Matheson (upper-body) will not play in Carolina on Thursday.
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NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Talbot will start in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
The Red Wings will hand Talbot his 21st start of the season when they travel to Pittsburgh on Thursday. Talbot excelled in his latest start, allowing just two goals on 27 shots in a 3-2 overtime win over the Maple Leafs on Sunday. The 13-year-veteran owns an impressive 11-6-2 record on the season despite an underwhelming .889 SV%. The Red Wings enter action on Thursday at +110 on the money line.
Goalie Start
Johansson will start in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the night off in favour of Jonas Johansson on Thursday as the Lightning play their second game in as many nights. Johansson secured the victory in his last start, allowing four goals on 35 shots in a 5-4 shootout win over the Habs on Sunday. The 30-year-old netminder boasts an 8-6-1 record and .896 SV% on the season. The Lightning enter action on Thursday at +100 on the money line.
Line Change
Schenn is a healthy scratch for Thursday's game in Toronto.
Line Change
Miller will draw into the Jets lineup on Thursday.
Goalie Start
Comrie will start in Toronto on Thursday.
Connor Hellebuyck will get the night off in favour of Comrie on Thursday as the Jets gear up for the tail-end of a back-to-back. Comrie's last start came back on December 11th when he allowed five goals on 23 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Bruins. Comrie carries a 6-8-1 record and an .886 SV% into Thursday night's matchup with the Leafs, where the Jets enter action at +115 on the money line.
Goalie Start
Bussi will start against the Canadiens on Thursday.
With Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body) expected to miss the entire season, and Frederik Andersen's ongoing struggles, Carolina's crease seems destined to belong to Bussi for the foreseeable future. The 27-year-old Bussi, in his first NHL season, has been near perfect, winning 13 of 15 games (13-11-) while posting a stellar 2.08 GAA and .912 SV%. The Hurricanes enter Thursday's contest as -17 home favorites against a Montreal Canadiens team with points in six straight games (4-0-2).
Goalie Start
Kuemper will start against the Lightning on Thursday.
Kuemper will make his first start since December 15th after missing the last six games with an upper-body injury. The 35-year-old netminder is performing at a high level for the Kings once again this season and was named to the roster of the Canadian Men's Olympic team on Wednesday as a result. Kuemper brings a 10-6-6 and .917 SV% into Thursday night's matchup, where the Kings enter action at -120 on the money line.
Horvat left Thursday's game vs. Utah with an undisclosed injury and did not return.
Line Change
Malott will draw back into Los Angeles' lineup vs. Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Line Change
Moore (illness) is out vs. Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Laba is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Laba was on the receiving end of a big hit and exited Wednesday's game. The 22-year-old Laba is in his first NHL season and has 12 points (5G / 7A) in 41 games.
Heinen has been recalled from Cleveland (AHL).
Columbus acquired Heinen off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins last week and reported to the Cleveland Monsters (AHL). The 30-year-old NHL veteran of 579 career games has spent most of the season in the AHL, where he has 18 points (6G / 12A) in 13 games.
Megna has been recalled from Henderson (AHL).
Megna is no stranger to the NHL, with 193 career games played, but has spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season in the AHL. The 33-year-old defenseman has six points (2G / 4A) in 23 games with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL).
Kiviranta (undisclosed) is considered day-to-day but will travel with Colorado on their upcoming road trip.
Kiviranta did not play in Colorado's most recent game due to an undisclosed injury and is out day-to-day. The 29-year-old bottom-six forward is averaging 9:29 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 21 games.
Brindley (undisclosed) is considered day-to-day but is expected to travel on Colorado's upcoming road trip.
Brindley has been a regular in Colorado's lineup the past several weeks, but he is battling an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day. The 21-year-old forward has nine points (5G / 4A) in 27 games this season.
Garland is expected to be out at least a week with an undisclosed injury.
Garland played only 13:37 time-on-ice in Vancouver's most recent game and will be sidelined for at least one week due to an undisclosed injury. The 29-year-old forward has 22 points (7G / 15A) in 33 games this season.
Rossi is expected to miss at least a week with a lower-body injury.
Rossi exited Vancouver's previous game midway through the third period due to an lower-body injury, and will be sidelined for at least a week. The 24-year-old has two points (1G / 1A) in eight games since joining the Canucks in a trade with Minnesota.
Send Down
Villalta has been assigned to Tucson (AHL) on Thursday.
With Karel Vejmelka (upper body) activated from Injured Reserve, Utah has assigned Villalta to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL). The 26-year-old Villalta has a 2.94 GAA and .903 SV% in 15 games with Tucson this season (9-5-1).
Goalie Start
Vejmelka will start on Long Island on Thursday.
Vejmelka was expected to start in Utah's final game before the Holiday Break, but was a late scratch and has not suited up since. He makes his return on Thursday against the New York Islanders. The 29-year-old Vejmelka has a 2.70 GAA and .894 SV% in 29 games this season (16-10-2). The Mammoth enter the action as -119 road favorites.
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.