NHL Hockey Player News

Pysyk (upper-body) will be back in the Panthers lineup on Saturday.

Pysyk has missed the last nine games with an upper-body injury, but will replace Alex Petrovic on Saturday. Pysyk has just two assists in five games this season.

Mark Pysyk
Luongo will start Saturday in New York.

Luongo allowed six goals on 36 shots in the Panthers loss in Columbus on Thursday. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Luongo, who has a 2.18 GAA and .918 SV% in six games this season. Tonight he faces a Rangers team that has gone 6-1-1 in their last eight contests.

Roberto Luongo
Murray will start Saturday in Ottawa.

Murray allowed four goals on 26 shots in the Penguins loss to the Lightning on Thursday. Murray continues to struggle as his losing streak reached five games. During that stretch, he has posted a putrid 4.54 GAA and .840 SV%. Surprisingly, Murray has been much, much better on the road—3-0-1 with a 1.94 GAA and .946 SV%.

Matt Murray
Schmidt has served his 20 game suspension and is eligible to play in Edmonton on Sunday.

The Golden Knights struggled without Schmidt, going 8-11-1 during his 20-game suspension. The 27-year-old is coming off of a career-year, having scored five goals with 31 assists (36 points) in 76 games. He will likely replace Jon Merrill and play huge minutes on the Vegas top pair on Sunday.

Nate Schmidt
Domingue will start Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.

Domingue allowed three goals on 31 shots the Lightning’s win in Pittsburgh on Thursday. With Andrei Vasilevskiy out long-term, Domingue is expected to get an extended run in the Lighting crease. Even with the injury to their No.1, the Lightning should have the advantage in net this afternoon with the Flyers No.3 getting the start for them.

Louis Domingue
Rinne is in the starter's crease at the Predators morning skate.

Rinne allowed two goals on 23 shots in the Predators loss in Arizona on Thursday. The Coyotes got to Rinne early and Darcy Kuemper stood on his head at the other end, handing Rinne his second straight loss. Rinne is now 3-1-1 with a 0.99 GAA, .966 SV% and one shutout in November and a must-start with the Kings in town.

Pekka Rinne
Pickard will start Saturday vs. the Lightning.

Pickard stopped the only shot that he faced after replacing Brian Elliott in the Flyers loss to the Devils on Thursday. With Elliott on IR, Pickard will remain between the pipes this afternoon. Pickard has an ugly 4.33 GAA and .865 SV% in seven appearances this season.

Calvin Pickard
Bernier will start Saturday afternoon in New Jersey.

Bernier made 49 saves on 52 shots in the Red Wings win in Carolina last Saturday. Bernier struggled early in his Red Wings career, but has since won two of his last three while stopping 115 of the last 124 shots (.927 SV%) that he has faced. This afternoon he faces a Devils team that is tied for 15th in goals for (3.06 GF/pg).

Jonathan Bernier
The Devils have placed Sami Vatanen (lower-body) on IR.

Vatanen was injured in Thursday’s win in Philadelphia and will miss at least the next three games with a lower-body injury. With Vatanen on IR, Eric Gryba was recalled from the AHL, but Yegor Yakolev will draw into the lineup.

Sami Vatanen
Darling will start Saturday vs. the Blue Jackets.

Darling allowed two goals on 35 shots in the Hurricanes win over the Blackhawks on Monday. Darling has played well in his last three starts, going 2-0-1 while stopping 97 of 105 shots (.924 SV%). He will look to string a pair of wins together tonight vs. a red-hot Blue Jackets team—3-0-1 in their last four.

Scott Darling

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!