Leonard suffered an upper-body injury in Friday's game in Anaheim and is out indefinitely.
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NHL Hockey Player News
Goalie Start
Ullmark is expected to start against the Blues on Saturday.
Quick (lower-body) was activated off injured reserve and will serve as the Rangers backup on Saturday.
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Shesterkin will start against the Avalanche on Saturday.
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Hildeby will start against the Canadiens on Saturday.
The Rangers reassigned Martin to Hartford (AHL) on Saturday.
The Senators placed Pinto (lower-body) on injured reserve.
The Senators recalled Hodgson from Belleville (AHL) on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs recalled Akhtyamov from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on Saturday.
Woll (lower-body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to December 4th.
Milano is a healthy scratch for Friday's game in Anaheim.
Milano will take a seat on Friday in order to make room for the return of Justin Sourdif (lower-body). Milano has four goals and two assists in 17 games this season.
Sourdif (lower-body) is expected to play in Anaheim on Friday.
Sourdif exited Wednesday's game in the third period due to a lower-body injury, but will be available for Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. The 23-year-old rookie has six points (3G / 3A) in 27 games this season.
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Vejmelka will start in Vancouver on Friday.
Vejmelka will make his 22nd start of the season when the Mammoth travel to Vancouver on Friday. The 29-year-old netminder will be looking to stay hot after pitching a 27-save shutout in a 7-0 rout in Anaheim on Wednesday. Vejmelka brings an 11-7-2 record and .889 SV% into Friday night's matchup with the Canucks, where the Mammoth enter action at -130 on the money line.
Lindgren (upper-body) will not dress for Friday's game in Anaheim.
It's unclear when Lindgren suffered the upper-body injury, and the Capitals did not indicate on how long they expect him to be sidelined. Washington signed amateur goaltender Parker Milner to a PTO to serve as Logan Thompson's backup on Friday.
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Luukkonen will start in Winnipeg on Friday.
The Sabres are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers and hope to return to the win column on Friday, turning to Luukkonen to tend the twine against the Winnipeg Jets. The 26-year-old Luukkonen was terrific against the Jets on Monday, saving 23 of 24 shots in a 5-1 win. He has a 2.51 GAA and .899 SV% in eight games this season (4-3-1). The Sabres enter Friday's contest as +116 road underdogs against a struggling Jets team that has lost six of their last seven games (1-5-1).
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Comrie will start against the Sabres on Friday.
Comrie and the Jets have struggled lately and lost 3-2 in a shootout against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday despite Comrie's best performance, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%), since Connor Hellebuyck (knee) has been sidelined. The 30-year-old Comrie has a 2.99 GAA and .897 SV% in 11 games (5-5-1) and will be desperate to return to the win column on Friday against his former team, the Buffalo Sabres. The Jets enter Friday's contest as -129 home favourites.
Goalie Start
Schmid will start in New Jersey on Friday.
The Golden Knights will turn to Schmid between the pipes for the 14th time this season when they travel to New Jersey on Friday. Schmid struggled in his last outing, allowing three goals on 18 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Canadiens last Friday. The 25-year-old netminder owns a 9-2-4 record and .896 SV% on the season. Schmid and the Golden Knights enter action on Friday at -130 on the money line.
Hart (lower-body) is unavailable for Friday's game in New Jersey.
Hart apparently suffered an injury at practice on Thursday, and as a result will be unavailable on Friday. Jesper Vikman is expected to back up Akira Schmid.
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Gibson will start in Seattle on Saturday.
The Red Wings have been bleeding defensively lately, allowing 34 goals (3.78 GA/GP) in their last nine games (2-4-3) and have not been helped by their offseason acquisition, John Gibson. The Red Wings brought Gibson in to solidify a shaky goaltending position, but have received more of the same unreliability, posting an ugly 3.62 GAA and .868 SV% in 14 games (5-7-1). He has allowed four or more goals in four straight games (1-2-1).
Barron (upper-body) has been placed on IR and is considered week-to-week.
Barron has not played since November 16th, originally listed as day-to-day, has been downgraded to week-to-week. The 24-year-old defenseman is averaging 15:08 time-on-ice and has four assists in 19 games this season.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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