Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

NHL Hockey Player News

The Utah Hockey Club signed Ben McCartney to a one-year contract, two-way contract.

McCartney was drafted in the seventh round in 2020 and has appeared in just two career NHL games since. The 22-year-old winger spent the entire 2024 season in the AHL, where he scored six goals with 16 assists (22 points) in 46 games with the Tucson Roadrunners.

Ben McCartney
The Utah Hockey Club signed Patrik Koch to a one-year, two-way contract.

Koch signed with the Coyotes last June after an eight-year career overseas, playing in Czechia, and Slovakia. The 27-year-old defenseman appeared in one NHL game during the 2024 season, but racked up 15 points (1G / 14A) in 63 AHL games. He figures to start the 2025 season in the AHL.

Patrik Koch
San Jose has acquired Jake Walman and Tampa Bay's 2024 2nd-round pick from Detroit for future considerations.

Walman carries a $3.4 million cap hit for the next two seasons and was traded alongside Tampa Bay's 2024 2nd-round pick from Detroit in what appears to be a cap dump situation. The 28-year-old set the hockey world ablaze with his "Gritty" celebration and had a solid 2023-24 season despite the trade, with 12 goals, 21 points, 108 SOG, 44 PIMs and a -2 plus/minus in 63 games played.

Jake Walman
Nashville has acquired Andrew Gibson for Jesse Kiiskinen and a 2024 2nd-round pick.

Gibson was the Red Wings' 2023 2nd-round pick (42nd overall) but has been traded to Nashville for Jesse Kiiskinen and a 2024 2nd-round pick. The 19-year-old defenseman has spent the last three seasons with the Soo Greyhounds (OHL) and had 12 goals and 44 points in 68 games in 2023-24.

Andrew Gibson
Detroit has acquired Jesse Kiiskinen and a 2024 2nd round pick from Nashville for Andrew Gibson.

Kiiskinen was Nashville's 2023 third-round pic (68th overall) and has been dealt to Detroit alongside a 2024 second-round pick for Andrew Gibson. Kiiskinen is an 18-year-old right-winger who has spent his entire playing career in Finland and had four goals, and 10 points in 38 games with Pelicans (Liiga).

Jesse Kiiskinen
Utah Hockey Club has signed Vladislav Kolyachonok to a two-year contract extension.

Kolyachonok had a goal and four points in five total games played in 2023-24 with Arizona and signed a two-year contract extension on Monday. The 23-year-old was originally drafted by Florida in 2019 in the 2nd round (52nd overall) and has seven points in 39 total NHL games played across three seasons.

Vladislav Kolyachonok
Norris (shoulder) is expected to be ready for training camp.

Norris had successful shoulder surgery in March, but Senators GM Steve Staios expects him to be ready for training camp in the fall. Norris has appeared in just 58 games over the last two seasons, posting 18 goals and 15 assists (33 points).

Josh Norris
The Jets signed Dylan DeMelo to a four-year extension worth $19.6 million ($4.9M AAV).

In his fourth full season with the Jets, DeMelo finished with a career-high 31 points (3G / 28A) in 82 games. The 31-year-old has now posted 100-plus hits and blocked shots in three consecutive years and is a key part of the Jets' penalty kill.

Dylan DeMelo
The Avalanche signed Casey Mittelstadt to a three-year contract worth $17.25 million ($5.75M AAV).

Mittelstadt was flipped for Bowen Byram on March 6th and had 10 points (4G / 6A) in 18 games with the Avalanche following the deal. He looked much better in the postseason, where he had nine points (3G / 6A) in 11 games. The 25-year-old should continue to serve as the Avalanche's No.2 centre behind Nathan MacKinnon in the 2024-25 season and has back-to-back 55-plus point seasons.

Casey Mittelstadt
The Senators have signed Wyatt Bongiovanni to a one-year, two-way extension.

Bongiovanni was traded to the Senators for future considerations on March 15th and finished with 10 points (8G / 2A) in 14 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL). In total, he had 16 goals and nine assists (25 points) in 48 AHL games last year. He should start the 2024-25 season in the AHL.

Wyatt Bongiovanni
The Bruins signed Brandon Bussi to a one-year, two-way contract.

Bussi finished his third professional season at 23-10-5 with a 2.67 GAA, .913 SV% and one shutout in 41 games with the Providence Bruins (AHL). Bussi figured to become Jeremy Swayman's backup next season following the Linus Ullmark trade, but with Joonas Korpisalo coming the other way, he may have to continue waiting. The two-way contract will allow the Bruins to have that flexibility.

Brandon Bussi
The Bruins have acquired Mark Kastelic, Joonas Korpisalo and the No.25 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the Senators for Linus Ullmark.

Kastelic is a big (6-2, 210 lbs), rugged forward who will fit into the Bruins' bottom-6 in 2024-25. During the 2023-24 season, Kastelic had 10 points (5G / 5A), 126 hits and 31 blocked shots in 63 games with the Senators.

Mark Kastelic
The Bruins have acquired Joonas Korpisalo, Mark Kastelic and the No.25 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the Senators for Linus Ullmark.

Korpisalo signed a five-year deal with a $4.0M AAV last July 1st but struggled to live up to his cap-hit in his first year with the Senators. The 29-year-old net minder went 21-26-4 with a 3.27 GAA and .890 SV% in 55 games (49 starts) and gets moved to Boston, where he'll serve as the backup to Jeremy Swayman if he isn't traded again or bought-out. The Senators retained 25 percent ($1.0M AAV) of Korpisalo's contract.

Joonas Korpisalo
The Senators have acquired Linus Ullmark from the Bruins for the No.25 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Joonas Korpisalo and Mark Kastelic.

Ullmark is headed into the final year of his contract that carries a $5.0M AAV cap-hit. Ullmark enjoyed tremendous success in his three years in Boston, including a Vezina Trophy and William Jennings Trophy in 2023. He went 88-26-10 with. A 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 130 games with the Bruins while splitting time with Jeremy Swayman. In Ottawa, he becomes the unquestioned No.1 net minder and should set a career-high in games played in 2024-25.

Linus Ullmark
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

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!