Injury
Henrik Sedin left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return; listed as day-to-day.
Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA
NHL Hockey Player News
Raanta had to leave Thursday’s game after taking a slapshot to the mask; did not return.
Goalie Start
Rinne will start for the Predators.
Rinne allowed two goals on 21 shots in the Predators loss to the Flames on Tuesday. That is now five losses in his last six starts while posting a 2.68 GAA and .898 SV%. Tonight will be Rinne’s second start of the season vs. the Blues—he allowed four goals on 28 shots in the Predators 4-0 loss to St. Louis back in early-November.
Wilson (lower-body) is on the ice for warmups; expected to return to the lineup.
Call up / Send down
The Lightning have recalled Mike Angelidis from Syracuse (AHL).
Call up / Send down
The Lightning have recalled Kristers Gudlevskis from Syracuse (AHL).
Call up / Send down
The Lightning have sent Andrei Vasilevskiy to Syracuse (AHL).
Goalie Start
Quick leads the Kings onto the ice for warmups.
Quick allowed five goals on 21 shots in the Kings loss in Ottawa on Monday. The loss snapped a six game winning streak for Quick, who lost his first game since November 25th. Tonight Quick will face a struggling Canadiens team on the road—he has gone 6-3-1 with a 2.41 GAA and .917 SV% away from home this season.
Goalie Start
McElhinney starts on Thursday in Arizona.
McElhinney stopped six of seven shots after replacing Joonas Korpisalo in Dallas on Tuesday. In his last four appearances McElhinney has allowed a combined 11 goals on just 67 shots (.836 SV%). Despite an appealing matchup vs. the Coyotes, McElhinney remains an unappealing start.
Goalie Start
McElhinney will likely start on Thursday.
There are conflicting reports as to who will be starting in goal for the Blue Jackets, but McElhinney stopped six of seven shots after replacing Joonas Korpisalo in Dallas on Tuesday. In his last four appearances McElhinney has allowed a combined 11 goals on just 67 shots (.836 SV%). Despite an appealing matchup vs. the Coyotes, McElhinney remains an unappealing start.
Goalie Start
Lehtonen will start in goal on Thursday.
Lehtonen made 34 saves on 35 shots in the Stars 5-1 win over Columbus on Tuesday. It was a fantastic outing for Lehtonen, who will start his second straight game tonight vs. the Flames. Lehtonen should make for a great start again tonight—Calgary has been winning recently, but have struggled on the road, going 4-9-2 this season.
Klefbom (finger) will not play the next two games; could play next Monday.
Stepan (ribs) will not play on Thursday; could play on Friday.
Injury
Goalie Start
Lundqvist will start Friday in Winnipeg.
Lundqvist was sprung into duty last night after Antti Raanta left with a head injury. Lundqvist gave up four goals on 31 shots in the Rangers 5-2 loss in Minnesota. Lundqvist has struggled in December, going 2-2-1 with a 2.70 GAA and .912 SV% this month. Tonight he will face a Jets team that has lost three of four.
Goalie Start
Raanta will start Thursday in Minnesota.
Raanta allowed five goals on 27 shots in the Rangers loss in Calgary last Saturday. Raanta will start the first game of the Rangers’ back-to-back with Henrik Lundqvist going on Friday. After starting his Rangers’ career 4-0-0, Raanta has gone 0-3-1 in his last five games while posting a 2.60 GAA and .905 SV%. Tonight Raanta will face a Wild team that has won five of their last seven.
Goalie Start
Greiss starts Thursday in Colorado.
Greiss stopped all 27 shots that he faced in the Islanders shutout win vs. New Jersey on Sunday. Jaroslav Halak struggled on Tuesday, so Greiss will go tonight in Colorado. Greiss has won four consecutive games with a 1.47 GAA and .949 SV% . Greiss carries the NHL’s fourth best GAA (2.03) and fifth SV% (.933).
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.