NHL Hockey Player News

Byfuglien who was hurt when sliding into the boards legs-first in Friday's exhibition game is expected to ready for the season opener.

"He's day-to-day," coach Claude Noel said after the 90-minute workout. "Precautionary measures. We're being intelligent on that part. We expect him to be a player, yes."

Dustin Byfuglien
Voracek who injured his back last Tuesday, will play in Wednesday's opener against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, general manager Paul Holmgren said.

Voracek who finished tied for eighth in the NHL with a team-high 22 goals last season, is expected to start on the Flyers top line with Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell.

Jakub Voracek
The Nashville Predators have signed free-agent forward Simon Moser to a one-year entry-level contract worth $550,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the AHL level. Moser attended Predators training camp under a professional tryout agreement.

Moser has spent the last five seasons with Langnau of the Swiss Elite League, posting 110 points (56G-54A) in 232 games. In 2012-13, the 6-1, 214-pound winger posted 21 points (10g-11a) in 35 games while serving as team captain.

The Florida Panthers have signed Ryan Whitney to a one-year deal worth $900K.

Whitney, 30, was released from his tryout with the St. Louis Blues on Friday. He spent the past three-and-a-half seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and had four goals and nine assists in 34 games last season. In 474 games with Edmonton, Anaheim and Pittsburgh, the Boston native has 50 goals, 209 assists and 377 penalty minutes. Whitney was the Penguins' first-round pick (No. 5) at the 2002 NHL Draft.

The Washington Capitals have acquired a fourth-round draft pick in the 2014 NHL Draft and forward John Mitchell from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Mathieu Perreault,

Perreault recorded 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 39 games with Washington last season.

Mathieu Perreault
The Vancouver Canucks have signed winger Jannik Hansen to a four-year contract extension. he deal will pay Hansen $2.5 million a season. It's an identical contract to the one Chris Higgins signed last year.

Hansen has spent his entire career with the Canucks, collecting 131 points over 318 games in his six-year career.

Jannik Hansen
The Canucks have traded 22-year-old Kellan Tochkin to the Carolina Hurricanes along with a 2014 fourth round pick for the 23-year-old Zac Dalpe and 25-year-old Jeremy Welsh.

Tochkin is not expected to be an NHL player.

Kellen Tochkin
The Canucks have traded 22-year-old Kellan Tochkin to the Carolina Hurricanes along with a 2014 fourth round pick for the 23-year-old Zac Dalpe and 25-year-old Jeremy Welsh.

Jeremy Welsh is a salary dump. The Hurricanes signed Welsh to a one-year contract to play one game after three impressive years in the NCAA — in his 2011-12 season, he was one of the top goal scorers in college hockey with 27 goals in 40 games — then re-signed him to a two-year contract worth an average of $850,000. Welsh disappointed in his first professional season, scoring 14 goals and 26 points in 69 games in the AHL. Still, there may be some potential to be a bottom-six forward in the NHL, considering he has decent size at 6’3? and clearly has some skill.

Jeremy Welsh
The Canucks sent the 22-year-old Kellan Tochkin to the Carolina Hurricanes along with a 2014 fourth round pick for the 23-year-old Zac Dalpe and 25-year-old Jeremy Welsh.

Dalpe was a second round pick in 2008 and was, at one point, a highly-touted prospect expected to play a large role in the future of the Hurricanes. Last year he appeared in just 10 NHL games, scoring three points. He had 21 goals and 42 points in 54 AHL games.

Zac Dalpe
The Los Angeles Kings have sent Tanner Pearson to Manchester (AHL).

Pearson was selected with the 30th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. He was always a good offensive player but he has turned himself into a reliable two-way forward which is why he was expected to crack the Kings opening day roster. He and Tyler Toffoli should enjoy a lot of success in the AHL and will likely find themselves in a Kings uniform at some point this year.

Tanner Pearson
Connor Carrick has been the surprise of the Capitals preseason as he went from expecting to head back to the OHL to likely in Chicago for the regular season opener on Tuesday in a little less than three weeks.

Carrick, 19, (137th overall pick in 2012) impressed with poise, strong skating and decision-making skills over the course of five preseason appearances. Carrick had 12 goals and 44 points in 68 games on the Plymouth Whalers blueline last season. Should he make the Capitals top-six defensemen his offensive upside could make him fantasy relevant with time.

Connor Carrick
The Pittsburgh Penguins said on Saturday that defenceman Kris Letang is out with a lower-body injury. Head coach Dan Bylsma said that Letang will not skate the rest of the weekend and will be re-evaluated back in Pittsburgh.

The coach said he was unsure on whether the blueliner's injury will be short-term or extended until his re-evaluation. Monitor Letang's status in the coming days to see if Letang will be ready for the Penguins season opener on October 3rd.

Kris Letang
Jason Spezza has a “minor” groin injury that will keep him out of the team’s split-quad games against the New York Islanders Sunday night. Spezza’s continued absence has led to speculation he might not be ready to start the regular season, but coach Paul MacLean suggested that wouldn’t be an issue.

“Jason Spezza has a minor groin injury that we are managing to get him to Oct. 4 so he can play,” MacLean said following practice at the Canadian Tire Centre. “We’re just making sure he’s ready to play the opener, which is more important than an exhibition game.”

Jason Spezza
Not surprisingly Rasmus Ristolainen has made the Sabres 23-man roster. He had been a top-six defender since day one of camp and head coach Ron Rolston said he was the team's best defenseman Friday night.

The eighth overall pick in this year's draft is a great offensive-defenseman prospect. He had three goals and 12 assists (15 points) in 52 games playing with men in the SM-liiga.

Rasmus Ristolainen
Zadorov, who just signed his entry-level contract on Wednesday, is going to be out for about two weeks after needing stitches to repair what Rolston called a "smashed" finger tip on his left hand. Zadorov suffered the injury blocking a shot on the penalty kill Friday night in Carolina. Rather than sending Zadorov back to junior, the Sabres could simply keep him here skating for the two weeks on injured reserve and not have him count against the 23-man roster limit.

Zadorov was the 16th overall pick in this year's draft. He is a huge defenseman at 6-foot-5, 228 lbs. who loves to play extremely physically. He possesses a big shot but is not expected to contribute a ton offensively as he is more of a stay at home defenseman.

Nikita Zadorov
The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed defenceman John-Michael Liles on waivers as their opening-night roster begins to come into focus.

Liles looked like the odd man out on the blue-line during the pre-season, something that became even more clear after Cody Franson signed. If he's not claimed by another NHL team, Liles could be assigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

John-Michael Liles

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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