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NHL Hockey Player News

The Canucks signed Sasson to a two-year contract extension on Monday with a $1M AAV.

Sasson's extension means he will no longer become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. The 25-year-old forward has appeared in 29 games for the Canucks this season, logging six goals and two assists while featuring primarily in Vancouver's bottom-six.

Max Sasson
Hofer will start against the Predators on Monday.

Hofer was solid in his most recent game, saving 27 of 29 shots (.931 SV%) in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and will return to the crease on Monday against the Nashville Predators. The Blues have struggled between the pipes this season, but Hofer has been slightly more reliable than Jordan Binnington and has seen an uptick in deployment over the past few weeks as a result. The 25-year-old Hofer has a 3.10 GAA and .893 SV% in 17 appearances this season (5-6-2). The Blues enter the action on Monday as slight -106 home favorites against a Predators team that handily defeated them 7-2 less than a week ago.

Joel Hofer
Kuemper will start in Dallas on Monday.

The Kings have lost six of their last 10 (4-2-4), but largely credit Kuemper's strong play for helping the team collect points in four of those losses. Kuemper has been outstanding in December, posting a tremendous 1.62 GAA and .944 SV% in five games (2-2-1). The 35-year-old Kuemper has a 2.21 GAA and .916 SV% in 22 games this season (10-6-6). The Kings enter Monday's contest as +116 road underdogs against a Dallas Stars team that has been outscored 9-2 during a two-game losing skid.

Darcy Kuemper
Ullmark will start in Winnipeg on Monday.

Ullmark has allowed three or fewer goals in three of his last four games (2-2-0), but does not have the results to show for it, posting a 2.80 GAA and .891 SV%. The 32-year-old Ullmark has had a rocky season between the pipes for the Senators, showcasing a career-worst 3.05 GAA and .877 SV% in 23 games (11-8-4). The Senators enter Monday's contest as +115 road underdogs against a struggling Winnipeg Jets team hoping to shift its fortunes after a dominant 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

Linus Ullmark
Rempe (upper-body) will return to the Rangers lineup on Monday.

Rempe has not played since October 23rd, injured in a fight with San Jose's Ryan Reaves, but will return to the lineup on Monday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 23-year-old Rempe had one goal and 30 hits in nine games with the Rangers before his injury.

Matt Rempe
Shesterkin will start against the Ducks on Monday.

Shesterkin has played well over the past month, but is coming off of one of his worst outings of the season, salvaging a 5-4 overtime victory over the Montreal Canadiens despite allowing four goals on 17 shots (.765 SV%). The 29-year-old Shesterkin has a 2.53 GAA and .909 SV% in 26 games this season (13-10-3). The Rangers enter the action on Monday as -122 home favorites against an Anaheim Ducks team that has been outscored 9-3 during a two-game losing skid.

Igor Shesterkin
Dunn (illness) missed practice on Monday but is expected to play on Tuesday vs. Colorado.

Dunn has continued to be a productive presence from Seattle's blueline, regularly quarterbacking their top powerplay unit. The 29-year-old defenseman has 18 points (5G / 13A) in 30 games this season, including six points (2G / 4A) in his last eight games.

Vince Dunn
Kakko (illness) missed practice on Monday and is expected to play on Tuesday vs. Colorado.

Kakko was acquired by Seattle in the offseason and has not panned out the way they had hoped. The 24-year-old second-overall pick from the 2019 NHL Entry Draft has yet to live up to his draft value and has seemingly taken a step back with the Kraken, scoring three points (1G / 2A) in 14 games this season.

Kaapo Kakko
Backlund (undisclosed) was not at Calgary's practice on Monday after leaving last game with an injury.

Backlund exited Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings in the second period due to an undisclosed injury. He was not at practice on Monday and the team has not yet given an update on his status. The 36-year-old forward has 16 points (5G / 11A) in 33 games this season.

Mikael Backlund
Kuzmenko will draw back into Los Angeles' lineup in Dallas on Monday.

Kuzmenko has regularly been in and out of the lineup lately, but draws back in to replace Quinten Byfield (illness). The 29-year-old Kuzmenko was excellent with the Kings after being acquired before the trade deadline in 2024-25, scoring 17 points (5G / 12A) in 22 games, but has not been able to replicate that success in 2025-26. He played a season-low 6:58 time-on-ice in the Kings' most recent game and has just one point (1G / 0A) in his last 13.

Andrei Kuzmenko
Kuemper was the first goalie off the ice at Los Angeles' morning skate on Tuesday.

The Kings have lost six of their last 10 (4-2-4), but largely credit Kuemper's strong play for helping the team collect points in four of those losses. Kuemper has been outstanding in December, posting a tremendous 1.62 GAA and .944 SV% in five games (2-2-1). The 35-year-old Kuemper has a 2.21 GAA and .916 SV% in 22 games this season (10-6-6). The Kings enter Monday's contest as +116 road underdogs against a Dallas Stars team that has been outscored 9-2 during a two-game losing skid.

Darcy Kuemper
Saros will start in St. Louis on Monday.

The Predators have won four of their last five (4-1-0) and will turn to Saros on Monday against the St. Louis Blues. The 30-year-old Saros was solid in his most recent effort, saving 24 of 26 shots (.923 SV%) in a 7-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Saros has a 2.60 GAA and .921 SV% in his last five games (4-1-0). The Predators enter Monday's contest as slight -104 road underdogs against the Blues.

Juuse Saros

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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