NHL Hockey Player News

Ilya Samsonov will start Thursday vs. Boston.

Samsonov allowed two goals on 16 shots (.875 SV%) for his third loss in three games as he took the loss to Detroit in his previous game after entering a few minutes into the second period. The 26-year-old has been very solid for the Maple Leafs in his first season in Toronto, with his 25-10-4 record, 2.41 GAA and .915 SV%. He will take on the Boston Bruins, who have won three-straight and 10 of his last 11 games.

Ilya Samsonov
Devon Levi will start Thursday vs. Detroit.

Levi allowed two goals on 36 shots (.944 SV%) for his first career loss as he was handed the defeat by the Florida Panthers in his previous start. The 21-year-old has been sensational in his two NHL starts this season, with his 1-1-0 record, 1.98 GAA and .942 SV%. He takes on the Detroit Red Wings, who have won four of their last five games and are 22nd in the NHL in goals per game (2.96).

Devon Levi
Vitek Vanecek will start Thursday vs. Columbus.

Vanecek stopped 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%) for his second win in three games as he beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in his previous start. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a strong first campaign in New Jersey, becoming the first goaltender since Martin Brodeur to reach 30+ wins, with his 31-11-4 record, 2.49 GAA and .909 SV%. He takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have lost five of their last six games and are 30th in the NHL in goals per game (2.65).

Vitek Vanecek
Anthony Mantha will be out of the Capitals' lineup Thursday vs. Montreal (lower-body).

Mantha has 11 goals, 16 assists, 119 SOG, 31 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 67 games played this season but will not be in the lineup Thursday vs. Montreal due to a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old is considered day-to-day until there are further updates on his injury.

Anthony Mantha
Brian Elliott will start Thursday vs. the New York Islanders.

Elliott allowed six goals on 34 shots (.824 SV%) as he snapped a two-game winning streak with a loss to Ottawa in his previous start. The 37-year-old Lightning backup has struggled this season despite the strong team in front of him, leading to his 11-6-2 record, 3.30 GAA and .891 SV%. He takes on the New York Islanders, who have lost four of their last six games but are 25th in the NHL in goals per game (2.9).

Brian Elliott
Anthony Cirelli be out Thursday due to an undisclosed injury.

Cirelli has 11 goals, 17 assists, 107 SOG, 33 PIMs and a +12 plus/minus through 55 games played but will be out Thursday due to an undisclosed injury. The 25-year-old has already missed a large chunk of games for Tampa Bay this year so this is yet another unfortunate update on his season.

Anthony Cirelli
Patrick Kane will be out of the Rangers' lineup for a second-straight game Thursday (lower-body).

Kane missed the Rangers game Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay due to a lower-body injury and will remain out of the lineup Thursday. The 34-year-old has 21 goals, 34 assists, 221 SOG, 55 PIMs and a -22 plus/minus through 70 games played with New York and Chicago this season.

Patrick Kane
Halak will start Thursday in St. Louis.

Halak stopped 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%) to snap a two-game winning streak as he beat the Buffalo Sabres in his previous start. The 37-year-old Rangers' backup has been mediocre when called upon this season, with his 10-8-4 record, 2.69 GAA and .906 SV%. He will take on the St. Louis Blues, who have won three of their last five games and are third in the NHL in shooting percentage this season (11.3%).

Jaroslav Halak
Michael Hutchinson will start Thursday vs. New Jersey.

Hutchinson allowed seven goals on 49 shots (.857 SV%) for his third-straight loss as he was defeated by the Florida Panthers in his previous start. The 33-year-old has been hung out to dry nightly since being traded to Columbus, with his 1-4-2 record, 4.37 GAA and .875 SV%. He takes on the New Jersey Devils, who have won three of their last four games and are sixth in the NHL in goals per game (3.45).

Michael Hutchinson
Brossoit will start Thursday vs. the Kings.

Brossoit stopped 30 of 33 shots (.909 SV%) for his second-straight win as he beat Minnesota in his previous start. The 30-year-old has been incredible when healthy in his short showing this season, with his 4-0-3 record, 2.50 GAA and .918 SV%. He takes on the Los Angeles Kings, who have lost three of their last five games but are 11th in the NHL in goals per game (3.35).

Laurent Brossoit
Oskar Lindblom will miss a third-straight game Thursday after being questionable to play (upper-body).

Lindblom has missed the Sharks' previous two games and will also miss Thursday vs. Colorado due to an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old has six goals, nine assists, 75 SOG, 18 PIMs and a -16 plus/minus through 73 games before the injury.

Oskar Lindblom
Vejmelka will start Thursday in Seattle.

Vejmelka allowed four goals on 30 shots (.867 SV%) for his fourth-straight loss as he was defeated by the Dallas Stars in his last game. The 26-year-old has been solid despite the team in front of him all season, with his 18-23-5 record, 3.38 GAA and .901 SV%. He takes on the Seattle Kraken, who have won two-straight and are fourth in the NHL in goals (3.53).

Karel Vejmelka
Jesper Froden is expected to be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Arizona.

Froden has three assists, eight SOG, two PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 11 games this season but will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Arizona. The 28-year-old will be replaced by Oliver Bjorkstrand (personal) in the Krakens' lineup.

Jesper Froden
Grubauer will start Thursday vs. the Coyotes.

Grubauer stopped 20 of 21 shots (.952 SV%) for his third win in five games as he beat the Arizona Coyotes in his previous start. The 31-year-old has had yet another rough season in Seattle, as shown by his 15-13-4 record, 2.99 GAA and .890 SV%. He will face the Arizona Coyotes, who are in the middle of an eight-game losing streak and are last in the NHL in shots per game (25.6).

Philipp Grubauer

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!