Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Joey Daccord was the first goalie off the ice at Sunday's morning skate, indicating he will patrol the home crease for the Seattle Kraken against Buffalo. Daccord is coming off a 24-save performance in Wednesday's 3-2 overtime win over the Kings. This season, he has compiled an 8-7-4 record with a 2.94 GAA and an .893 save percentage across 19 appearances.
Sergei Murashov will start Sunday's game against the Mammoth, as reported by Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff. Murashov was recalled on an emergency basis Saturday and will make the start with the team on the second of a back-to-back. Stuart Skinner remains unavailable due to issues with his immigration paperwork. The 21-year-old Murashov has been solid this season, going 1-1-1 with a 1.90 GAA and a .913 save percentage in a small sample size.
New York Islanders forward Emil Heineman scored the shootout winner in a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, marking his second shootout winner in as many skills competitions. Heineman's heroics are particularly notable as his acquisition by the Islanders is considered the culmination of a 44-year trade tree that originated from the deal that brought Pat LaFontaine to Long Island. This historic connection adds an extra layer of significance to his recent clutch performances for the team.
Filip Gustavsson will protect the home net for the Minnesota Wild against Boston on Sunday, getting the second half of a back-to-back. The 27-year-old goalie holds a 9-8-3 record with a 2.64 GAA and a .907 save percentage through 20 appearances this season. He faces a challenging matchup against Boston, who rank seventh in the league with 3.28 goals per game, as reported by Jessi Pierce of NHL.com.
Jacob Markstrom is slated to patrol the home crease for the New Jersey Devils against Vancouver on Sunday, as reported by Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site. This start marks the second half of New Jersey's back-to-back, following Jake Allen's 4-1 win on Saturday. The 35-year-old Markstrom has posted an 8-6-1 record this season, maintaining a 3.66 GAA and an .875 save percentage across 16 appearances. Vancouver currently ranks 26th in the league with 2.74 goals per game.
Marco Rossi (lower body) has been activated from injured reserve by the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. He is set to make his Vancouver debut against New Jersey, occupying a top-line role and joining the first power-play unit, based on Saturday's practice. Rossi was acquired from Minnesota on Friday in the trade involving Quinn Hughes. This season, he has recorded four goals, 13 points, 27 shots, eight blocked shots, and 11 hits in 17 appearances.
J.T. Miller was the hero for the New York Rangers, scoring two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, during Saturday's 5-4 victory over the Canadiens. The 32-year-old forward also recorded three shots on net and three hits. Miller tied the game at 4-4 in the second period before his OT heroics. He now has nine goals and 20 points, along with 66 shots and 71 hits, through 31 games this season, including eight points in his last nine contests. This performance further bolsters his case for Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Gabriel Vilardi scored two goals, one on the power play, in Saturday's 5-1 victory for the Winnipeg Jets over the Capitals. The 26-year-old sniper recorded Winnipeg's final two tallies of the night, marking his third multi-goal performance in the last 12 games. During this hot stretch, Vilardi has amassed 10 goals and 15 points, with four goals coming on the man advantage. He is currently on pace for a career-best campaign, now with 16 goals and 29 points in 31 contests.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander logged a season-low 13:46 of ice time and was benched for the final 6:07 in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, finishing as a -3. Head coach Craig Berube explained that Nylander was playing while "not even close to 75 percent" due to illness and saw no reason to keep playing him with the game out of reach. Despite this setback, Nylander leads the Leafs with 34 points in 27 games, including a two-point performance on December 11.
Jack Quinn was included in the `players` array of an article discussing the blockbuster Quinn Hughes trade and the Philadelphia Flyers' interest. However, the article content itself did not provide any specific news, updates, or actions directly related to Jack Quinn. The discussion focused on the trade assets and the Flyers' decision not to pursue Hughes, with Quinn's name appearing only in the player tagging.
Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl recorded three assists in Saturday's 6-3 win over Toronto, extending his point streak to five games and 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists). He now boasts an impressive 999 points (416 goals, 583 assists) in 822 NHL games, placing him 13th on the active scorer's list, just 15 points shy of Brad Marchand. Draisaitl continues his dominant offensive play.
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid scored twice and added an assist in Saturday's 6-3 win over Toronto, extending his point streak to five games and 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) with 24 shots. He previously had four assists against the Red Wings. McDavid's goals included a forehand deke past Dennis Hildeby and an own goal from a centering pass. He leads the NHL with 33 assists and is tied for seventh in goals with 18.
Alex DeBrincat was a key offensive force for the Detroit Red Wings in their 4-0 win over the Blackhawks, tallying two goals—one just 55 seconds into the game and another empty-netter—and an assist. This marks his second three-point effort in the last three games. He now has six goals and five assists in seven December outings, bringing his season totals to 18 goals and 19 helpers through 33 appearances, putting him on pace for his fourth 70-point season.
John Gibson delivered his second shutout of the season, making 26 saves in the Detroit Red Wings' dominant 4-0 victory over the Blackhawks. This performance extends the 32-year-old netminder's winning streak to five consecutive games, with two shutouts during this stretch. During this heater, Gibson has allowed just 10 goals on 167 shots. His season record now stands at 9-7-1 with a 3.13 GAA and an .890 save percentage through 18 starts. He is expected to start twice next week.
Patrick Kane, an important veteran for the Detroit Red Wings, scored his 498th career goal in a 4-0 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, putting him just two tallies away from the illustrious 500-goal mark. This was his third return to the United Center, a venue he called home for many years, where he also assisted on Alex DeBrincat's goal. Kane, who signed one-year extensions with Detroit on June 30, 2024, and 2025, is also 10 points away from tying Mike Modano as the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history.
Connor Bedard (shoulder) is not expected to join the Chicago Blackhawks on their upcoming road trip through Eastern Canada, commencing Tuesday. His absence is concerning, and the team may opt for extended rest before the holiday break, with no firm return timeline yet established. In their first game without him, the Blackhawks were shut out 4-0 by the Red Wings, highlighting his critical importance to the team's offense. Coach Jeff Blashill confirmed he doesn't anticipate Bedard on the trip, with more details expected Monday.
Brad Marchand delivered a dominant performance for the Florida Panthers, scoring two goals—one on the power play and another into an empty net—and adding an assist in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Stars. This three-point effort, which included the Panthers' last two goals, broke a three-game point drought. Marchand now boasts 18 goals, 16 helpers, 86 shots on net, 18 hits, 22 PIM, and a minus-6 rating through 30 games this season, showing explosive offense in December.
Sergei Bobrovsky secured his 52nd career shutout, tying Tuukka Rask for 27th all-time, with a 15-save performance in the Florida Panthers' 4-0 win over the Stars on Saturday. This marks his third shutout of the season, following clean sheets against the Devils (Nov. 20) and Golden Knights (Oct. 25). The 37-year-old netminder has now won three consecutive games, improving his season record to 13-8-1 with a 2.84 GAA and an .886 save percentage through 22 outings.
J.T. Miller scored his second goal of the game on a power play at 2:56 of overtime, leading the New York Rangers to a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Miller's ninth goal of the season secured the win after the Rangers rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 4-2, snapping a three-game skid. He also scored at 7:58 of the second period to tie the game 4-4, playing a pivotal role in the dramatic turnaround.
Pavel Dorofeyev (Vegas Golden Knights) left Saturday's game against the Blue Jackets with an undisclosed injury and did not return. No immediate update on his status was available post-game. Prior to the injury, the 25-year-old winger scored a power-play goal, bringing his season totals to 13 goals and 21 points in 31 games. With three days until the Golden Knights' next game on Wednesday, an update on his condition is anticipated.
