Minnesota has signed Calvin Pickard to a one-year, $1 million contract.
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NHL Hockey Player News
St. Louis has signed Dillon Dube to a one-year, $850,000 AAV contract.
Minnesota has signed Justin Kirkland to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
Kirkland has spent most of his career at the AHL level but has become a reliable depth piece for the Calgary Flames over the past two seasons, earning himself a one-year contract extension worth $850K. The 29-year-old forward recorded two points (1G / 1A) last season in 20 games with the Flames.
Florida has signed Cole Schwindt to a two-year contract extension.
Anaheim has signed Jett Woo to a two-year, two-way contract.
New Jersey has signed Nico Daws to a one-year, $1 million contract extension.
Anaheim has signed Nick Jensen to a two-year, $2.25 million contract ($4.5M total).
Washington has signed Vincent Desharnais to a four-year, $4.2 million AAV contact ($16.8M total).
New York has signed Oliver Bjorkstand to a one-year, $4.5 million AAV contract.
Washington has signed Justin Holl to a one-year, $900,000 AAV contract.
New Jersey has signed Riley Tufte to a one-year, $850,000 AAV contract.
New York has signed Marc Del Gaizo to a two-year, two-way contract.
Pittsburgh has signed Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $5 million AAV contract.
After success in the KHL, Kuzmenko broke into the NHL as a 26-year-old rookie in 2022-23 with the Vancouver Canucks, putting together a tremendous 74-point season (39G / 35A) in 81 games. That said, the 30-year-old Kuzmenko has struggled with consistency since then, failing to earn his coaches' trust. Last season, he was regularly a healthy scratch, but scored 25 points (13G / 12A) in 52 games with the Los Angeles Kings.
Montreal has signed Kaapo Kahkonen to a one-year, one-way contract extension.
Kahkonen saw extensive NHL looks between 2020 and 2024, but has played exclusively in the AHL over the past three seasons. The 29-year-old goalie posted a 2.73 GAA and .895 SV% last season in 38 games (21-9-7) with the Laval Rocket (AHL).
Washington has signed Jonny Brodzinski to a one-year, $850,000 AAV contract.
Brodzinski has been a career journeyman, bouncing between the NHL and AHL, but he earned himself significant playing time the past three seasons with the New York Rangers. The 33-year-old forward scored 16 points (6G / 10A) last season in 55 games.
Philadelphia has signed Zach Aston-Reese to a two-year contract worth $875,000 AAV.
After spending five seasons exclusively at the NHL level, Aston-Reese has bounced between the AHL and the NHL over the past few seasons. The undrafted 31-year-old forward scored five points (1G / 4A) last season in 27 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Columbus has signed Pheonix Copley to a one-year, $850,000 AAV contract.
Copley is an undrafted goalie who has been serviceable in limited NHL action over his career, but has primarily provided teams with organizational depth, playing primarily in the AHL. The 34-year-old posted a 2.59 GAA and .901 SV% last season in 33 games (21-11-1) with the Ontario Reign (AHL).
Columbus has signed Riley Bezeau to a one-year, two-way contract.
Bezeau is an undrafted forward who has never played an NHL game and has spent most of his professional career in the AHL. The 24-year-old scored seven points (5G / 2A) last season in 24 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL).
Vancouver has signed Trey Fix-Wolansky to a one-year, $900,000 AAV contract.
Fix-Wolansky has been solid at the AHL level for the last half-decade, but he has yet to have a prolonged look at the NHL level to translate his talents. The 27-year-old forward spent the 2025-26 season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 55 points (31G / 24A) in 72 games.
Toronto has signed Teddy Blueger to a two-year contract worth $2.5 million AAV ($5M total).
Blueger has been an effective, defensively sound, bottom-six forward over the past several seasons and should help the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2026-27, especially with the penalty kill. The 31-year-old Latvian forward scored 17 points (9G / 8A) last season in 35 games with the Vancouver Canucks.
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!
- NHL Player Injury Updates and Recovery Timelines – See all the latest NHL player injury updates, timelines for their return, and impact made on each team.
- NHL Waiver Wire Moves and Implications – Check out all the latest moves made on the NHL waiver wire and their implications on the teams involved.
- NHL Latest Line Combination Changes – Bringing you every line combination from across all 32 NHL teams, check out the latest NHL line combination changes made ahead of their next tilt.
- NHL Player Signings and Contract Details – Your go-to spot during NHL free agency, check out the latest NHL player signings and contract details today.
- NHL Roster Changes and Transactions – Looking to see what the latest moves made by your favourite team were? Then check out the latest NHL roster changes and transactions here on DFO.