Line Change
Bean will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Bean is expected to be the odd-man out on Columbus' blue-line on Saturday with Damon Severson set to return from an oblique injury. Bean has one goal and two assists in 32 games this season.
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NHL Hockey Player News
Severson (oblique) has been activated from IR and will return to the Blue Jackets lineup on Saturday.
Severson hasn't played since November 19th, missing just over a month due to the oblique injury. He had three goals and five assists in 19 games prior to the injury. Severson is expected to play alongside Ivan Provorov on the Blue Jackets' second defensive pairing when he returns to the lineup on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Tarasov will start Saturday vs. the Maple Leafs.
Goalie Start
Vasilevskiy will start Saturday in Washington.
Goalie Start
Nedeljkovic will start Saturday in Ottawa.
Line Change
Hunt will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Hunt skated in four straight games but played just 4:28 TOI as the No.7 defenseman on Thursday. He'll be replaced by Jake Lucchini, who will be making his Wild debut up front.
Lucchini will make his Wild debut on Saturday.
Lucchini was recalled prior to Thursday's game because Ryan Hartman was unavailable due to injury. Lucchini didn't play, as the Wild went with seven defensemen, but he'll replace Daemon Hunt in the lineup on Saturday. The 28-year-old has one goal in 11 career NHL games with the Senators and 20 points (9G / 11A) in 24 AHL games this season.
Hartman (upper-body) will not play Saturday vs. the Bruins.
Hartman was scratched Thursday vs. the Canadiens and will miss his second straight game on Saturday. The Wild rolled with seven defensemen to replace Hartman vs. Montreal, but Jake Lucchini will make his Wild debut in his spot on Saturday.
Spurgeon (lower-body) will not play Saturday vs. the Bruins.
Spurgeon was on the ice for the Wild's morning skate but will miss his sixth straight game on Saturday. With Spurgeon still sidelined, Dakota Mermis will remain on the Wild blueline. Expect Spurgeon to return shortly after the Christmas break.
Goalie Start
Fleury will start Saturday vs. the Bruins.
Bastian (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision on Saturday.
Bastian, who took a maintenance day yesterday, was on the ice for the Devils' optional morning skate, but they are still unsure of his status for Saturday's game vs. the Red Wings. If he's unavailable, look for Chris Tierney to draw back into the Devils lineup.
Goalie Start
Lindgren will start Saturday vs. the Lightning.
Goalie Start
Tarasov is in the starter's crease at the Blue Jackets' morning skate.
Goalie Start
Vanecek was the first goalie off the ice at the Devils' morning skate.
Goalie Start
Forsberg is in the starter's crease at the Senators' morning skate.
Send Down
The Flyers have reassigned Rhett Gardner to Lehigh Valley (AHL).
Gardner has yet to appear in an NHL game with the Flyers this season and was sent back to the AHL with the team done their pre-Christmas schedule. The 27-year-old forward has just four points (3G / 1A) in 21 AHL games this season.
Send Down
The Flyers have reassigned Cal Petersen to Lehigh Valley (AHL).
The Flyers finished their pre-Christmas schedule on Friday, so they have sent a couple of players back to the AHL. With Carter Hart back healthy, Petersen will likely remain in the AHL once the schedule resumes next week. Petersen has gone 4-6-1 with a 3.20 GAA and .898 SV% in 11 games with Lehigh Valley this season.
Goalie Start
Swayman led the Bruins onto the ice for warmups.
Swayman, as are the Bruins, is winless in his last two outings, but he will return to the crease on the front end of a back-to-back on Friday. Despite sporting only a .500 record in his last four (2-0-2), Swayman has a stellar .958 SV%, only allowing five total goals, and has been a victim of porous goal support from his team. The Bruins have lost four of their last six (2-1-3) and matchup evenly at -105 against the Winnipeg Jets, who have points in four straight games (3-0-1).
Line Change
Brown will draw back into the Oilers lineup on Friday.
Gagner (undisclosed) is day-to-day and not playing Friday in New York.
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.