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NHL Hockey Player News

Hughes will make his Minnesota debut on Sunday vs. Boston.

Despite Minnesota having a game vs. Ottawa on Saturday, Quinn Hughes debut will wait until Sunday when Minnesota takes on Boston. The 26-year-old was part of a blockbuster trade on Friday with Vancouver and will bring offensive spark immediately to the Wild lineup. He has two goals, 23 points and 74 SOG in 26 games played this season.

Quinn Hughes
Grubauer will start in Utah on Friday.

Despite a superb effort from Joey Daccord against the Kings on Wednesday, it will in fact be Grubauer between the pipes when the Kraken travel to Utah on Friday. Grubauer was unfortunate to be tagged with the loss in his last start, allowing two goals on 27 shots in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Wild on Monday. The 34-year-old netminder carries a 4-1-1 record and .900 SV% into Friday night's matchup in Utah, where the Kraken enter action at +150 on the money line.

Philipp Grubauer
Vejmelka will start against the Kraken on Friday.

Utah has lost seven of its last 10 (3-7-0) and will hope Vejmelka can elevate his game on Friday, tending the twine against the Seattle Kraken. The 29-year-old Czech goalie has a 2.72 GAA and .893 SV% in 24 games this season (12-9-2). He has lost two of his last four, but has played well in those games, posting a 2.00 GAA and .934 SV%. The Mammoth enter Friday's contest as -176 home favorites against a Kraken team coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings, snapping a four-game losing skid.

Karel Vejmelka
The Canucks acquired Ohgren from the Wild on Friday along with Minnesota's 2026 first-round draft pick, defenseman Zeev Buium, and forward Marco Rossi in exchange for defenseman Quinn Hughes.

The 19th-overall pick of the 2022 NHL entry draft, Ohgren has yet to realize his full potential and is the least consequential piece heading to Vancouver in exchange for franchise great Quinn Hughes. The 22-year-old forward has just seven points in 46 games across three NHL seasons while primarily featuring in Minnesota's bottom-six. Ohgren failed to register a point in 18 games with the Wild this season.

Liam Ohgren
The Canucks acquired Rossi from the Wild on Friday along with Minnesota's 2026 first-round draft pick, defenseman Zeev Buium, and forward Liam Ohgren in exchange for defenseman Quinn Hughes.

The former ninth-overall pick of the 2020 NHL entry draft, Rossi's inclusion in the Hughes deal helps to address a dire need in the Canucks lineup. With Elias Pettersson (upper-body) currently sidelined, Rossi figures to feature as Vancouver's interim number-one centre. The 24-year-old centreman set a career-high with 60 points a year ago and was off to another productive start in Minnesota, tallying four goals and 13 assists across 17 games this season.

Marco Rossi
The Canucks acquired Buium from the Wild on Friday along with Minnesota's 2026 first-round draft pick and forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren in exchange for defenseman Quinn Hughes.

One of the top defensive prospects in all of hockey will now have even more pressure to fulfill his mighty potential as Buium is the centre piece of the haul the Canucks acquired in exchange for franchise great Quinn Hughes. The 12th overall pick in the 2024 NHL entry draft, Buium excelled in his two seasons of NCAA hockey, racking up 24 goals and 74 assists across 83 games at the University of Denver. The 20-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut earlier this season and appeared in 31 games for the Wild, tallying three goals and 11 assists.

Zeev Buium
The Minnesota Wild acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday in exchange for Minnesota's 2026 first-round draft pick, defenseman Zeev Buium, forward Marco Rossi, and forward Liam Ohgren.

The most anticipated blockbuster trade of the 2025-26 NHL season has finally come to fruition, as the Canucks captain is surprisingly shipped to Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 first-rounder and a trio of former first-round picks. One of the very best defensemen in the NHL today, the acquisition of Hughes immediately gives the Wild one of the best blue-lines across the entire league. The former Norris Trophy winner leaves Vancouver after eight seasons in which he tallied 61 goals and 371 assists across 459 career regular season games.

Quinn Hughes
Hofer will start against the Blackhawks on Friday.

The Blues will unsurprisingly turn to Hofer between the pipes tonight after Jordan Binnington got the nod in Nashville on Thursday. Hofer was tagged with the loss in his last start, allowing four goals on 30 shots in a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Bruins on Tuesday. The 25-year-old netminder carries a 4-6-2 record and an .890 SV% into Friday night's matchup with the Blackhawks, where St. Louis enters action at -115 on the money line.

Joel Hofer
Carolina has signed Joel Nystrom to a four-year contract extension worth $1.225M AAV ($4.9M total).

Nystrom was not expected to be a full-time presence on the Hurricanes' blueline this season, but injuries thrust him into a regular role that he has thrived in. The 23-year-old, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, is in his first NHL season and has four assists while averaging 16:02 time-on-ice through 23 games.

Joel Nystrom

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!