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NHL Hockey Player News

Ullmark will start in Anaheim on Thursday.

Ullmark has been subpar to start the 2025-26 season, but has been much better lately, posting a 2.00 GAA and .918 SV% in his last three games (1-1-1). The 32-year-old Swedish goalie returns to the crease on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks, looking to improve his 3.08 GAA and .874 SV% through 15 games this season (6-5-4). The Senators enter Thursday's contest as -125 road favorites against a Ducks team that played last night and defeated the Boston Bruins 4-3.

Linus Ullmark
Oettinger will start in Vancouver on Thursday.

Oettinger mishandled a puck that directly resulted in a goal in his most recent game, a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders, and hopes to rebound on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 26-year-old Oettinger has been inconsistent this season, posting a 2.77 GAA and .898 SV% in 14 games (8-4-2). The Stars have points in 12 of their last 14 (9-2-3) and enter Thursday's contest as -141 road favorites against a Canucks team that has scored 25 goals (4.17 GF/GP) in their last six games (2-2-2).

Jake Oettinger
Oettinger was the first goalie off the ice at Dallas' morning skate.

Oettinger mishandled a puck that directly resulted in a goal in his most recent game, a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders, and hopes to rebound on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 26-year-old Oettinger has been inconsistent this season, posting a 2.77 GAA and .898 SV% in 14 games (8-4-2). The Stars have points in 12 of their last 14 (9-2-3) and enter Thursday's contest as -141 road favorites against a Canucks team that has scored 25 goals (4.17 GF/GP) in their last six games (2-2-2).

Jake Oettinger
Woll will start vs. Columbus on Thursday.

The Maple Leafs snapped a five-game losing skid in their most recent game and will turn to Woll to tend the twine on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old Woll was solid in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, his first victory of the season, saving 27 of 29 shots (.931 SV%). The Maple Leafs enter Thursday's contest as slight -101 home underdogs against a Blue Jackets team that has earned points in five of its last six games (3-1-2).

Joseph Woll
Lankinen will start vs. Dallas on Thursday.

With Thatcher Demko (lower body) still sidelined, the Canucks will continue rolling with Lankinen, turning to him on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. The 30-year-old Lankinen has had an up-and-down 2025-26 season, but has been excellent since Demko's injury, saving 82 of 89 shots (.921 SV%) while posting a 1-1-1 record. He has a 3.40 GAA and .890 SV% in 11 games this season (4-5-2). The Canucks enter Thursday's contest as +128 home underdogs against a Stars team they defeated 5-3 earlier this season.

Kevin Lankinen
Parssinen is expected to be a healthy scratch in Colorado on Thursday.

Adam Edstrom draws back into New York's lineup on Thursday against Colorado, resulting in Parssinen returning to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old Parssinen had a surprising rookie season with the Nashville Predators in 2022-23, scoring an impressive 25 points (6G / 19A) in 45 games, but has not maintained that success in three seasons since, scoring only 31 points (16G / 15A) in 105 games.

Juuso Parssinen
Shesterkin was the first goalie off the ice at New York's morning skate.

The Rangers have lost two straight and hope to return to the win column on Thursday with Shesterkin tending the twine against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old Shesterkin has a serviceable 2.43 GAA and .911 SV% in 16 gams (7-7-2), but has been unspectacular lately, allowing three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-2-0) while posting a .903 SV%. The Rangers enter the action on Thursday as +180 road underdogs against an Avalanche team on a six-game winning streak.

Igor Shesterkin
Askarov was the first goalie off the ice at San Jose's morning skate.

The Sharks have been impressive lately, going 7-2-1 in their last 10, and will likely continue to roll with Askarov between the pipes on Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Kings. Askarov struggled to start the season, but has been other-worldly lately, allowing two or fewer goals in six straight (5-1-0) while posting an absurd .959 SV%. The 23-year-old goalie has a 2.99 GAA and .905 SV% in 12 games this season (6-5-1). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as +152 home underdogs against a Kings team that leads the Pacific Division despite being in the bottom half of the league offensively (2.8 GF/GP).

Yaroslav Askarov
Laughton (upper-body) will return vs. Columbus on Thursday.

Laughton suffered a lower-body injury towards the end of training camp, made his season debut on November 5th, and only played two games before suffering an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old Laughton was limited to only four points (2G / 2A) in 20 games with the Maple Leafs after being acquired before last season's trade deadline. The Maple Leafs hope that he can return to the production he had in his previous two full seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, when he scored 82 points (31G / 51A) in 160 games.

Scott Laughton
Liljegren is expected to draw back into San Jose's lineup vs. Los Angeles on Thursday.

Shakir Mukhamadullin will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, allowing Liljegren to draw back into the lineup. The 26-year-old Liljegren is averaging a career-high 20:32 time-on-ice, recording 28 blocks, 15 hits, and four points (0G / 4A) in 13 games this season.

Timothy Liljegren
Klingberg is expected to draw back into San Jose's lineup vs. Los Angeles on Thursday.

Klingberg has five points (2G / 3A) through 13 games with the Sharks. The 33-year-old Klingberg has spent most of the season on the team's top powerplay unit. Nick Leddy will be a healthy scratch to accommodate Klingberg's return.

John Klingberg
O'Brien will draw back into Utah's lineup vs. Vegas.

Kailer Yamamoto will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights, allowing O'Brien to re-enter the lineup. The 31-year-old O'Brien has only played once this month. He has one goal, 12 penalty minutes, and 15 hits in seven games this season.

Liam O'Brien
Lankinen is in the starter's crease at Vancouver's morning skate.

With Thatcher Demko (lower body) still sidelined, the Canucks will likely continue rolling with Lankinen, turning to him on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. The 30-year-old Lankinen has had an up-and-down 2025-26 season, but has been excellent since Demko's injury, saving 82 of 89 shots (.921 SV%) while posting a 1-1-1 record. He has a 3.40 GAA and .890 SV% in 11 games this season (4-5-2). The Canucks enter Thursday's contest as +128 home underdogs against a Stars team they defeated 5-3 earlier this season.

Kevin Lankinen

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!