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NHL Hockey Player News

Mikkola will draw back into Florida's lineup in Edmonton on Thursday.

Mikkola missed his first game of the season in Florida's previous game, a disappointing 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, but he will re-enter the lineup on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 29-year-old Mikkola is averaging 20:22 time-on-ice and has 11 points (3G / 8A) in 55 games this season.

Niko Mikkola
Luostarinen (maintenance) will rejoin Florida's lineup vs. Edmonton on Thursday.

The Panthers have been dealing with a myriad of injuries, regularly rotating players in and out of the lineup for maintenance purposes. Luostarinen will draw back into Florida's lineup on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers after having the night off in their previous game. The 27-year-old Luostarinen has 25 points (8G / 17A) in 25 games this season.

Eetu Luostarinen
Rodrigues (maintenance) will draw back into Florida's lineup vs. Edmonton on Thursday.

The Panthers have been dealing with a myriad of injuries, regularly rotating players in and out of the lineup for maintenance purposes. Rodrigues will draw back into the lineup on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers after having the night off in Florida's previous game. The 32-year-old Rodrigues has 28 points (11G / 17A) in 65 games this season.

Evan Rodrigues
Foote will be a healthy scratch in Edmonton on Thursday.

Foote was a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, but he has spent most of is career in the AHL so far. The 25-year-old forward has 32 points (14G / 18A) in 54 games this season with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). He made his season debut with Florida earlier this week, scoring zero points in 8:23 time-on-ice.

Nolan Foote
Hill will start vs. Utah on Thursday.

Hill has had a poor 2025-26 season, but seems to be turning a corner after stringing together several promising starts. Despite an unspectacular 3-3-0 record, Hill is playing his best hockey of the season over his last six games, boasting a 1.83 GAA and .916 SV%. He saved 23 of 24 shots (.958 SV%) in Vegas' previous game, a 2-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The Golden Knights enter Thursday's contest as -134 home favourites against a Utah Mammoth team coming off an impressive 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars, their only regulation loss in their last 16 games (14-1-1).

Adin Hill
Bobrovsky will start in Edmonton on Thursday.

Bobrovsky has had a disappointing 2025-26 season but seemed to be turning a corner after the Olympic break, posting a solid 2.21 GAA and .925 SV% in five games (3-2-0). However, his string of strong play abruptly ended on Tuesday, allowing five goals on 22 shots (.773 SV%) in a disappointing 5-2 loss to the league-worst Vancouver Canucks. The Panthers enter Thursday's game as +135 road underdogs against an Edmonton Oilers team with points in three straight games (2-0-1).

Sergei Bobrovsky
Ersson is expected to start in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The Flyers have relied heavily on Dan Vladar since returning from the Olympic break, but they will turn to Ersson, who has played well lately, on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 26-year-old Ersson saved 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals, and has saved 47 of the last 50 shots he's faced (.940 SV%) across three appearances (2-0-0). The Flyers enter Thursday's contest as +149 road underdogs against a Kings team coming off a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers.

Samuel Ersson
Lankinen will start vs. Tampa Bay on Thursday.

The league-worst Vancouver Canucks are coming off an impressive 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers, courtesy of a 21-save performance (.913 SV%) from Lankinen, who will return to the crease on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 30-year-old Finnish goalie has allowed three or fewer goals in his last three outings (1-1-1), posting a 2.01 GAA and .927 SV%. That said, the Canucks enter Thursday's contest as significant +246 home underdogs against a Lightning team coming off a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken.

Kevin Lankinen
Lyon will start in San Jose on Thursday.

The Sabres continue to win regardless of who tends the twine, coming off a 2-0 shutout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, but they will revert to Lyon on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. The 33-year-old Lyon has allowed three or fewer goals in 17 of his last 18 outings (16-2-0), posting an impressive 2.25 GAA and .921 SV%. The Sabres enter Thursday's contest as -142 road favourites against a Sharks team they defeated 6-3 earlier this month.

Alex Lyon
Nedeljkovic was the first goalie off the ice at San Jose's morning skate.

Nedeljkovic has played well lately, but had a rough night in his most recent outing, allowing five goals on 37 shots (.865 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. With Yaroslav Askarov (lower body) sidelined, the Sharks have relied heavily on the 30-year-old Nedeljkovic, who has a 2.32 GAA and .923 SV% in his last 10 games (6-3-1). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as +121 home underdogs against a Buffalo Sabres team with just one loss in their last 11 games (10-1-0).

Alex Nedeljkovic
Kuemper was the first goalie off the ice at Los Angeles' morning skate.

Kuemper was excellent in Monday's 4-1 win over the New York Rangers, saving 21 of 22 shots (.955 SV%), and is putting together a stretch of strong play as the Kings continue their last-season push for a playoff spot. The 35-year-old goalie has a solid 2.41 GAA and .905 SV% in his last five games (3-1-1). The Kings enter Thursday's contest as -179 favourites against a Philadelphia Flyers team with points in four straight games (3-0-1).

Darcy Kuemper
Emberson (undisclosed) is a possibility to return over the weekend.

Emberson has not played in over a week due to an undisclosed injury, but is targeting a return to Edmonton's lineup on the weekend. The 25-year-old defenseman is averaging 15:49 time-on-ice and has 12 points (2G / 10A) in 60 games this season.

Ty Emberson
Ingram will start vs. Florida on Thursday.

Earlier this week, Oilers' Head Coach Kris Knoblauch indicated that Ingram is the team's starting goalie, and he is doubling down on that statement on Thursday, turning to him to tend the twine for the eighth time in the last 11 games. The 28-year-old Ingram was serviceable in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, saving 27 of 30 shots (.900 SV%). He has a 2.72 GAA and .896 SV% in eight games (6-1-1) since returning from the Olympic break. The Oilers enter Thursday's contest as -159 home favourites against a Florida Panthers team that has been outscored 11-4 in their last two games (0-2-0).

Connor Ingram
Kapanen (illness) will be a game-time decision vs. Florida on Thursday

Kapanen has already missed 41 games this season due to a myriad of ailments and could miss another, as his status for Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers is uncertain. The 29-year-old Finnish forward was not at Edmonton's morning skate on Thursday. He has 15 points (7G / 8A) in 28 games this season.

Kasperi Kapanen
Pionk (undisclosed) was a full participant in Thursday's morning skate.

Pionk has been sidelined since mid-January, but appears to be nearing a return after being a full participant at morning skate on Thursday. The Jets, who are making a late-season push for a Wild Card spot, would greatly benefit from Pionk returning to the lineup. The 30-year-old defenseman was averaging 22:47 time-on-ice, recording eight points (2G / 6A), 64 blocks, and 84 hits in 40 games before his injury.

Neal Pionk
Dobes will start in Detroit on Thursday.

Dobes has had a wildly inconsistent season with Montreal, but appears to be riding a hot streak and will return to the crease on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. The 24-year-old Czech goalie was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%) in a 3-2 overtime win over the Boston Bruins. He has a 2.27 GAA and .914 SV% in his last four games (3-1-0). The Canadiens enter Thursday's contest as -112 road favourites against a Red Wings team coming off a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames.

Jakub Dobes
Fabbri will be a healthy scratch vs. Chicago on Thursday.

With Bobby Brink (upper body) returning from a multi-game absence, Fabbri will head to the sidelines to accommodate his return. The 30-year-old Fabbri is averaging 9:08 time-on-ice and has zero points through four games with Minnesota.

Robby Fabbri
Greaves will start vs. New York on Thursday.

Greaves was tremendous in his previous outing, saving 28 of 29 shots (.966 SV%) in a commanding 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The 24-year-old Greaves has been a key contributor in helping Columbus get within reach of a Wild Card spot, posting an impressive 2.29 GAA and .914 SV% in his last 13 appearances (10-0-2). The Blue Jackets enter Thursday's contest as sizeable -216 home favourites against a New York Rangers team that has been outscored 10-4 in their last two games (0-2-0).

Jet Greaves
Hellebuyck will start in Boston on Thursday.

The Jets continue to hover around reaching distance of a Wild Card spot and could desperately use Hellebuyck to return to the form that helped him win three Vezina trophies in order to get them an extra boost. That said, the 32-year-old Hellebuyck has struggled with consistency this season. He allowed three goals on 23 shots (.870 SV%) in his previous outing, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators, giving him a pedestrian 2.63 GAA and .902 SV% in nine games (4-2-3) since returning from the Olympic break. The Jets enter Thursday's contest as +114 road underdogs against a Boston Bruins team that has lost three of its last four games (1-1-2).

Connor Hellebuyck

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.

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