Call up / Send down
The Jets have recalled Marko Dano from Manitoba (AHL).
Goalie Start
The Hurricanes will not hold a morning skate on Friday. Head coach Bill Peters is expected to address the media around 5:00 p.m ET and should announce his starter then.
Ward started last night and allowed three goals on 29 shots in the the Hurricanes loss to the Maple Leafs. Carolina could go back to Ward or turn to Eddie Lack for the first time since February 18th.
Goalie Start
Bishop will start Friday in New Jersey.
Bishop allowed two goals on 31 shots in the Lightning’s win in Carolina on Sunday. Andrei Vasilevskiy started on Tuesday, but the Lightning will go back to Bishop tonight in New Jersey. He has won two in a row while stopping 66 of 70 (.943 SV%). Bishop has not faced the Devils this season, but come in at 5-3-0 with a 2.66 GAA and .910 SV% in February.
Bonino (hand) will return to the Penguins lineup on Saturday.
Bonino has been sidelined with a hand injury since January 12th, but will return to the lineup tonight vs. the Jets. Bonino has just 10 points (3G / 7A) in 40 games in his first season with the Penguins. Before he starts producing at a higher rate, Bonino shouldn’t be on your fantasy radar.
Malkin (lower-body) will return to the Penguins lineup on Saturday.
Malkin missed 10 games with a knee injury, but will return to the Penguins lineup on Saturday vs. the Jets. Malkin has 23 goals and 26 assists (49 points) in 52 games this season and should be activated in all formats. The Jets have given up 17 goals in their last four games, so this matchup offers a lot of promise for Malkin.
The Predators have signed Anthony BItetto to a two-year, $1.225M ($612.5K AAV) contract extension.
Bitetto, 25, has appeared in the Predators last 11 games and has one assist in 17 games for the club in 2015-16. Paired with seven games during three recalls a season ago, the Island Park, New York, native has one point (1A) in 24 career NHL games, all with Nashville.
Kucherov (lower-body) returns to the Lightning lineup on Friday.
Kucherov has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, but will return to the lineup tonight in New Jersey. Kucherov has three goals and one assist in his last five games and 49 points (24G / 25A) in 58 games on the year.
The Lightning have signed Braydon Coburn to a three-year, $11.1M ($3.7M AAV) contract extension.
Coburn, 30, has picked up one goal and eight assists (nine points) in 60 games this season. Coburn was a pending free agent at the end of the season, but is now signed through the 2018-19 season. His new deal comes with a no trade clause.
Injury
The Maple Leafs have activated Jared Cowen (hip) from IR.
Cowen has missed eight games with hip tightness after being acquired from the Senators on February 9th. Cowen, who has four assists in 37 games this season could make his Maple Leafs debut on Saturday.
Beaulieu (lower-body) will miss 2-3 weeks.
Beaulieu suffered a lower-body injury during Monday’s game, but finished the contest. He missed Wednesday’s game in Washington and will miss at least two more weeks, which means Victor Bartley will stick with the Habs.
Goalie Start
Holtby starts Friday vs. the Wild.
Holtby was pulled after he allowed three goals on 18 shots in the Capitals loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday. Terrible outings have been few and far between for Holtby this season, but he has now allowed three-plus goals in five of his last seven starts. Tonight he faces the Wild on home ice, where he is 20-2-1 with a 2.13 GAA and .924 SV% this season.
Goalie Start
Holtby is expected to start Friday vs. the Wild.
Holtby was pulled after he allowed three goals on 18 shots in the Capitals loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday. Terrible outings have been few and far between for Holtby this season, but he has now allowed three-plus goals in five of his last seven starts. Tonight he faces the Wild on home ice, where he is 20-2-1 with a 2.13 GAA and .924 SV% this season.
Johnson is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.
Johnson was injured midway through Thursday’s win over the Devils and is out for the foreseeable future. With Johnson out, look for Cody Goloubef to get into the lineup and for the Blue Jackets to make a call-up later today.
Goalie Start
The Devils will not have a morning skate on Friday; head coach John Hynes is expected to announce his starter when he addresses the media around 4:40 p.m ET.
Cory Schneider was pulled after allowed three goals on 11 shots in the Devils loss in Columbus last night. Keith Kinkaid didn’t play any better, allowing three goals on 13 shots.
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!
- NHL Player Injury Updates and Recovery Timelines – See all the latest NHL player injury updates, timelines for their return, and impact made on each team.
- NHL Waiver Wire Moves and Implications – Check out all the latest moves made on the NHL waiver wire and their implications on the teams involved.
- NHL Latest Line Combination Changes – Bringing you every line combination from across all 32 NHL teams, check out the latest NHL line combination changes made ahead of their next tilt.
- NHL Player Signings and Contract Details – Your go-to spot during NHL free agency, check out the latest NHL player signings and contract details today.
- NHL Roster Changes and Transactions – Looking to see what the latest moves made by your favourite team were? Then check out the latest NHL roster changes and transactions here on DFO.