Line Change
Tatar (personal) will return to the Red Wings lineup on Saturday.
Tatar will play vs. the Kings tomorrow after missing Thursday's game to attend his father's funeral in Slovakia. Tatar will likely replace Mikael Samuelsson.
NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Howard gets the nod on Saturday.
Howard stopped 47 of 48 shots in a tough-luck 1-0 loss to the Rangers on Thursday. He has been great in his last two starts, stopping 91 of 93 shots (.979 SV%). On Saturday he will face the Kings again, he just stopped 44 of 45 shots in a 3-1 win in L.A on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Talbot gets the start on Saturday.
Talbot has not started since January 4 when he stopped 24 of 25 shots in a win over the Maple Leafs. He has had a great year so far, but Henrik Lundqvist has turned things around lately which will limit Talbot's value going forward. On Saturday he will take on the Senators in Ottawa. He is 6-2-0 with a 1.55 GAA and .941 SV% on the road.
Steen (concussion) will be back in the Blues lineup on Saturday.
Steen has missed the last 11 games with a concussion that he suffered on December 21. Despite all the time that he missed, he is still tied for 5th in the NHL with 24 goals. Steen has had a tremendous season and should be activated in all formats for Saturday.
Line Change
Palmieri in; Patrick Maroon out.
Palmieri was a healthy scratch on Wednesday but will draw back into the lineup tonight in Chicago. He has recorded 19 points (8G / 11A) in 43 games this season.
Goalie Start
HIller starts in goal for the Ducks.
Hiller missed Wednesday's start because of an illness but will be back in the cage tonight in Chicago. He will be going for his 15th straight victory, but it won't come easy against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.
The Maple Leafs have placed Clarkson on IR with an elbow injury.
Clarkson is expected to miss at least one week. He has struggled this season so this likely won't hurt fantasy teams or the Maple Leafs too much. Expect them to recall a forward before Saturday.
Goalie Start
Grubauer starts vs. Columbus.
Grubauer stopped 28 of 29 shots in a tough-luck 2-1 shootout loss to the Sharks on Tuesday. He enters play in Columbus tonight with a 3-1-2 record with a 1.79 GAA .946 SV% on the road this season.
The Panthers have acquired forwards Ryan Martindale and Derek Nesbitt from the Oilers in exchange for forwards Steve Pinizzotto and Jack Comb.
This is a minor league trade, no players are currently in the NHL or hold an fantasy value.
The Oilers have acquired Steve Pinizzotto and Jack Combs from Panthers in exchange for forwards Ryan Martindale and Derek Nesbitt.
This is a minor league trade, no players are currently in the NHL or hold an fantasy value.
Call up / Send down
The Canadiens have recalled Joonas Nattinen from Hamilton (AHL).
Nattinen, 23, was selected in the third round (65th overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft. He has never played in the NHL but has recorded 21 goals and 20 assists (41 points) in 124 games at the AHL level. He has 11 points (5G / 6A) in 37 games with Hamilton this season.
The Maple Leafs have placed Frazer McLaren (undisclosed) on injured reserve.
McLaren provides nothing in terms of fantasy value.
Goalie Start
Bobrovsky starts in goal for Columbus.
Bobrovsky stopped 26 of 28 shots in a win over the Lightning on Monday. He extended his winning streak to three games while posting a 1.62 GAA and .953 SV% after missing more than one month with a groin injury. Tonight he faces fellow Russian Olympian Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, who Bob is 0-1-1 with a 3.95 GAA and .890 SV% against this season.
Call up / Send down
The Blues have assigned forward Dmitrij Jaskin to the Chicago Wolves (AHL).
Jaskin suited up for the Blues' last two games, he failed to record a point while averaging 10:29 TOI.
Call up / Send down
The Blue Jackets recalled Dalton Prout from Springfield (AHL).
Prout has recorded two assists in 25 games for the Blue Jackets this season. He has been recalled because Fedor Tyutin is ill and may not be able to play tonight.
Tyutin (illness) is absent from the Blue Jackets morning skate.
Tyutin was not at practice on Thursday either so his status for tonight's game is in serious jeopardy. The Blue Jackets recalled Dalton Prout on Thursday and he will slide into the lineup if Tyutin is unfit to play.
Yakupov suffered a head injury on Thursday and did not return for the third period.
Matt Cooke wall-papered Nail Yakupov into the boards inside the Wild blue-line late in the second period, Yakupov never got up and slowly walked to the dressing room. Expect an update within the next 24 hours, but the immediate concern is that Yakupov may have suffered a concussion.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere (back spasms) will be back on the bench as Semyon Varlamov's backup against the Devils.
Giguere's back spasms only kept him out of one game. Sami Aittokallio has been reassigned to Lake Erie with Giggy back. The Avs don't have a back-to-back until next Friday and Saturday, don't expect to see Giguere until then.
Injury
Hiller (flu) went through full practice and "at this stage" is available to play tomorrow against Blackhawks.
Hiller did not dress in Wednesday's 9-1 beat-down of the Vancouver Canucks. The Ducks are the hottest team in the NHL right now and Hiller could get a shot at his 15th consecutive win vs. Chicago tomorrow. Monitor his status following the Ducks' morning skate.
Goalie Start
Lack starts in goal for the Canucks.
Lack was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots in last night's 9-1 destruction at the by the Anaheim Ducks. Nothing went the Canucks way on Wednesday, but they get a chance to bounce right back tonight in Phoenix. Mike Smith has lost nine straight starts, so Lack makes for a decent start tonight.
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.