The Sabres have signed Aidan McDonough to a one-year, two-way contract.
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NHL Hockey Player News
The Blue Jackets have signed Erik Gudbranson to a one-year deal worth $1.75M AAV.
The Wild have signed Max Shabanov to a one-year deal worth $1.6M AAV.
The Canucks have signed Matthew Stienburg to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Sharks have signed Brett Leason to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Rangers have signed Dennis Cholowski to a two-year contract worth $875K AAV ($1.75M total).
The Maple Leafs have signed Cole McWard to a two-year deal worth $875K AAV ($1.75M total).
The Maple Leafs have signed Henry Rybinski to a two-year deal worth $875K AAV ($1.75M total).
The Capitals have signed Alex Ovechkin to a one-year deal worth $4.25M.
When the 2025-26 season ended, so did Alex Ovechkin's contract, and there was some uncertainty surrounding his future. That said, the 40-year-old goal scorer will continue his NHL career for at least one more season, signing a one-year contract with the only team he has ever known, the Washington Capitals, who drafted him 1st overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Ovechkin remained productive last season, scoring 64 points (32G / 32A) in 82 games. The Capitals have had a busy offseason, bolstering their offence, which could allow them to be more situational and less reliant on Ovechkin in 2026-27.
Jake Middleton has been acquired along with a 2029 2nd-round pick, a 2027 3rd-round pick, and a 2028 4th-round pick for Blake Coleman (50% retained) and Olli Maatta.
Middleton has spent the past five seasons with the Minnesota Wild, but will have a change of scenery to start the 2026-27 season as he heads to the Calgary Flames. The 31-year-old defenseman averaged 17:30 time-on-ice, recording 16 points (2G / 14A), 87 hits, and 117 blocks in 75 games last season.
Olli Maata and Blake Coleman (50% retained) have been acquired from Calgary for Jake Middleton, a 2029 2nd-round pick, a 2027 3rd-round pick, and a 2028 4th-round pick.
After spending the first six seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a steady shutdown defenseman, Maata has struggled to find a permanent home and will join his seventh team in the last eight seasons. That said, the 31-year-old Finnish defenseman remains a reliable bottom-pairing defenseman. Last season, he averaged 17:13 time on ice, scoring 15 points (2G/3A) in 43 games split between the Calgary Flames and the Utah Mammoth.
Blake Coleman (50% retained) and Olli Maata have been acquired from Calgary for Jake Middleton, a 2029 2nd-round pick, a 2027 3rd-round pick, and a 2028 4th-round pick.
Coleman's name circulated in rumours before last season's trade deadline, and his departure from Calgary came to fruition early in the offseason, in a trade to the Minnesota Wild. The 34-year-old Texas native has established himself as a heavy-hitting and intimidating middle-six forward who should fit seamlessly into a gritty Minnesota Wild team. In 2025-26, Coleman averaged 17:20 time-on-ice, recording 35 points (20G / 15A) and 152 hits.
The Sharks have signed Tye Felhaber to a one-year, two-way contract.
Felhaber spent the entire 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he had 15 goals and 16 assists (31 points) in 63 games. Expected him to play with the San Jose Barracuda this season.
The Sharks have signed Alex Barre-Boulet to a two-year, two-way contract.
Barre-Boulet spent almost all of 2025-26 in the AHL, where he was second in the league with 70 points (26G / 44A) in 70 games. Expect him to start 2026-27 in the AHL, but could be one of the first forwards called-up to the Sharks when injuries hit.
The Lightning have signed John Carlson to a two-year deal worth $8.5M AAV ($17.0M total).
The Carolina Hurricanes acquired John Carlson's rights from the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the offseason, but he decided to test the open marketing, ultimately opting two sign a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. With Darren Raddysh's departure from Tampa Bay, Carlson could be an option to fill the void on the team's top powerplay unit. The 36-year-old Carlson had a terrific 2025-26 season, split between the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks, scoring 60 points (14G / 46A) in 71 games.
Chicago has signed Dillon Boucher to a one-year, two-way contract.
Chicago has signed Connor Mylymok to a one-year, two-way contract.
New Jersey has signed Marc McLaughlin to a one-year, two-way contract.
Vegas has signed Antti Tuomisto to a two-year, two-way contract.
Vegas has signed Ville Heinola to one-year, $850,000 contract.
Heinola was drafted 20th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The Jets decided to move on from the 24-year-old defenseman, resulting in a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights. Heinola spent most of 2025-26 in the AHL, where he scored 21 points (3G / 18A) in 44 games with the Manitoba Moose.
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.