Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

NHL Hockey Player News

Michkov (lower-body) will return vs. Toronto on Thursday.

Michkov did not play in the Flyers win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, but he will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a 63 point rookie season, Michkov has faced some adversity in his sophomore season, with only 23 points (9G / 14A) in 40 games. That said, he has played better lately, with seven points (1G / 6A) in his last 10 games.

Matvei Michkov
Hellebuyck will start vs. Edmonton on Thursday.

The Jets went 3-8-1 in 12 games with Hellebuyck sidelined due to a knee injury, but unfortunately for them, their struggles have continued since Hellebuyck's return. The 32-year-old goalie has just one win since returning to the lineup in mid December, posting a 2.84 GAA and .886 SV% through 10 games (1-5-4). The Jets enter the action on Thursday as +102 home underdogs against an Oilers team coming off a 6-2 win over the Nashville Predators.

Connor Hellebuyck
Hildeby is in the starter's crease at Toronto's morning skate.

The Maple Leafs have been rolling lately, with points in seven straight games (5-0-2), and will turn to Hildeby on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 24-year-old Swedish goalie was solid in his most recent outing, entering the contest in relief of Joseph Woll, saving 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%) in a 6-5 win over the Winnipeg Jets. He has a 2.90 GAA and .912 SV% in 15 appearances this season (3-5-4). The Maple Leafs enter the action on Thursday as slight +108 road underdogs against a Flyers team that has scored five or more goals in three of their last four games (3-1-0).

Dennis Hildeby
Smith underwent successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus and is expected to miss the next three to four months.

Smith was a regular for the Blue Jackets after making his debut in early December, but has not played the previous few games and subsequently underwent surgery to address a torn meniscus. The 36-year-old defenseman was averaging 11:05 time-on-ice and had two assists in 15 games.

Brendan Smith
Korpisalo will start vs. Calgary on Thursday.

Korpisalo has not played in nearly two weeks, but was solid in his previous outing, saving 30 of 33 shots (.909 SV%) in a 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The 31-year-old Finnish goalie has a 3.60 GAA and .882 SV% in 15 games this season (6-8-0). The Bruins enter the action on Thursday as -136 home favorites against a Calgary Flames team that played last night, losing 4-1 to the Montreal Canadiens, extending its losing streak to three games (0-3-0).

Joonas Korpisalo
Malkin (upper-body) is a game-time decision vs. New Jersey.

Malkin has not played in over a month, but could return to the lineup on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. The 39-year-old Malkin was having a renaissance season before his injury, scoring 29 points (8G / 21A) through 26 games. The future Hall of Famer has not finished a season above a point-per-game pace since the 2022-23 season.

Evgeni Malkin
Gibson will start vs. Vancouver on Thursday.

Gibson's stellar play between the pipes has continued, and he will return to the crease on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 32-year-old Gibson saved 35 of 38 shots (.921 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. He has an exceptional 2.03 GAA and .932 SV% in his last 10 games (8-2-0). The Red Wings enter Thursday's contest as -146 home favorites against a Canucks team on a four-game losing streak (0-2-2).

John Gibson
Skinner will start vs. New Jersey on Thursday.

After a poor start to his tenure with the Penguins, Skinner has strung together consecutive wins, allowing just one goal in each and saving 38 of 40 combined shots (.950 SV%). The 27-year-old Skinner has a 2.87 GAA and .874 SV% through five games with the Penguins (2-3-0). Pittsburgh has won five straight and enters the action on Thursday -115 home favorites against a New Jersey Devils team coming off a humiliating 9-0 loss to the New York Islanders.

Stuart Skinner
Lafreniere (illness) is expected to play vs. Buffalo on Thursday.

The Rangers are battling a myriad of key injuries and had a scare on Wednesday when Lafreneiere was absent from practice because of an illness, but he should play on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 24-year-old Lafreniere has been held off the scoresheet in 28 of 44 games this season and continues to be unable to live up to the expectations he garnered when he was drafted first overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He has 24 points (9G / 15A) in 44 games this season.

Alexis Lafrenière
Vladar is in the starter's crease at Philadelphia's morning skate.

The Flyers have made it clear that Vladar is their go-to option between the pipes and will likely start again on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 28-year-old Czech goalie has allowed three or fewer goals in nine straight games (6-1-2), posting a solid .916 SV%. He has a 2.37 GAA and .910 SV% through 25 games this season (16-6-3)). The Flyers enter Thursday's contest as -113 home favorites against a Maple Leafs team with points in seven straight games (5-0-2).

Dan Vladar
Miller (upper-body) is likely to return to New York's lineup vs. Buffalo on Thursday.

Miller has been sidelined for nearly three weeks because of an upper-body injury, but should return to the lineup on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 32-year-old Miller has a pedestrian 22 points (10G / 22A) in 35 games this season, but was producing at a better rate lately, with eight points (3G / 5A) in his last nine games.

J.T. Miller
Merilainen will start in Utah on Wednesday.

With Linus Ullmark still on a leave of absence due to personal reasons, the Senators will again hand Merilainen the start when they travel to Utah on Wednesday. Merilainen struggled in his last start, allowing three goals on eight shots before being pulled as the Senators lost 5-3 to the Red Wings on Monday. The 23-year-old netminder has appeared in 14 games this season, logging a 6-7-0 record and an .869 SV%. The Sens enter action on Wednesday at +105 on the money line.

Leevi Merilainen
Dellandrea is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Dellandrea has been a game-time decision several times over the past two months, seemingly always battling through an injury, but he will finally be on the sidelines for the first time this season with a lower-body injury Wednesday. The 25-year-old is averaging 14:24 time-on-ice and has 11 points (2G / 9A) in 42 games this season.

Ty Dellandrea
Askarov will start in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Askarov is coming off a forgetful performance, allowing three goals on 10 shots (.700 SV%) before being pulled in an eventual 7-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 23-year-old goalie is amid a tough stretch altogether, allowing three or more goals in 11 straight (6-5-0), posting a 3.54 GAA and .869 SV%. The Sharks enter the action on Wednesday as sizeable +212 road underdogs against a Los Angeles Kings team that is missing several key offensive contributors.

Yaroslav Askarov
Vejmelka will start against the Senators on Wednesday.

Vejmelka has had an up-and-down 2025-26 season, posting a 2.70 GAA and .894 SV% in 32 games (18-11-2), but seems to be turning a corner, amid his hottest stretch of the season. The 29-year-old Czech goalie has a solid 2.44 GAA and .911 SV% in his last 12 games (8-4-0). The Mammoth enter the action on Wednesday as -121 home favorites against an Ottawa Senators team that has been treading water lately with a 3-3-1 record in their last seven games.

Karel Vejmelka

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!