NHL Hockey Player News

Kampf (undisclosed) rejoined Toronto's practice in full for the first time since his injury Monday.

Kampf has not played since the All-Star break but appears to be nearing a return to the Maple Leafs' lineup as he is expected to return Tuesday but will remain a game-time decision. The bottom-six forward has one assist in his last 10 games played and is having a down season by his standards with just four goals, eight points, and a -9 plus/minus in 46 games before his injury.

David Kampf
Willman has been placed on waivers by the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

Willman has not played the last two games for the Devils and has been placed on waivers, likely to make space to recall a netminder in response to Vitek Vanecek dealing with an injury. The 28-year-old Willman has two points (1G / 1A) in 13 games with the Devils this season.

Maxwell Willman
Ruzicka will make his Arizona debut on Monday in Philadelphia.

Ruzicka had been held without a point in 10 straight games, leading to him being placed on waivers by the Calgary Flames three weeks ago and ultimately being claimed by the Coyotes. The 24-year-old Slovak was the fourth-round pick of the Flames in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and will make his Coyotes debut on Monday. He had 40 points (14G / 26A) in 114 career games with the Flames.

Adam Ruzicka
Vejmelka will start on Monday in Philadelphia.

Vejmelka has seen limited action between the pipes lately but will start on Monday after repeated poor outings by Connor Ingram. Vejmelka saved all 28 shots he faced entering Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in relief of Connor Ingram, who allowed three goals on six shots (.500 SV%) in the first period. It's not the first time Ingram has faltered this season, but Vejmelka has failed to take advantage of each opportunity to impress the Coyotes coaching staff. The Coyotes are +135 road underdogs against a Philidelphia Flyers squad riding a three-game winning streak.

Karel Vejmelka
Vanecek (illness/lower body) will be out on Monday after missing their morning skate earlier in the day.

Vanecek was excellent in a losing effort over the weekend, allowing one goal on 32 shots (.969 SV%) in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Nico Daws will start between the pipes on Monday night for the Devils, who will likely recall Akira Schmid from the AHL to serve as part of the Devils' tandem while Vanecek is unable to play.

Vitek Vanecek
Markstrom will start on Monday in New York.

Markstrom will start for the sixth straight game on Monday night as he and the Flames look to extend their winning streak to five games. After posting a pedestrian .896 SV% in his first 16 games (6-8-2), Markstrom has been a leading force in helping the Flames compete for a playoff position, posting an exceptional .936 SV% in his 16 games since (11-5-0). The Flames are +144 road underdogs against a New York Rangers club also riding a four-game winning streak.

Jacob Markstrom
MacKinnon (chin) was not at practice on Monday after leaving the previous game vs. Florida early due to injury.

Head coach Jared Bednar stated that MacKinnon "should be good to go tomorrow" after missing practice Monday due to a chin injury which caused him to leave their game vs. Florida early. The Avalanche' will hope the injury does not linger as MacKinnon is the odds-on favourite to win this year's Hart Trophy due to his 32 goals, 85 points, 240 SOG, 30 PIMs and +15 plus/minus through 53 games played this season.

Nathan MacKinnon
Luukkonen is expected to start on Tuesday vs. Los Angeles.

Luukkonen will likely continue his reign over the Sabres' crease on Tuesday night, starting for the ninth time in their last 10 games. Despite being a clear favourite between the pipes, Luukkonen has a sub-.500 record in his last nine contests (4-5-0), due mostly to a lack of goal support as he has allowed three or fewer goals in each contest, posting an excellent .930 SV%.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Jankowski was recalled from Milwaukee (AHL) on Monday.

Jankowski was recalled along with Egor Afanasyev on Monday in moves corresponding to Philip Tomasino being reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). The 29-year-old Jankowski has 324 NHL games under his belt but has spent the majority of the 2023-24 campaign with Milwaukee in the AHL, scoring an impressive 47 points (15G / 32A) in 42 games.

Mark Jankowski
Afanasyev has been recalled from Milwaukee (AHL) on Monday.

Afanasyev was recalled along with Mark Jankowski on Monday in moves corresponding to Philip Tomasino being reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). Afanasyev was the 45th overall pick of the Predators in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has been enjoying a terrific season at the AHL level, scoring 42 points (21G / 21A) in 42 games.

Egor Afanasyev
Tomasino has been reassigned to Milwaukee (AHL) on Monday.

Tomasino has been reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL as Egor Afanasyev and Mark Jankowski were recalled in adjacent moves. Before scoring three points (2G / 1A) in his last three games, Tomasino was limited to only three points (1G / 2A) in his previous 12 and has failed to translate his pedigree from being Nashville's first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft to the NHL level this season.

Philip Tomasino
Edstrom will draw back into the Rangers' lineup on Monday vs. Calgary.

Tyler Pitlick will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Edstrom to re-enter the Rangers' lineup, his second game of the season. On December 15th, Edstrom made his NHL debut, scoring one goal on three shots while playing 9:39 time-on-ice.

Adam Edstrom
Daws was in the Devils' starting crease for Monday's morning skate.

Vitek Vanecek played the last four games for the Devils, and despite being outstanding in a 1-0 losing effort to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, the Devils will likely turn to Daws between the pipes. A rested Daws will hope to rebound after troubling performances in his last three outings (0-3-0), allowing 12 combined goals and posting an ugly .836 SV%. The Devils will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak (0-1-1) as -127 home favourites against a Seattle Kraken club that has been outscored 5-2 in their last two games (0-2-0).

Nico Daws
Shesterkin will start on Monday vs. Calgary.

The Rangers are rolling, riding a four-game winning streak, mostly without the help of Shesterkin, who served as the backup netminder in all but the most recent victory. That said, the former Vezina-winner will attempt to build off his most recent performance when he saved 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, his first quality start in his last five outings (2-2-1). The Rangers are -154 home favourites on Monday night against the Calgary Flames, who have outscored their opposition 15-6 during a four-game winning streak.

Igor Shesterkin
Ersson will start on Monday vs. Arizona.

Ersson had the night off on Saturday after starting six straight but will return to the crease on Monday night. The 24-year-old netminder has showcased a mixed bag this season but has played well lately, allowing only two combined goals in his last two games (2-0-0), posting a stellar .960 SV%. Ersson has quality starts in a respectable 64% of games and has a favourable matchup on Monday when his Flyers look to extend their three-game winning streak as -145 home favourites against an Arizona Coyotes club riding a five-game losing streak (0-4-1).

Samuel Ersson
Foerster (lower body) will be a game-time decision on Monday vs. Arizona.

Foerster is dealing with a lower-body injury and his status is up in the air ahead of Monday's game against the Arizona Coyotes. He was spotted in a walking boot after Saturday's game against the Seattle Kraken. The 22-year-old Foerster has three goals and eight shots in his last four games while playing predominantly on a line with Ryan Poehling and Noah Cates.

Tyson Foerster
Dewar (lower-body) is expected to return to the Wild lineup on Monday.

Dewar has missed the last six games with a lower-body injury but seems poised to play Monday in Vegas. Dewar, who would replace Marcus Foligno (lower-body) in the lineup, skated on the fourth line with Jake Lucchini and Vinni Lettieri in Sunday's practice session. He has seven goals and two assists (nine points) in 45 games this season.

Connor Dewar

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!