Mittelstadt (lower-body) will not play Friday.
Mittelstadt will miss his second straight game but skated the last two days, which suggests that he won’t be out long. Evan Rodrigues will remain on the Sabres second line.
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NHL Hockey Player News
The Ducks recalled Troy Terry from San Diego (AHL) on Thursday.
Terry has spent most of his season with San Diego, where he is second on the team with 41 points (16G / 25A) in 41 games. The 21-year-old hasn’t had the same success in the NHL, scoring once with one assist in 10 games.
Goalie Start
Dubnyk will start Friday vs. the Devils.
Dubnyk surrendered five goals on 26 shots in the Wild’s loss to the Flyers on Tuesday. February has been a rough month for Dubnyk, who has gone 1-4-1 with a 3.00 GAA and .894 SV% in six games. He draws a great matchup against a Devils team that has lost five of their last six and played last night in Chicago.
Goalie Start
McElhinney will start Friday vs. the Oilers.
McElhinney allowed one goal on 26 shots in the Hurricanes win in Ottawa on Tuesday. Since returning from injury, McElhinney has won three in a row while allowing just six goals on 88 shots (.932 SV%). The 35-year-old netminder comes into Friday’s game vs. the Oilers at 7-2-1 with a 2.11 GAA and .927 SV% on home-ice this season.
Goalie Start
Ullmark will start Friday vs. the Rangers.
Ullmark stopped 24 of 25 shots in the Sabres win over the Islanders on Tuesday. Ullmark has won three of his last four starts while posting a 2.91 GAA and .907 SV%. Tonight he will face the Rangers at KeyBank Centre where he has gone 7-2-2 with a 3.21 GAA, .901 SV% and one shutout.
Goalie Start
McElhinney was the first goalie off of the ice at the morning skate.
McElhinney allowed one goal on 26 shots in the Hurricanes win in Ottawa on Tuesday. Since returning from injury, McElhinney has won three in a row while allowing just six goals on 88 shots (.932 SV%). The 35-year-old netminder comes into Friday’s game vs. the Oilers at 7-2-1 with a 2.11 GAA and .927 SV% on home-ice this season.
Goalie Start
Koskinen will start Friday in Carolina.
Koskinen allowed two goals on 33 shots in the Oilers loss in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Koskinen has not registered a win since January 16th, going 0-4-1 with a 3.80 GAA and .871 SV% in six appearances since then. Koskinen replaced Cam Talbot in a 7-4 loss in their first game vs. Carolina—he allowed three goals on 18 shots.
Goalie Start
Rask will start Saturday in Los Angeles.
Rask allowed three goals on 26 shots in the Bruins win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday. Rask and Jaroslav Halak have been alternating games recently, so tonight will be just his fifth start in February. Rask has won four in a row while posting a 1.98 GAA, .926 SV% and one shutout.He is a must-start against a Kings team that has lost three straight and sit dead last in the Western Conference.
Goalie Start
Halak will start Friday in Anaheim.
Halak allowed one goal on 36 shots in the Bruins win over the Avalanche on Sunday. It was Halak’s first win since January 3rd and moved him to 14-9-4 with a 2.44 GAA and .921 SV% in 29 appearances this season. He stopped 24 of 25 shots in a win in his first start against the Ducks and is a must-start in their second meeting of the season.
Goalie Start
Quick led the Kings onto the ice for warmups.
Quick surrendered six goals on 31 shots in the Kings loss in Washington on Monday. Quick has lost back-to-back games while allowing a combine 11 goals on 64 shots (.828 SV%). Quick has not faced the Canucks yet this season but has gone 7-7-1 with a 2.72 GAA, .910 SV% and two shutouts in 15 games on home-ice.
Line Change
Goldobin will draw back into the Canucks lineup on Thursday.
Brisebois will make his NHL debut on Thursday.
Virtanen (undisclosed) will not play on Thursday.
Tanev (ankle) returned to Vancouver; will not play Thursday.
Goalie Start
Markstrom will start for the second straight night.
Markstrom stopped 21 of 22 shots in the Canucks loss in Anaheim last night. The Canucks don’t have many options between the pipes right now, so Markstrom will start again tonight in Los Angeles. Markstrom is 1-0-1 with a 1.99 GAA and .915 SV% in two games against the Kings this season.
Pirri (illness) is on the ice for warmups; expected to play vs. the Maple Leafs.
Goalie Start
Fleury led the Golden Knights onto the ice for warmups.
Fleury allowed four goals on 25 shots in the Golden Knights loss to the Coyotes on Tuesday. Fleury has lost two straight while allowing eight goals on 58 shots (.862 SV%). Fleury allowed two goals on 20 shots a 3-1 loss in his first start against Toronto.
Goalie Start
Varlamov led the Avalanche onto the ice for warmups.
Varlamov allowed four goals on just 17 shots in Colorado’s loss to the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. It was an ugly performance for Varlamov, who has now lost six in a row (0-3-3) while posting a 3.91 GAA and .882 SV%. Varlamov gave up four goals on 23 shots in a losing effort in his first start against the Jets.
Ekholm will be scratched Thursday due to illness.
Goalie Start
Rinne led the Predators onto the ice for warmups.
Rinne allowed three goals on 27 shots in the Predators loss to the Red Wings on Tuesday. Detroit seems to have the Predators number as of late and it led to Rinne’s third loss in four games—he allowed 11 goals on 112 shots (.902 SV%) over that stretch. Tonight he faces the Habs on home-ice, where he is 12-8-3 with a 2.27 GAA, .914 SV% and two shutouts this season.
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.