Vrbata (lower-body) will not play tonight.
Vrbata participated in the Coyotes optional skate this morning so there was some hope that he would suit up tonight vs. the Capitals.
NHL Hockey Player News
Perron (neck) taking warmups with Oilers, will play.
Perron missed the last four games, he will play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. Perron has two goals and seven assists in 13 games.
Goalie Start
Dubnyk starts for the Oilers.
Dubnyk gave up three goals on 25 shots in a loss to the Lightning on Thursday. It was a tough matchup for Dubnyk but things should get easier this afternoon, the Oilers take on the Flyers and their 30th ranked scoring offence. Edmonton signed Ilya Bryzgalov on Friday, so Dubnyk's limited fantasy value appears to be diminishing.
Goalie Start
Smith starts for the Coyotes.
Smith had his four-game winning streak snapped when he gave up four goals on 28 shots in a loss to the Ducks on Wednesday. Smith has carried the Coyotes to an impressive 11-4-2 start, but he has a tough matchup tonight vs. Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.
Line Change
Dumba in for the injured Clayton Stoner (leg).
Dumba was the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He has one goal and an assist in nine games this season. Dumba is one of the WIld's top prospects and has a good NHL career ahead of him, but until he lands a permanent spot on Minny's blueline, he has no fantasy value except for in deep keeper leagues.
Stoner (leg) out tonight; Mathew Dumba in.
Stoner left Thursday's game in the first period and did not return. He has three assists and a plus-6 rating in 16 games. Consider him day-to-day.
Goalie Start
Harding in net.
Harding gave up two goals on 27 shots in a loss to the Capitals on Thursday. He had five straight wins prior to Thursday, but will look to start a new streak tonight vs. the Hurricanes. Harding is already 1-0 vs. Carolina, and you should continue to automatically start him.
Goalie Start
Poulin starts on Sunday.
Poulin allowed a single goal on 24 shots, but was on the hook for the loss with the Islanders unable to beat Justin Peters. On Sunday he will start in his hometown of Montreal, Quebec - vs. the Canadiens.
Goalie Start
Halak starts for the Blues.
Halak allowed two goals on 27 shots in a shootout win over the Canadiens on Tuesday. The win was his eighth of the year (8-2-1) but will could have a hard time getting his ninth tonight vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Goalie Start
Bishop starts in Detroit.
Bishop's unreal start (10-2-0 / 2.14 GAA / .928 SV%) has earned him some United States Olympic team consideration. Bishop has likely been the most valuable fantasy player in the early part of the season and he will look to keep it rolling tonight in Detroit.
Goalie Start
Nabokov is first off - he starts.
Nabokov had a great history vs. the Capitals heading into Tuesday, but he was torched for six goals on 39 shots in the blowout loss. Nabby has had a hard time keeping the biscuit out of the net, allowing 25 goals in his last 6 starts (4.17 per game). He has a solid matchup tonight vs. the Blue Jackets.
Goalie Start
Josh Harding is manning the net Carolina would shoot twice at. Normally a sign he'd be Wild starter.
Harding gave up two goals on 27 shots in a loss to the Capitals on Thursday. He had five straight wins prior to Thursday, but will look to start a new streak tonight vs. the Hurricanes. Harding is already 1-0 vs. Carolina, and you should continue to automatically start him.
Hainsey missed practice this morning but will play tonight vs. the Wild.
Hainsey has two goals and two assists with a minus-5 rating in 16 games. He is not a fantasy relevant defenseman.
Goalie Start
Lehtonen is expected to get the nod for the Stars.
Lehtonen kept the Stars in Thursday's game turning aside 26 of 29 shots which led to a 4-3 OT win. It was his third straight win while posting a 2.47 GAA and .921 SV% in that span. Lehtonen has a difficult matchup with the Blackhawks coming to 'Big D'.
Line Change
Red Wings head coach Babcock said Helm will center the second line tonight with Daniel Alfredsson and Tomas Tatar.
Babcock had said yesterday that Helm wasn't ready to play on the second line tonight, but he will get his shot with Johan Franzen and Stephen Weiss out. Helm has one goal in three games after missing over a year and a half of NHL action.
Goalie Start
Looks like Neuvirth will get the start for the Capitals, we wait on confirmation.
Neuvirth will start tonight as the Capitals save Braden Holtby for Sunday vs. Colorado. Neuvirth stopped 31 of 33 shots in a win over the Panthers last Saturday. He will face the up-start 11-4-2 Coyotes team who are the NHL's eighth best scoring offence.
Ward (lower-body) skated in full pads after Hurricanes practice today.
It is the first time Ward has skated since being injured on October 24. His original timetable was 2-3 weeks, so he is still a week away from returning to the Hurricanes crease. Expect Justin Peters to continue to start in Ward and Anton Khudobin's absence.
Goalie Start
Bobrovsky starts for the Blue Jackets.
Bobrovsky allowed three goal on 33 shots in a loss to the Rangers on Thursday. He has struggled to start the season after winning the Vezina last year - he currently sits at 4-8-0 with a 2.81 GAA and .910 SV%. Goalie Bob already has an OT win over the Islanders this season.
Injury
Joensuu is questionable for 1 p.m matchup with the Flyers.
Joensuu has missed 10 games in a row with a back injury. He initially tried to come back from the injury early and ended up out of the lineup again. It has been frustrating for the Finnish winger.
David Perron joined the Oilers for practice on Friday. He skated on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle but it’s not yet known whether he will play.
Perron has missed his last four games. After initially missing the team’s game against Toronto with an illness, a neck injury got aggravated and he has been out for the past three as a result of that. The Oilers play at 1 p.m EST so we will find out if Perron will play shortly.
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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