NHL Hockey Player News

Skinner will start Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Skinner allowed one goal on 21 shots in the Oilers' Game 6 win over the Panthers. After dropping the first three games of the series, Skinner has gone 3-0 while only giving up five goals on 86 shots (.942 SV%) in the last three games. He's now 14-8 with a .901 SV% in 22 playoff games.

Stuart Skinner
Los Angeles has signed Samuel Fagemo to a one-year, $775,000 contract extension.

Fagemo was originally drafted by the Kings but was claimed off waivers by the Predators last October before being re-claimed by the Kings five weeks later. He spent most of the 2024 season in the AHL, where he tallied 62 points (43G / 19A) in 50 games. Through four professional seasons in North America, Fagemo has just four points (3G / 1A) in 21 career NHL games.

Samuel Fagemo
New Jersey has re-signed Nick DeSimone to a one-year, two-way contract extension.

Desimone was claimed off waivers by the Devils in January and had two points (1G / 1A) in 11 NHL games with the Devils. Prior to being waived, he had five points (1G / 4A) in 23 games with the Flames. Expect Desimone to be a sixth or seventh defenseman for the Devils in 2024-25.

Nick DeSimone
The Stars signed Mathias Emilio Pettersen to a one-year contract worth $775K.

Pettersen was acquired from Calgary in a one-for-one deal in March 2024 and signed a one-year contract worth $775,000 to stay with Dallas on Monday. The 24-year-old forward has yet to make his NHL debut but had 11 goals and 38 points in 64 games played between Calgary (AHL) and Texas (AHL) last season.

Emilio Pettersen
Derick Brassard has announced his retirement after 1,013 career NHL games.

Derick Brassard has called it a career after 16 NHL seasons with 10 different teams. The 36-year-old last played in the NHL with Ottawa in 2022-23 and had 215 goals and 545 points in 1013 career NHL games played. He never ended up winning a Stanley Cup but was an integral part of New York's 2014 Finals run.

Derick Brassard
Cousins will be a healthy scratch for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Cousins appeared in the Panthers' lineup for Game 6 for the first time since May 26th but will come back out on Monday as he is replaced by Kyle Okposo. The 30-year-old had seven goals and 15 points in 69 regular season games but has failed to produce at all in the playoffs with only one assist and 20 PIMs in 12 playoff games played.

Nick Cousins
Bobrovsky will start Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday.

It is do or die for Game 7 as Sergei Bobrovsky looks to end Florida's current three-game losing streak and finally close out the Stanley Cup Finals in Florida's fourth and final chance on Monday. The 35-year-old veteran netminder seemed a lock for the Conn Smythe Trophy just three games ago but has posted a 0-3-0 record, 4.00 GAA and .793 SV% in Florida's previous three Stanley Cup-clinching games. He will look to close out the playoffs on a positive note on Monday and add to his 15-8-0 record, 2.38 GAA and .903 SV% in 23 playoff games this season.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Okposo is expected to draw back into the Panthers' lineup for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Okposo was a healthy scratch for Game 6 but will get another chance to secure the Stanley Cup as he will return to Florida's lineup in replacement for Nick Cousins. The 36-year-old veteran was acquired at the trade deadline this season from Buffalo and has never won a Stanley Cup in his 17 NHL seasons. In 16 playoff games in 2023-24, he has no goals, two assists and 10 PIMs.

Kyle Okposo
The Canucks signed Linus Karlsson to a one-year, two-way contract.

Karlsson had an extremely successful 2023-24 with the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) picking up 23 goals and 60 points in 60 games played and has signed a one-year, two-way contract to remain with Vancouver. The 24-year-old made his NHL debut last season, appearing in four games but failing to pick up a point.

Linus Karlsson
The Canucks signed Cole McWard to a one-year, two-way contract.

McWard was originally signed by Vancouver out of Ohio State (NCAA) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract after a successful first season with Abbotsford (AHL). The 23-year-old defensemen has appeared in six NHL games across his two seasons with Vancouver, picking up one goal and no assists. In 57 games with Abbotsford in 2023-24, he had four goals and 17 points.

Cole McWard
The Bruins signed Ian Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract.

Mitchell was acquired by Boston last offseason in a deal that involved Taylor Hall going to Chicago and has now signed a one-year, two-way contract to remain with the Bruins. The 25-year-old defenseman has four goals and 18 points in 95 career NHL games played after appearing in 13 games for Boston in 2023-24.

Ian Mitchell
The Kings signed Alex Turcotte to a three-year contract worth $2.325 million ($775K AAV).

Los Angeles has secured a key depth piece of their future for the next three years after signing Alex Turcotte to a three-year contract worth $2.325 million ($775K AAV). The 23-year-old winger is Los Angeles' 2019 first-round pick (5th overall) and has appeared in 32 NHL games in the last three seasons. In 2023-24 he achieved career highs in almost all statistical categories with one goal, four points, 14 SOG, and six PIMs in 20 games played.

Alex Turcotte
The Stars signed Matej Blumel to a one-year, two-way contract.

Blumel completed his second season in North America with Texas (AHL) in 2023-24 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract to star with the Stars in 2024-25. The 24-year-old winger made his NHL debut and only NHL appearance in 2022-23 and had one goal in six games played. In 72 games with Texas (AHL) last season, he had 31 goals and 62 points.

Matej Blumel
The Lightning have signed Gage Goncalves to a one-year, two-way contract.

After 13 goals and 58 points in 69 games with Syracuse (AHL) in 2023-24, Gage Goncalves has signed a one-year, two-way contract to stay with Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old centre was Tampa Bay's 2020 second-round pick (62nd overall) and made his NHL debut in 2023-24, failing to pick up a point in two games played.

Gage Goncalves
The Hurricanes have signed Ty Smith to a one-year, two-way contract.

Carolina added to its defensive depth over the weekend as they signed 24-year-old offensive defenseman Ty Smith to a one-year, two-way contract. The puck-moving defenseman has 47 points in 123 career NHL games played but last appeared in the NHL with Pittsburgh all the way back in 2022-23. He spent all of 2023-24 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) and had nine goals and 43 points in 63 games played.

Ty Smith
Nashville has acquired Ozzy Wiesblatt from San Jose for Egor Afanasyev.

With Egor Afanasyev looking for a way out of Nashville if he didn't get more ice time next season, San Jose jumped all over the rumours and acquired the 23-year-old towering left-winger in a one-for-one trade for right-winger Ozzy Wieblatt. Wiesblatt was San Jose's 2020 first-round pick (31st overall) and spent the 2023-24 season with both San Jose (AHL) and Milwaukee (AHL). In his second AHL season since making the jump from the WHL, he had only four goals and 17 points combined in 50 games played.

Ozzy Wiesblatt
San Jose has acquired Egor Afanasyev from Nashville for Ozzy Wiesblatt.

Nashville made a minor prospect deal on Sunday as they traded Egor Afanasyev to San Jose for right-winger Ozzy Wiesblatt. The Predators had their hands tied with Afanasyev as he had informed them that he expected to play in the NHL full-time next season or he would be heading back to his native country of Russia. The 23-year-old left-winger has appeared in 19 NHL games with the Predators in the last two seasons and has one goal, no assists and a -8 plus/minus.

Egor Afanasyev

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!