The Penguins have also placed defenseman Kris Letang on injured reserve.
Reports are that Letang is dealing with a knee injury but he is not expected to be out longterm.
NHL Hockey Player News
Call up / Send down
Beau Bennett has been re-assigned to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.
All preseason Bennett had growing hype because there were reports he would start the season with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. While his re-assignment looks like a paper transaction, it appears as if Jussi Jokinen has slid in with Malkin and Neal instead of Bennett.
Call up / Send down
The New York Islanders have sent Ryan Strome to Bridgeport (AHL).
The Islanders are trying to give the 2011, fifth overall pick more time to develop. He is a good playmaking centre with great hands, but has not completely adapted to the NHL game, but he is close. Strome will certainly be the first forward called up from Bridgeport.
General
Griffin Reinhart has made the New York Islanders opening day 23-man roster.
The 6-foot-4, 202 lbs Reinhart was the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He is a good two-way defenseman, with a solid skating ability for a player of his size. His NHL ready body should help him translate his game into the NHL quickly. He had 26 goals and 64 assists (90 points) in three seasons as a member of the Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL).
Travis Hamonic is being evaluated today for an undisclosed injury. There are reports that he is dealing with a shoulder injury but Arthur Staple of Newsday reports he is being tested for a concussion.
Hamonic is a key member of the Islanders blueline. With the season around the corner they are hoping this is not a long term injury. We will like get an update on Hamonic tomorrow. Monitor his status as the season draws near.
Line Change
Tomas Tatar made the Wings’ final roster, but now the question is when will he get in the lineup. It appears Wings coach Mike Babcock will sit Tatar in the season opener, opting to go with a more veteran look as Joakim Andersson will center Todd Bertuzzi and Daniel Cleary.
“I’m out of the lineup right now, but I don’t know what will happen Wednesday, so just wait for a chance,” Tatar said. “I’m the youngest guy in the locker room, so I wait and when chance comes I’m going to grab it and hold it.” Tatar is a tremendous offensive talent and will get his shot soon. He has great speed, great hands and the ability to set up linemates and score.
The Red Wings placed Darren Helm on long-term injured reserve today, which means he’ll miss at least the first 10 games of the regular season. “I’ll be playing this year, I’m confident in that,” Helm said.
Helm participated in another full practice on Monday, centering a line with Drew Miller and Mikael Samuelsson. “I need to string together a few of those before I feel like I, ready to play,” Helm said. “I’ve only played four periods in the last 18 months. This will give me some time to get a little bit of a training camp, I guess, give me an opportunity to get ready, get in some skates, do some stuff after.”
Call up / Send down
Hurricanes assigned D Ryan Murphy to Charlotte (AHL) today.
After four strong years in the OHL, Murphy looked poised to make the opening night roster, but today he was sent down. He will start the year in the AHL, but will likely be the first D-man called up for the Hurricanes.
Stars coach Lindy Ruff says he anticipates Trevor Daley will be ready for the season opener.
Daley has been dealing with an upper-body injury throughout the preseason. If he is in the lineup on Thursday as Ruff suggests, then you will likely see him alongside Jordie Benn.
It appears as if Morgan Rielly will open the season with the Maple Leafs. Rielly emerged as the big story out of camp — a 19-year-old defenceman who stole the show from veterans like John-Michael Liles and Korbinian Holzer, both of whom were placed on waivers Sunday.
Rielly led all Leafs in ice time in the final tune-up game Saturday, as management took one long, last look at him before making their decision. While the roster has not been submitted yet, it appears Rielly will remain in Toronto for at least nine games, the limit before the clock starts ticking on the first year of his entry-level contract.
Lightning says Matt Taormina (who was waived but not claimed) is technically going to be with the Tampa Bay Lightning opposed to the AHL because of an upper-body injury. Taormina is on IR and out indefinitely.
Taormina only appeared in two games for the Lightning last season, recording no points. He had 24 points in 55 games in the AHL.
Zemgus Girgensons has made Buffalo's 23-man roster to start season.
Girgensons was the 12th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He is a great two-way forward and is probably better defensively than he is offensively which limits his fantasy value.
Marian Hossa who had been dealing with a back injury says he is "good to go" for tomorrow's season opener vs. Washington.
Hossa will skate on a line with Michal Handzus and Patrick Sharp.
Goalie Start
Corey Crawford will start in goal for #Blackhawks against Capitals tomorrow night.
Crawford was spectacular in the Blackhawks Stanley Cup winning season. He went 19-5-5 with a 1.94 GAA and .926 SV% last year while splitting time with Ray Emery. With Emery gone, Crawford will start more games this year and should have no trouble winning a ton of games behind a great Blackhawks team.
Gleason has been week-to-week with an upper-body injury. It turns out that he is dealing with a concussion and his status for the season opener does not look good.
The 30-year-old has not cracked 20 points since 2005-06, so he is not fantasy relevant.
Douglas Murray suffered an upper body injury in yesterday's practice and will miss 4-6 weeks.
Murray has 10 points in 103 games in the last two seasons, he is not fantasy relevant.
Call up / Send down
Mika Zibanejad has been assigned to Binghamton (AHL).
This is surprising, Zibanejad had a great preseason and looked like a lock to make the Sens roster. He had seven goals and 13 assists (20 points) in 42 games for Ottawa last season. The move was likely made because Zibanejad is waiver exempt and the Senators did not want to expose Stephane Da Costa to waivers. Expect to see Zibanejad back with Ottawa soon.
Injury
Jaromir Jagr says he's fully healthy and will play on the opener. "I'm okay. I just have to get in the lineup."
Jagr was practicing on the Devils fifth line this morning, but was also working on the power-play so it remains to be seen if he will play on Thursday.
Line Change
Kulemin looks to be the guy who will initially fill David Clarkson's spot alongside Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul.
Kulemin has some fantasy value even on Toronto's third line, but the 10-game suspension to Clarkson boosts his value for the first few weeks.
McLaren had a bit of setback with his broken finger. He is not expected to be back for couple weeks. Getting closer to point where the Maple Leafs can use LTIR for him.
McLaren is not fantasy relevant.
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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