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NHL Hockey Player News

Gibson will start vs. the Islanders on Tuesday.

The Red Wings acquired Gibson in the offseason to stabilize an inconsistent crease over the past few seasons, but early in his tenure, he had provided the opposite. That said, the 32-year-old veteran goalie appears to be turning a corner, winning five straight outings while recording a 2.05 GAA, .940 SV%, and two shutouts. The Red Wings hope Gibson can stay hot, entering Tuesday's contest as -128 home favorites against a New York Islanders team that has won six of their last seven (6-1-0).

John Gibson
Woll will start vs. Chicago on Tuesday.

Woll has not played since suffering a lower-body injury late in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on December 4th, but will return to the crease on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Woll has been excellent when healthy this season, but that has unfortunately provided a very small sample size, posting a 2.44 GAA and .923 SV% in eight games (4-3-1). With Woll's injury history, the Maple Leafs may take the cautious route and alternate starts with Dennis Hildeby, who has played well for them this season. The Maple Leafs enter Tuesday's contest as sizable -196 home favorites against a Blackhawks team that has scored just six goals in its last five games (1-4-0).

Joseph Woll
Clifton is expected to be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Edmonton.

With Jack St. Ivany (lower body) and Brett Kulak (trade) making their Pittsburgh season debut's, Connor Clifton and Ryan Graves will head to the sidelines as healthy scratches. The 30-year-old Clifton has zero points through 14 games, but is more known for his physical contributions, as evident by his 57 hits.

Connor Clifton
St. Ivany is expected to draw into Pittsburgh's lineup vs. Edmonton on Tuesday.

St. Ivany was battling a lower-body injury that kept him sidelined for several months. He made his 2025-26 debut while on a conditioning loan with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) last week, scoring five points (1G / 4A) in five games. He makes his season debut with Pittsburgh on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.

Jack St. Ivany
Kulak is expected to make his season debut on Tuesday vs. Edmonton.

Kulak was acquired in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers last week and will draw into Pittsburgh's lineup on Tuesday for his team debut in a meeting against his former team. An NHL veteran of over 600 games, Kulak was a regular presence this season on the Oilers' third defensive pair, averaging 17:42 time-on-ice through 31 games.

Brett Kulak
Matheson (upper-body) will be out vs. Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Matheson played 26:05 time-on-ice in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers, but will not play on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers due to an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old defenseman is averaging 24:54 time-on-ice and has 16 points (4G / 12A) in 32 games this season.

Mike Matheson
Fowler will start vs. Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Fowler allowed five goals on 28 shots (.821 SV%) in Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Despite this, he will return to the crease for the third time in four games to start his NHL career. The 21-year-old Fowler had an excellent NHL debut last week, saving 36 of 38 shots (.947 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also developed a reliable pedigree during his AHL tenure, going 10-5-0 with a 2.09 GAA and .919 SV% in 15 games with Laval this season. The Canadiens enter Tuesday's contest as -122 home favorites against a Philadelphia Flyers team on a three-game losing skid (0-0-3).

Jacob Fowler
Greaves will start vs. Anaheim on Tuesday.

Greaves has been on the wrong end of seven straight outings (0-4-3), but has been serviceable despite the poor outcomes, posting a 2.70 GAA and .904 SV%. The 24-year-old Greaves has a 2.75 GAA and .905 SV% in 20 games this season (7-8-5). The Blue Jackets enter Tuesday's contest as -140 home favorites against an Anaheim Ducks team that played last night and defeated the New York Rangers 4-1.

Jet Greaves
Nemec (undisclosed) has been placed on IR and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Nemec has not played the last two games for the Devils due to an undisclosed injury and has been placed on Injured Reserve. It's unclear when the talented Slovak defenseman might return to the lineup, but the Devils' Head Coach Sheldon Keefe stated he is expected to miss "some time" and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Simon Nemec
The Canucks signed Sasson to a two-year contract extension on Monday with a $1M AAV.

Sasson's extension means he will no longer become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. The 25-year-old forward has appeared in 29 games for the Canucks this season, logging six goals and two assists while featuring primarily in Vancouver's bottom-six.

Max Sasson
Hofer will start against the Predators on Monday.

Hofer was solid in his most recent game, saving 27 of 29 shots (.931 SV%) in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and will return to the crease on Monday against the Nashville Predators. The Blues have struggled between the pipes this season, but Hofer has been slightly more reliable than Jordan Binnington and has seen an uptick in deployment over the past few weeks as a result. The 25-year-old Hofer has a 3.10 GAA and .893 SV% in 17 appearances this season (5-6-2). The Blues enter the action on Monday as slight -106 home favorites against a Predators team that handily defeated them 7-2 less than a week ago.

Joel Hofer
Kuemper will start in Dallas on Monday.

The Kings have lost six of their last 10 (4-2-4), but largely credit Kuemper's strong play for helping the team collect points in four of those losses. Kuemper has been outstanding in December, posting a tremendous 1.62 GAA and .944 SV% in five games (2-2-1). The 35-year-old Kuemper has a 2.21 GAA and .916 SV% in 22 games this season (10-6-6). The Kings enter Monday's contest as +116 road underdogs against a Dallas Stars team that has been outscored 9-2 during a two-game losing skid.

Darcy Kuemper
Ullmark will start in Winnipeg on Monday.

Ullmark has allowed three or fewer goals in three of his last four games (2-2-0), but does not have the results to show for it, posting a 2.80 GAA and .891 SV%. The 32-year-old Ullmark has had a rocky season between the pipes for the Senators, showcasing a career-worst 3.05 GAA and .877 SV% in 23 games (11-8-4). The Senators enter Monday's contest as +115 road underdogs against a struggling Winnipeg Jets team hoping to shift its fortunes after a dominant 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

Linus Ullmark

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!