Wellman out tonight for #mnwild
Wellman is unable to gut through his wrist injury and will not play tonight. The Brentwood, California native scored two goals and four points through seven games after tearing up the AHL.
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NHL Hockey Player News
Injury
Koivu testing injury this morning, on ice before practice in tracksuit.
Koivu stepping back onto the ice is a welcome sign for the Wild. The team's captain will not play tonight and likely misses up to four games.
Line Change
Palmer will make #nhl debut regardless
The former Miami University standout scored four goals and 10 points in 26 games for the Houston Aeros. He takes Casey Wellman's place in the lineup.
Line Change
Bouchard a game-time decision tonight for #mnwild vs. Islanders on @fsnorth and @kfan1003.
Bouchard took part in all of today's practice and is likely to draw back into the lineup tonight due to injuries to both Mikko Koivu and Guillaume Latendresse. Butch has five goals and 18 points in 29 games before getting hurt.
Joe Sacco said Varlamov has minor back injury. #Avs #Caps
Tough break for Varlamov, who was looking forward to facing his former team. He will be available to backup Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
Goalie Start
Jean-Sebastian Giguere off ice first for #Avs.
In eight career appearances against the Caps, Giguere has a 3-4-1 record with a 2.29 GAA, .928 SV% and two shutouts.
Line Change
Jurcina will be paired with Streit, and Mottau with Reese. #isles
Jurcina moves up to the top defensive pairing. He has two goals and five points through 20 games while getting some power play time as well.
MacDonald, Niederreiter in
Niedderreiter practiced with Marty Reasoner and Matt Martin on the fourth line and could get back into the lineup. He has a goal in six games and hasn't played since December 3rd.
Eaton still out.
With no goals since the 2009-2010 season, Eaton has no fantasy hockey value.
MacDonald, Niederreiter in
MacDonald has been sidelined since November 29th with a foot injury. He has very limited fantasy hockey value until he gets back to full strength.
Goalie Start
Al Montoya in goal tonight for #Isles.
Over two career starts against the Wild, Montoya has a 2-0-0 record with a 1.00 GAA and .964 SV%.
Hot Streak
Patrick Sharp has an eight-game point streak, tying Steven Stamkos for the longest so far this season. #Blackhawks
You could argue that Sharp is one of the most important fantasy hockey players considering he qualifies for all three forward positions.
Call up / Send down
Oberg recalled from Norfolk as insurance.
Coach Guy Boucher likes to have seven defenders on his roster at all time. Don't expect Oberg to play, or make any fantasy hockey impact for that matter.
Line Change
Gervais in.
Gervais has been serviceable as the seventh defender, chipping in two goals and an assist over 10 games.
Matt Gilroy did not make the trip to Columbus, so he's definitely out tonight
Gilroy didn't practice with the team yesterday either, indicating that he may miss a significant amount of time. The former Hobey Baker winner has eight assists in 29 games as a member of the Bolts.
Goalie Start
Tim Thomas vs. Ilya Bryzgalov.
In 15 career starts against the Flyers, Thomas has a 10-3-2 record with a 2.18 GAA, .936 SV% and one shutout.
Goalie Start
Tim Thomas vs. Ilya Bryzgalov.
In seven career starts against the Bruins, Bryzgalov has a 5-1-1 record with a 1.85 GAA and .933 SV%.
Injury
#FlaPanthers will make a roster move before Sun game w/ Carolina...Jack Skille hurt, don't know severity
Skille scored two goals and six points through 31 games, bringing grit to the scoring lines. Expect the team to recall a player who plays with a bit of an edge.
Line Change
#Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff says he'll play Colin Stuart tonight, and sit a d-man. Didn't indicate who it would be. -- ^ks
Expect Stuart to play on the fourth line tonight. The career minor leaguer has no fantasy hockey value.
Line Change
#CBJ RW Derek Dorsett will play tonight, coach Scott Arniel confirms.
Expect Dorsett to reclaim his place on the third line from rookie Dane Byers. The Kindersley, Saskatchewan has six goals and eight points through 29 games and should boost the team's PK.
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.