Call up / Send down
Coyotes have assigned forwards Gilbert Brule and Jordan Szwarz to the Portland Pirates (AHL).
Brule is not expected to have any fantasy significance for the Coyotes.
NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Zatkoff start for the Penguins.
Zatkoff stopped 24 of 26 shots in a win over the Wild on December 19. The win was his sixth of the season as he moved to 6-2-0 with a 2.46 GAA and .912 SV%. Tonight he will face the Blue Jackets, a team he posted his first career shutout against on November 2nd.
Goalie Start
Third straight start tonight for Jonathan Bernier.
Bernier allowed three goals on 35 shots in a come from behind shootout win over the Sabres on Friday. The win was just his third in December as he moved to 3-4-2 with a 2.44 GAA and .928 SV% this month. Tonight he will take on a Hurricanes team who pushed three past him in a 3-2 loss in October.
Goalie Start
Lindback gets the call in goal for the Lightning.
Lindback allowed two goals on 30 shots in a win over the Predators on Decemeber 19. The win was just his third in nine tries this season. He will look to push that to four tonight vs. struggling Henrik Lundqvist and a Rangers team who are 3-5-1 in their last 10.
Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said that “it’s a possibility” that Nathan Horton (shoulder) could play on the upcoming road trip.
Columbus kicks off a four-game road trip starting on Tuesday in Colorado that goes until the following Monday in New York. Horton could make his Blue Jackets debut in one of those four games, so monitor his status during the morning skates of Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and the next Monday.
Goalie Start
Expecting Ward to start in net for Canes. Muller will make the call after morning skate.
Ward allowed three goals on 28 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Capitals on December 20. Was was given the next three games off in favour of Justin Peters, but will step back into the crease tonight in Toronto. He has clearly fallen behind Peters, but a strong start tonight should push him back towards the starting role after Peters went 0-2-1 while allowing 11 goals in his last three starts.
Goalie Start
Bernier is occupying the "starter's" goal at the morning skate.
Bernier allowed three goals on 35 shots in a come from behind shootout win over the Sabres on Friday. The win was just his third in December as he moved to 3-4-2 with a 2.44 GAA and .928 SV% this month. Tonight he will take on a Hurricanes team who pushed three past him in a 3-2 loss in October.
Injury
MacKenzie (lower-body) will be a game-time decision tonight.
MacKenzie has shuffled in and out of the lineup due to injuries this season. If he can't play tonight vs. the Penguins, Ryan Craig will enter the lineup.
Call up / Send down
The Blue Jackets have recalled Ryan Craig from Springfield (AHL).
Craig has skated in three games with Columbus this season and has recorded six goals and six assists in 22 games with Springfield. He could be in the lineup tonight vs. his former team if Derek MacKenzie can't play.
Goalie Start
Elliott starts on Sunday in Dallas.
Elliott allowed two goals on 19 shots in a relief effort of Jaroslav Halak in last night's come from behind shootout win over the Blackhawks. Tonight he faces a Dallas squad that he stopped 34 of 35 shots in a 6-1 win against in late November. Elliott has put in a lot of good efforts in limited action this season, don't hesitate to start him tonight.
Goalie Start
Budaj faces Florida on Sunday.
Budaj allowed two goals on 25 shots in a loss to the Panthers on December 15. On Sunday he will get a chance to avenge that defeat when he takes on the Panthers once again. He has been a great spot-start option all season and Sunday is no different.
Goalie Start
HIller leads the Ducks onto the ice for warmups; he starts.
Hiller allowed two goals on 19 shots in a win over the Capitals on Monday. It was his seventh straight win and 16th of the year. He will take on Phoenix team who he is 3-0-0 with a 1.95 GAA and .941 SV% against this season.
Goalie Start
Scrivens leads the Kings onto the ice for warmups.
Scrivens stopped 37 of 40 shots in a loss to the Blackhawks on December 15. It appears he will get the nod tonight with the Kings in Nashville. Despite holding a 1.66 GAA and .941 SV% he has been pushed into a back-up role with the emergence of Martin Jones. He would make for a solid spot-start against a Preds team who have lost five straight.
Philips (foot) will not play tonight and is day-to-day.
Phillips will be replaced by Patrick Wiercioch and is questionable for Monday's contest.
Spezza (lower-body) will not play tonight and is day-to-day.
Mika Zibanejad will slide to the top line with Spezza out. Monitor his status prior to Monday's contest.
Zdeno Chara not on the ice for warmups, he will not play tonight due to injury and is day to day
Chara is expected to be replaced by Zach Trotman tonight vs. the Senators. Monitor his status prior to Tuesday's contest.
Goalie Start
Rask leads the Bruins onto the ice for warmups; he starts.
Rask stopped all 33 shots that he faced in a 5-0 shutout win over the Senators on Friday. It appears he will get the call again, this time in Ottawa. The win was his 20th of the season and his 4th shutout. He continues to be a steady force in the Bruins net and is a must-start tonight should he actually get the call.
The Wild have placed Zach Parise (lower-body) on injured reserve.
Parise has missed the last two games with what is thought to be a foot injury. Parise's placement on IR is retroactive to December 22 so he would be eligible to play in Tuesday's contest, but it sounds like he will be out longer than that. Parise showed that he can return earlier than expected before, so don't count on him missing games until he is officially ruled out.
Goalie Start
Raanta starts for the Blackhawks.
Raanta stopped 16 of 18 shots in a blowout win over the Avalanche on Friday. He will get the start in both games of the back-to-back as the Hawks find themselves in St. Louis tonight. Raanta has been extremely solid on the road posting a 4-1-0 record with a 2.57 GAA and .909 SV%.
Goalie Start
Mazanec starts in goal for the Predators.
Mazanec allowed four goals on 29 shots after replacing Carter Hutton early in Monday's 6-2 loss to the Bruins. The Predators inexperienced goalie tandem has struggled as of late and things will not get any easier as Mazanec gets set to face a Kings team who are 9-1-1 in their last 11.
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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- 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.