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NHL Hockey Player News

Lankinen will start vs. Vegas on Sunday.

With Vancouver on a back-to-back, Kevin Lankinen will start on Sunday as the Canucks host Vegas. The 31-year-old has had a horrendous start to his 2026-27 season despite his 1-1-0 record, evident by his 8.66 GAA and .789 SV%. He will look to bounce back on Sunday vs. a tough matchup in Vegas, who is 1-1-0 and averaging 4.0 goals per game.

Kevin Lankinen
Hill will start in Vancouver on Sunday.

Hill makes his first regular-season start since April 9th as Vegas calls upon him in Vancouver on Sunday. The 30-year-old struggled to find his game in 2025-26, posting a 10-9-6 record alongside a dreadful 3.04 GAA and .871 SV%. He will head to Vancouver on Sunday and hope to bounce back in his first start of the season against a Canucks team that leads the NHL in goals for (17).

Adin Hill
Ottavainen is expected to make his season debut vs. Calgary on Sunday.

Ottavainen will make his second career NHL appearance and first of the young 2026-27 campaign as he replaces Cale Fleury on Seattle's defensive unit on Sunday vs. Calgary. The 24-year-old towering Finnish defenseman last appeared in the NHL two seasons ago in 2024-25, picking up an assist in his only game played.

Ville Ottavainen
Douglas will draw back into Seattle's lineup vs. Calgary on Sunday.

Douglas was a scratch for Seattle's game on Saturday but finds himself back in the lineup on Sunday vs. Calgary as he replaces Ben Meyers. The 26-year-old towering forward only logged 5:58 TOI in Seattle's season opener and is expected to play a similar, limited role on Sunday.

Curtis Douglas
Kuznetsov is expected to draw back into Calgary's lineup in Seattle on Sunday.

A day after being a healthy scratch, Yan Kuznetsov is expected to rejoin Calgary's lineup in Seattle as he takes the spot of Joel Hanley on the Flames' second pairing. The 24-year-old appeared in 57 games last season, picking up four goals, 12 points and 28 PIMs.

Yan Kuznetsov
Forsling (upper-body) is expected to return in Anaheim on Sunday.

Forsling appeared in Florida's season opener, scoring an overtime goal, but has not dressed since due to an upper-body injury and will return on Sunday in Anaheim. The 30-year-old is coming off a two goal, 28 point season in 2025-26 and is a welcome return to Florida's lineup after they announced Aaron Ekblad was out Sunday.

Gustav Forsling
Othmann will be a healthy scratch in Seattle on Sunday.

Othmann made his season debut on Saturday but will be the odd man out of Calgary's lineup in Seattle on Sunday as Connor Zary returns. Othmann will hope to find himself in the lineup more than not after being acquired from New York late last season and putting up two points in two games with the Flames.

Brennan Othmann
Zary will draw back into Calgary's lineup in Seattle on Sunday.

Despite picking up an assist in Calgary's opening night loss, Connor Zary found himself a healthy scratch in Saturday's game vs. Vancouver, but will return to the lineup on Sunday in Seattle. The 25-year-old will hope to remain in the lineup after appearing in 75 games with the Flames last season, with 12 goals and 25 points.

Connor Zary
Ekblad (undisclosed) is out vs. Anaheim on Sunday.

Ekblad's injury comes as a bit of a surprise on Sunday after Florida announced their top defenseman would be out due to an undisclosed injury vs. Anaheim. The 30-year-old has been known to miss time due to injury throughout his career, appearing in 72 games last season.

Aaron Ekblad
Dostal will start vs. Florida on Sunday.

Dostal will look to remain undefeated as Anaheim hosts Florida for a Sunday night battle. The 26-year-old looked solid in Anaheim's opening night win over Vegas, stopping 27 of 30 shots (.900 SV%) and making big stops throughout the contest. He will take on the Florida Panthers on Sunday, who are yet to lose in regulation (1-0-1) but are now missing superstar centre Aleksander Barkov.

Lukas Dostal
Wolf will start in Seattle on Sunday.

With Calgary on a back-to-back after a 4-1 loss to Vancouver on Saturday, Dustin Wolf will take the Flames' net vs. Seattle on Sunday. The 25-year-old is coming off a horrendous opening-night loss which saw him allow six goals on 32 shots against (.813) in a 6-1 loss to Seattle. Wolf will look for revenge on Sunday as Calgary now heads to Seattle to take on the Kraken for the second time in a week.

Dustin Wolf
Daccord will start vs. Calgary on Sunday.

Daccord was sensational in his opening night win over Calgary, stopping 24 of 25 shots against (.960 SV%) in a 6-1 win and will hope to duplicate his success as the Kraken host the Flames on Sunday. Daccord is looking for a bounce back campaign after struggling in 2025-26, posting a 20-20-6 record alongside his 3.03 GAA and .897 SV%. He will hope to remain in the win column as Seattle hosts the struggling Flames on Sunday, who are 0-2-0 with 10 goals against and only two for.

Joey Daccord
Wolf is expected to start in Seattle on Sunday.

With Calgary on a back-to-back after a 4-1 loss to Vancouver on Saturday, Dustin Wolf will take the Flames' net vs. Seattle on Sunday. The 25-year-old is coming off a horrendous opening night loss which saw him allow six goals on 32 shots against (.813) in a 6-1 loss to Seattle. Wolf will look for revenge on Sunday as Calgary now heads to Seattle to take on the Kraken for the second time in a week.

Dustin Wolf
Colangelo is expected to make his season debut vs. Florida on Sunday.

With Anaheim rostering a deep lineup, nightly changes are expected, and on Sunday, Sam Colangelo will make his season debut vs. Florida as Frank Vatrano comes out of the Ducks' lineup. Colangelo appeared in nine games in 2025-26, scoring a goal and four PIMs while averaging just 10:11 TOI. He is expected to take a third-line role alongside Ryan Poehling and Nikita Nesterenko after running lines in practice on Saturday.

Sam Colangelo
Vatrano is expected to be a healthy scratch vs. Florida on Sunday.

Vatrano failed to make an impact across 10:34 TOI in Anaheim's opening night win and will now be a healthy scratch as Sam Colangelo enters the lineup vs. Florida on Sunday. The 32-year-old is in his 12th NHL season and fifth with the Ducks, having closed out 2025-26 on a low note with just five goals and nine points in 50 games played.

Frank Vatrano
Markstrom will start in Anaheim on Sunday.

Markstrom will regain Florida's crease on Sunday after pitching a shutout in their opening-night overtime win over Carolina last Tuesday, stopping all 15 of 15 shots against. The 36-year-old was acquired from New Jersey in the offseason after several rough seasons and will look to continue his early success in Anaheim on Sunday. The Ducks are coming off a 4-3 opening night win over Vegas on Friday and will look to stay undefeated in their second contest of the season.

Jacob Markstrom

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!