NHL Hockey Player News

Havlat (face) will not play Friday; questionable for Saturday.

Havlat, who was injured last Saturday, played 14 minutes on Tuesday but will come back out of the lineup, likely for the next two games. With Havlat out, Damien Brunner will skate on the Devils' second line.

Martin Havlat
Pavelec is the Jets confirmed starter.

Pavelec stopped 21 of 22 shots in a 3-1 win over the Hurricanes on Tuesday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Pavelec, who now sits at 2-3-0 with a 2.32 GAA and .913 SV%. He draws a tough matchup against Steven Stamkos and the Lightning tonight.

Ondrej Pavelec
Lehtonen leaves the ice first; expected to start tonight.

Lehtonen allowed three goals on 46 shots in a 6-3 win over the Canucks on Tuesday. He faced a ton of rubber through five starts, averaging 34.6 shots against per outing. He has won three of five starts while posting a 2.92 GAA and .913 SV%. He draws a nice matchup tonight against a Devils team who has lost three in a row, while being outscored 14-7.

Kari Lehtonen
Kulemin is skating on the Islanders first line.

Kulemin is skated on the Isles top-line with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo at practice this morning. Cory Conacher had been playing there for the first seven games of the season, but it looks like Kulemin will take a turn there on Saturday. He has three assists in the first seven games, but definitely receives a fantasy boost and is worth a speculative add in standard leagues.

Nikolay Kulemin
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Flyers are expected to recall Mark Alt from Lehigh Valley (AHL).

Alt, 23, had four goals and 22 assists (26 points) in 75 AHL games last season and has one goal in three games with Lehigh this season. With Braydon Coburn and Andrew MacDonald both out for four weeks, Alt's stay with the Flyers might be a lengthy one. Expect him to make his NHL debut on Saturday vs. the Red Wings.

Mark Alt
Pavelec expected to get the call in goal for the Jets.

Pavelec stopped 21 of 22 shots in a 3-1 win over the Hurricanes on Tuesday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Pavelec, who now sits at 2-3-0 with a 2.32 GAA and .913 SV%. He draws a tough matchup against Steven Stamkos and the Lightning tonight.

Ondrej Pavelec
Chara will miss 4-6 weeks with a PCL tear; no surgery.

The Bruins confirmed this morning that Chara suffered a PCL tear when he went to hit John Tavares last night. They also added that the 4-6 week timeline is a "conservative" timetable and he might be back "a little bit earlier than four weeks" said GM Peter Chiarelli. It will be a tough month without Chara, but this was the best possible news.

Zdeno Chara
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Lightning have send Mike Blunden back to Syracuse (AHL).

Blunden's recall did not last long. He played just 10:09 on Tuesday, but will already be back on his way to Syracuse. The Lightning recalled Cedric Paquette as a corresponding roster move.

Mike Blunden
Coburn (lower-body) will miss four weeks.

Coburn appeared to be nearing a return on Tuesday, but clearly suffered a setback that will keep him out for another month. The Flyers also lost fellow blueliner Andrew MacDonald to a lower-body injury this week, so their blueline is looking rather thin right now. Expect a call-up to be announced this afternoon.

Braydon Coburn
MacDonald will miss four weeks with a lower-body injury.

MacDonald must have suffered the injury on Wednesday vs. the Penguins, but he played 21:25 so that is not for sure. This a a tough break for the Flyers, who found out Braydon Coburn will miss an additional four weeks as well. The Flyers do not have an extra defenseman on the roster at this time, so expect a call-up this afternoon.

Andrew MacDonald
Rinaldo (upper-body) is not at Flyers practice this morning.

Rinaldo suffered and upper-body injury in Wednesday's win over the Penguins and did not return. There is no word on the severity of the injury, but his absence at practice on Friday puts his availability for Satruday's game in serious doubt. Blair Jones will re-enter the lineup with Rinaldo out.

Zac Rinaldo
Coburn (lower-body) is not on the ice for Flyers practice this morning.

Coburn was set to re-join the lineup on Tuesday, but he was a late scratch, so he must have suffered a setback in warmups. The injury was originally believed to be serious, so it was surprising to see him almost returning just two weeks later. Expect an update after the Flyers' practice.

Braydon Coburn
Lecavalier (foot) is practicing with the Flyers this morning.

Lecavalier has not practiced since October 11th because of a foot injury he suffered in the third game of the season. He was only expected to skate on his own this morning, so staying on for the practice is a good sign that he foot is healing well. He is considered day-to-day and likely won't be back until next week.

Vincent Lecavalier
The Bruins have recalled Joe Morrow from Providence (AHL).

Morrow, 21, was the 23rd overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. Morrow was acquired by the Bruins in the Tyler Seguin trade, but he has yet to make an NHL appearance. That is about to change after Zdeno Chara went down with a knee injury on Thursday. Morrow is a big body defenseman who is a good passer with a big shot. He will battle fellow call-up Zach Trotman for playing time while Chara is out.

Joe Morrow
Call up / Send down
Call up / Send down
The Bruins have recalled Zach Trotman from Providence (AHL).

Trotman, 24, was the final pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 219 lbs. defenseman is a physical presence on the back-end, but has limited offensive upside. He along with Joe Morrow will fill-in on the Bruins blueline as they try to fill the massive hole left by Zdeno Chara's knee injury.

Zach Trotman
Bailey will miss "several weeks" with a broken hand.

It has yet to be determined exactly how long Bailey will be out, but it is expected to be at least one month. Boone Jenner is scheduled to miss five weeks after having surgery on his broken hand in the preseason. Bailey recorded his fourth point of the year before departing Thursday's contest.

Josh Bailey

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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