NHL Hockey Player News

Varlamov will start again on Sunday.

Varlamov stopped 27 of 29 shots in the Avs' shootout loss to the Blues last night. Head coach Patrick Roy was impressed enough by Varly last night to turn to him again tonight vs. Anaheim. Since returning from a three-game absence, Varlamov has won two of five with a 1.72 GAA and .949 SV%.

Semyon Varlamov
Franzen (groin) will be back in the Red Wings lineup on Sunday.

Franzen missed the last six games with a groin injury that he suffered in on October 17th vs. Toronto. In four games this season, he had two goals and three assists. He will skate on the Wings' second line with Darren Helm and Gustav Nyquist.

Johan Franzen
Howard gets the call in goal Sunday vs. Buffalo.

Howard stopped 29 of 31 shots in a 5-2 win over Los Angeles on Friday. He has won three in a row while posting a 2.29 GAA and .917 SV%. Howie has had an awesome start to 2014-15 and is definitely a must-start tonight in Buffalo.

Jimmy Howard
Lehtonen leads the Stars onto the ice for warmups.

Lehtonen stopped 22 of 24 shots in the Stars 2-1 loss to the Ducks last night. Lehtonen did not participate in the Stars morning skate, but will go on back-to-back nights. He is undefeated on the road in three starts with a 1.95 GAA and .934 SV%.

Kari Lehtonen
Smith leads the Coyotes onto the ice for warmups.

Smith allowed two goals on 26 shots in the Coyotes 2-1 loss to the Panthers on Thursday. He has lost four of his last five starts with a 3.53 GAA and .885 SV%. His struggles make him a risky fantasy start right now, but against the winless Hurricanes he should be able to pick up a W.

Mike Smith
Reimer leads the Leafs onto the ice for warmups.

Reimer stopped all eight shots that he faced after relieving Jonathan Bernier last Saturday. Tonight will be his first start since October 17 vs. the Red Wings. He has two wins with a 2.63 GAA and .914 SV% so far this year, but has a rough matchup vs. Chicago tonight.

James Reimer
Rask led the Bruins onto the ice for warmups.

Rask gave up four goals on 42 shots in the Bruins loss to the Wild on Tuesday. Rask is off to a 4-4-0 start to the season and will be under more pressure than normal with Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug both out of the lineup. However, he remains an elite fantasy option and should be in your lineup vs. Ottawa.

Tuukka Rask
Forsberg leads Columbus onto the ice for warmups; he starts vs. Schneider and the Devils

Forsberg, 21, will make his NHL debut tonight vs. the Devils. The 2011 seventh round pick was 1-2-0 with a 2.36 GAA and .921 SV% with Springfield (AHL) this season. He makes for a risky spot-start in his first NHL game behind a banged-up Blue Jackets squad.

Anton Forsberg
Lehner starts in goal for the Senators.

Lehner stopped 36 of 38 shots in the Senators win over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. He has been great when called upon, winning three of four games with a 2.18 GAA and .939 SV%. Tonight, he will face a banged-up Boston team, but there are better options than he tonight.

Robin Lehner
Pavelec starts for the Jets on Saturday.

Pavelec stopped 27 of 28 shots in the Jets 2-1 loss to the Devils on Thursday. He has allowed just five goals in his last three starts, but he remains an inconsistent option and should only be started when he has good matchups.

Ondrej Pavelec
Crawford is the Blackhawks starter tonight.

Crawford missed the last six games with an upper-body injury but will be back between the pipes tonight in Toronto. He has won four of his three starts with a 1.66 GAA and .926 SV%. A matchup with the Maple Leafs should make for a nice fantasy start.

Corey Crawford
Niemi gets his fourth straight start on Saturday.

Niemi made 43 saves in the Sharks 4-3 shootout loss to the Wild on Thursday. The loss snapped a brief two-game winning streak, but was enough to earn him a fourth consecutive outing tonight on Long Island. He is 5-2-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .921 SV% in his first eight starts.

Antti Niemi
Halak gets the call for the Isles.

Halak surrendered four goals on 30 shots in Tuesday's loss to the Jets. He has now lost three in a row while allowing 11 goals on 90 shots (.878 SV%). Tonight he has a rough matchup vs. a Sharks team who is averaging three goals a game to start 2014-15.

Jaroslav Halak
Miller between the pipes vs. Edmonton.

Miller allowed two goals on 25 shots to earn his fourth straight win on Thursday. He is 7-1-0 with a 2.27 GAA and .917 SV% to start the year and has certainly re-solidified himself near the top of the goalie rankings. He is a surefire start right now and a 9-0 lifetime record vs. the Oilers makes starting him an even easier decision.

Ryan Miller
Varlamov starts for the Avalanche.

Varlamov turned aside all 40 shots that he faced in a 5-0 shutout win over the Islanders on Thursday. Since returning from a groin injury, Varly has won two of four with a 1.69 GAA and .953 SV%. He will look to pick up his first road win of the season tonight in St. Louis.

Semyon Varlamov
Lehtonen is expected to start in goal for the Stars.

Lehtonen stopped 22 of 24 shots in the Stars 2-1 loss to the Ducks last night. Lehtonen did not participate in the Stars morning skate, but Anders Lindback did, which suggests that Lehtonen will go on back-to-back nights. He is undefeated on the road in three starts with a 1.95 GAA and .934 SV%.

Kari Lehtonen

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

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