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NHL Injuries Update

By: IceHockeyMan Newsroom | Updated: April 07, 2026

Context

This is a full, team-by-team injury rundown for today. Estimated return dates are best viewed as rolling targets. Day-to-day designations can change quickly, while IR and LTIR timelines often reflect roster mechanics, medical clearance windows and how aggressively teams want to push players back into game action.

League-wide takeaways

• Goaltending volatility: several teams are still managing major crease absences or unstable return timelines, which can swing defensive posture and pregame expectations fast.
• Center-line pressure: more clubs are now missing key pivots, which changes faceoff balance, defensive support and transition rhythm.
• Long-term star losses: teams missing franchise-level drivers are no longer just adjusting line combinations, they are adjusting identity.

Key Injury Signals Today

• Multiple teams are missing franchise-level centers, which shifts matchup control and faceoff balance.
• Goaltending instability is rising across several teams, increasing volatility in defensive structure.
• Long-term injuries to elite players are forcing teams to simplify systems and reduce risk.
• Depth-heavy teams are gaining a structural advantage during this phase of the season.

Biggest Injury Impact Right Now

Florida Panthers - System Collapse Risk

Florida is no longer dealing with isolated injuries. Barkov, Reinhart, Lundell, Ekblad, Marchand and multiple supporting pieces are all out or on long-term reserve. This removes elite center depth, top-line finishing, defensive structure and leadership layers at the same time.

This is not a lineup adjustment situation anymore. This is a full structural breakdown risk, where identity, matchup control and offensive flow are all compromised simultaneously.

Edmonton Oilers - Offensive Dependency Exposed

Leon Draisaitl remains out, and now Zach Hyman is also unavailable in the short term. That removes a massive share of finishing ability, puck support and net-front pressure from the lineup.

The Oilers can still generate offense through elite talent, but this stretch clearly exposes how dependent the system is on a small number of core drivers. Without them, the margin for error becomes extremely thin.

Tampa Bay Lightning - Multi-Layer Disruption

Tampa is missing Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman - three players who impact completely different layers of the game. This hits center depth, top-six pace and blue-line control at once.

When injuries spread across multiple structural layers instead of one position group, rhythm breaks faster. Tampa still has experience to survive, but the system is under real stress right now.

Ottawa Senators - Blue-Line Breakdown

Ottawa is dealing with a heavy concentration of injuries on defense. Chabot, Jensen, Gilbert, Kleven and Yakemchuk are all unavailable, forcing major redistribution of minutes.

This creates constant pressure on pairings, transition exits and defensive-zone coverage. Even competitive performances become harder to sustain with this level of blue-line damage.

Dallas Stars - Center Depth Under Pressure

Dallas remains a top-tier team, but injuries through the middle are stacking. Hintz, Faksa, Steel and Seguin all affect center structure in different ways, while additional absences impact wing support.

The Stars still have enough depth to stay competitive, but this is a stress test for their lineup balance heading into the final stretch.

Teams Under Pressure Right Now

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto is still under pressure, but the injury picture has changed. Auston Matthews is no longer on the active list here, yet the blue line remains structurally damaged by the long-term loss of Chris Tanev. Oliver Ekman-Larsson being day-to-day adds even more strain to puck movement, defensive sequencing and overall in-zone stability.

Florida Panthers

Florida now carries one of the heaviest injury burdens in the league. Barkov, Reinhart, Lundell, Ekblad, Marchand, Balinskis, Gadjovich and Rodrigues are all out or on injured reserve, with several now projected to miss the rest of the season. This no longer affects just one layer of the roster – it reshapes scoring, matchup control, center depth, defensive structure and the team’s entire competitive ceiling.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers remain under major pressure because Leon Draisaitl is still sidelined, and now Zach Hyman is also out in the short term. That removes a huge amount of finishing support, forecheck drive and top-line chemistry from a team already leaning too heavily on elite stars. Edmonton can still generate offense, but the margin for error is much thinner without two major pillars of its attack.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay has become another clear pressure team. Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman are all unavailable, which hits the Lightning in three critical areas at once: two-way center play, top-six pace and blue-line command. This is the kind of injury mix that can disrupt both playoff preparation and game-to-game rhythm very quickly.

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa’s blue line is under real strain. Chabot, Jensen, Gilbert, Kleven and Yakemchuk are all unavailable, forcing major redistribution of minutes and reducing both transition support and defensive stability. Even if the team stays competitive, this level of damage on the back end creates constant matchup stress.

Dallas Stars

Dallas remains dangerous, but the injury load through the middle is serious. Hintz, Faksa, Steel and Seguin all affect center depth in different ways, while Bunting and Bastian reduce wing support and physical detail. The Stars still have enough quality to survive, but the lineup is being tested more than the standings alone suggest.

Team-by-team injury report

Anaheim Ducks

• Pavel Mintyukov (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. If unavailable, Anaheim loses blue-line mobility, clean exits and some transition support from the back end.
• Radko Gudas (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Physical edge, crease protection and hard defensive-zone minutes are reduced while he remains out.
• Cutter Gauthier (LW) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Top-six attacking pressure and release threat take a hit if he cannot go.
• Jansen Harkins (C) - Out, est. Apr 28. Lower-line center depth and rotational matchup flexibility stay thinner after hand surgery.
• Ross Johnston (LW) - Out, est. Apr 16. Physical depth and forecheck pressure are reduced in the lower lines while he remains unavailable.
• Petr Mrazek (G) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Season-ending loss in goal affects depth planning and emergency crease insurance for the rest of the campaign.

Boston Bruins

• Dans Locmelis (C) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-range center development note, not a near-term NHL matchup swing, but it removes future depth flexibility.

Buffalo Sabres

• Noah Ostlund (C) - Out, est. Apr 8. Young center depth and future call-up flexibility remain limited in the short term.
• Sam Carrick (C) - Out, est. Apr 17. Bottom-six center detail, faceoff support and matchup reliability are reduced while he is week-to-week.
• Jiri Kulich (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term center absence removes a young scoring option and affects future lineup layering.
• Justin Danforth (RW) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 13. Depth wing rotation and special-teams flexibility remain reduced until he returns.

Calgary Flames

• Joel Hanley (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-term blue-line absence limits lower-pair trust and defensive depth for the rest of the season.
• Samuel Honzek (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Development track pauses for the year and future wing depth remains delayed.
• Jonathan Huberdeau (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-range roster note; impacts top-six finishing and offensive spacing for the rest of the campaign.
• Cullen Potter (LW) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-term roster note, not a near-term lineup lever.

Carolina Hurricanes

• Jordan Staal (C) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. If out, Carolina loses a major matchup center, faceoff anchor and defensive stabilizer.
• Jordan Martinook (LW) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Forecheck pressure, straight-line energy and lower-line disruption decrease if he remains unavailable.
• Pyotr Kochetkov (G) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 11. Crease planning remains under pressure until the playoff picture becomes clearer around his return.

Chicago Blackhawks

• Matt Grzelcyk (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Season-ending loss reduces blue-line movement, composure on exits and lower-pair puck support.
• Artyom Levshunov (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Big development blow for the year and a major future blue-line piece remains unavailable.
• Oliver Moore (C) - Out, est. Apr 15. Center speed, transition support and future call-up flexibility stay limited during a significant absence.
• Ryan Ellis (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Jul 1. Long-term status, not a near-term lineup lever.
• Shea Weber (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Jul 1. Long-term status, not a day-to-day factor.

Colorado Avalanche

• Nicolas Roy (C) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Center support and lower-line matchup structure can tighten if he remains out.
• Cale Makar (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Franchise-level impact if absent; transition control, offensive activation and overall blue-line command shift immediately.
• Valeri Nichushkin (RW) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Top-six power, puck protection and net-drive detail are reduced if he cannot go.

Columbus Blue Jackets

• No current reported injuries listed in this update. That keeps lineup continuity intact and gives Columbus cleaner deployment and matchup planning than many clubs around them.

Dallas Stars

• Nathan Bastian (RW) - Out, est. May 4. Bottom-six physicality and straight-line pressure remain reduced during the final weeks.
• Radek Faksa (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 9. Bottom-six matchup and faceoff depth stays thinner until he returns.
• Tyler Myers (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Blue-line reach, defensive-zone coverage and lower-pair minutes come under more pressure if unavailable.
• Sam Steel (C) - Out, est. Apr 15. Depth center continuity and lower-line support stay limited in the short term.
• Michael Bunting (LW) - Out, est. Apr 15. Wing energy, retrieval pressure and middle-six detail are reduced while he remains sidelined.
• Roope Hintz (C) - Out, est. Apr 15. Major two-way center loss; transition pace, faceoff structure and matchup balance all take a real hit.
• Tyler Seguin (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term offensive driver absence removes leadership, finishing support and center depth for the rest of the campaign.

Detroit Red Wings

• Justin Faulk (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Blue-line puck movement and veteran defensive reads tighten if he cannot return on schedule.
• Mason Appleton (C) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Lower-line pressure, checking detail and utility usage are reduced if unavailable.

Edmonton Oilers

• Leon Draisaitl (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 18. Elite center absence changes everything from puck transport to finishing support and power-play rhythm.
• Zach Hyman (LW) - Out, est. Apr 13. Top-line forecheck drive, net-front work and finishing support remain reduced.
• Mattias Janmark (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Season-ending depth center loss reduces PK reliability and matchup versatility for the rest of the year.

Florida Panthers

• Evan Rodrigues (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term forward absence reduces utility value across the middle six and special teams.
• Aaron Ekblad (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Major blue-line loss; minute distribution, matchup coverage and defensive-zone structure all change without him.
• Jonah Gadjovich (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Physical depth and lower-line agitation remain unavailable for the rest of the campaign.
• Sam Reinhart (C) - Out, est. Sep 15. Franchise-level offensive loss changes finishing ceiling, PP identity and top-line timing immediately.
• Aleksander Barkov (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Full-structure impact; matchup hockey, possession control and two-way leadership all disappear without him.
• Anton Lundell (C) - Out, est. Sep 15. Another major center loss that strips Florida of depth, matchup layering and defensive reliability through the middle.
• Niko Mikkola (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Big-minute defensive support remains unavailable.
• Uvis Balinskis (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Blue-line mobility and lower-pair flexibility are reduced for the long term.
• Brad Marchand (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Veteran edge, scoring touch and emotional drive remain unavailable for the rest of the season.

Los Angeles Kings

• Andrei Kuzmenko (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 16. If unavailable, LA loses a depth skill connector in the middle lane for the stretch run.
• Kevin Fiala (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. System-level impact: finishing ceiling and power-play rhythm shift significantly, and this now looks like a full season loss.

Minnesota Wild

• Charlie Stramel (C) - Out, est. Sep 15. Development note rather than a current NHL matchup swing, but future center depth remains delayed.
• Zach Bogosian (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Defensive-zone bite, crease coverage and veteran blue-line support tighten if he remains out.

Montreal Canadiens

• Alexandre Texier (LW) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Wing speed and lower-line attack pressure can dip if he remains unavailable.
• Alexandre Carrier (D) - Out, est. Apr 14. Defensive minutes and pairing stability stay under stress during his 2-4 week absence.
• Kirby Dach (C) - Out, est. Apr 14. Center depth, puck transport and controlled entries remain thinner while he is sidelined.
• Patrik Laine (RW) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 12. Shot volume and power-play finishing lanes can shrink without a pure trigger option.

Nashville Predators

• Nicolas Hague (D) - Out, est. Apr 7. Blue-line size, reach and defensive-zone coverage are reduced while he remains unavailable.

New Jersey Devils

• Arseny Gritsyuk (RW) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-term roster note, not a near-term NHL lineup lever.
• Brett Pesce (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Top-four defensive stability and penalty pressure remain a major season-long loss.
• Stefan Noesen (RW) - Injured Reserve, est. Oct 15. Net-front habits, edge play and secondary scoring depth are gone for the rest of the year.
• Zack MacEwen (RW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term roster note, not a near-term lineup lever.

New York Islanders

• Alexander Romanov (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 14. Big defensive minutes and blue-line bite remain missing, though his return window is getting closer.
• Tony DeAngelo (D) - Out, est. Apr 9. Puck-moving depth and lower-pair blue-line support are reduced while he remains sidelined.
• Pierre Engvall (LW) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term wing absence removes depth flexibility for the rest of the season.
• Semyon Varlamov (G) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term crease loss reshapes the full goaltending plan.
• Kyle Palmieri (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term veteran scoring support remains unavailable.

New York Rangers

• Urho Vaakanainen (D) - Out, est. Apr 11. Blue-line depth and transition support remain under pressure while he is out.
• Matt Rempe (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Bottom-six size, forecheck role and physical identity are unavailable for the rest of the regular season.

Ottawa Senators

• Tyler Kleven (D) - Out, est. Apr 15. Depth defender loss tightens lower-pair rotation and physical coverage.
• Carter Yakemchuk (D) - Out, est. Apr 15. Blue-line depth and development integration remain delayed.
• Dennis Gilbert (D) - Out, est. Apr 15. Lower-pair rotation and physical insurance stay reduced during the next few weeks.
• Thomas Chabot (D) - Out, est. May 21. Major blue-line loss; transition support, minute management and offensive movement from the back end all take a serious hit.
• Nick Jensen (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 28. Top-four right-shot minutes and defensive-zone reliability remain a major stress point.

Philadelphia Flyers

• Nikita Grebenkin (RW) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Wing depth and lower-line support become less stable if he remains unavailable.
• Ty Murchison (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-term roster note, not a near-term lineup lever.
• Rodrigo Abols (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 14. Depth center availability remains reduced, tightening matchups and PK rotations.

Pittsburgh Penguins

• Stuart Skinner (G) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 9. Crease availability and workload planning shift if he remains unavailable in the short term.
• Caleb Jones (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term depth note from the back end, not a near-term swing.
• Blake Lizotte (C) - Out, est. Apr 14. Bottom-six speed, pressure and center flexibility remain limited.
• Filip Hallander (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 14. Depth center availability stays reduced, tightening matchups and PK rotations.
• Peyton Kettles (D) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-range roster note, not a near-term lineup lever.

San Jose Sharks

• Ryan Reaves (RW) - Out, est. Apr 11. Physical energy and matchup agitation remain reduced while he is week-to-week.
• Logan Couture (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term leadership and two-way center absence remains a season story.

Seattle Kraken

• Philipp Grubauer (G) - Out, est. Apr 7. Crease planning and goaltending balance tighten immediately while he is sidelined.
• Shane Wright (C) - Out, est. Apr 9. Center depth, transition support and offensive upside through the middle are reduced if he misses time.
• Max McCormick (LW) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-term roster note, not a near-term lineup lever.

St. Louis Blues

• No current reported injuries listed in this update. That gives St. Louis cleaner lineup continuity than many teams in the same tier.

Tampa Bay Lightning

• Pontus Holmberg (RW) - Out, est. Apr 9. Depth wing support and lower-line utility remain limited.
• Anthony Cirelli (C) - Out, est. Apr 7. Major two-way center absence affects matchup control, faceoffs and defensive structure through the middle.
• Brandon Hagel (LW) - Out, est. Apr 7. Top-six speed, pressure and finishing support are reduced if he remains unavailable.
• Victor Hedman (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 15. Top-end absence impacts transition, matchup coverage and power-play structure.
• Maxwell Crozier (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 29. Long-range depth note with playoff timing implications.
• Declan Carlile (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 13. Lower-pair rotation and defensive insurance remain limited.
• Dominic James (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 30. Depth center note with a longer-term recovery timeline after surgery.

Toronto Maple Leafs

• Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 8. If out, veteran puck-moving support and transition structure tighten immediately.
• Chris Tanev (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Defensive-zone coverage depth is impacted and matchup sheltering increases for the rest of the season.

Utah Mammoth

• MacKenzie Weegar (D) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Blue-line minute load, defensive-zone reads and transition support tighten if he remains out.
• Jack McBain (C) - Out, est. Apr 16. Bottom-six center size, forecheck detail and matchup depth remain reduced.
• Barrett Hayton (C) - Out, est. Apr 16. Middle-six center support and offensive balance through the middle are limited while he is sidelined.

Vancouver Canucks

• Kevin Lankinen (G) - Out, est. Apr 9. Short-term crease availability shifts workload and late-game confidence planning.
• Evander Kane (LW) - Day-to-Day, est. Apr 7. Physical edge, net-drive pressure and emotional energy are reduced if he remains unavailable.
• Thatcher Demko (G) - Injured Reserve, est. Sep 15. Long-term crease loss reshapes the full goaltending plan.
• Jonathan Lekkerimaki (RW) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-term wing development note with no immediate lineup leverage.
• Filip Chytil (C) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 16. Center rotation becomes fragile when multiple are out together.
• Derek Forbort (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 16. Defensive depth and lower-pair trust remain limited.

Vegas Golden Knights

• No current reported injuries listed in this update. Relative health remains a major advantage for a team entering the late-season push and playoff-positioning battles.

Washington Capitals

• Eriks Mateiko (LW) - Out, est. Sep 15. Long-range roster note, not a near-term lineup lever.

Winnipeg Jets

• Morgan Barron (C) - Out, est. Apr 18. Bottom-six center support and matchup flexibility tighten while he is week-to-week.
• Gustav Nyquist (RW) - Out, est. Apr 9. Middle-six wing detail and finishing support remain reduced.
• Elias Salomonsson (D) - Out, est. Apr 11. Blue-line depth and future call-up flexibility stay limited during the short-term absence.
• Colin Miller (D) - Injured Reserve, est. Apr 16. Blue-line depth minutes redistribute and the penalty-kill layer can thin.

Coach Mark Comment

Injury reports are not just lists of names. They are maps of how teams are forced to play. Right now the biggest theme across the league is structural compression. When clubs lose top centers, they stop hunting matchups and start protecting lines. When they lose top-pair defensemen, zone exits get simpler and risk drops. When they lose starting goaltenders, the entire defensive posture changes.

The most important habit for readers is to separate availability from impact. A day-to-day winger can sometimes be absorbed by committee. A missing franchise center or a missing elite defenseman changes identity. Look at the clubs carrying multiple center injuries at once. Those teams are not just moving names around on the lineup card, they are changing how they enter the zone, how they defend the slot and how aggressive they can be late in games.

The second key pattern is long-term damage. Teams like Toronto, Edmonton, Florida, Vancouver and Los Angeles are not just waiting for tomorrow’s practice update. They are planning around injuries that shape the rest of the season. That is why late-season hockey often becomes less beautiful and more tactical. Coaches stop chasing ideal structure and start building the most survivable version of the roster they still have.

Fan Pulse

Which injury changes a team’s ceiling more right now: Auston Matthews in Toronto, Aleksander Barkov in Florida, or Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton?

Q&A: Reading the NHL Injury Board

Why do day-to-day labels still feel unpredictable?

Because day-to-day often reflects medical caution and coach choice, not a fixed timeline. Players can be close, but one setback in practice or one bad recovery day can delay clearance.

Which injuries usually change outcomes the most?

Goaltending availability, top-pair defense absences and franchise-center losses tend to change outcomes the most because they alter structure, transition flow and how a team survives pressure.

Does Injured Reserve always mean a long absence?

Not always. IR is a roster mechanism as well as a health label. Some players return quickly once cleared, while others remain much longer depending on recovery and roster strategy.

How should fans use estimated return dates?

Use them as planning windows, not promises. The closer the date, the more likely the player is being evaluated daily, but actual return still depends on full-contact readiness and post-practice response.

Why are center injuries so damaging?

Centers touch every layer of the game. They affect faceoffs, defensive support, controlled exits, net-front coverage and matchup structure.

Why do defense injuries sometimes matter more than winger injuries?

Because top defensemen drive exits, manage gap control and reduce chaos. Losing them often changes how safely a team has to play.

How much do injuries affect special teams?

A lot. Power-play entries, bumper timing, penalty-kill reads and net-front rotations all suffer when key specialists are missing.

What is the difference between a long-term injury and a short-term one in tactical terms?

Short-term injuries usually force line shuffling. Long-term injuries force identity shifts, because coaches stop waiting for the player and build a different version of the team.

Why do some teams survive injury waves better than others?

Depth, system maturity and goaltending stability. Teams with reliable structure and deeper support pieces can absorb losses more effectively.

What should readers watch most closely over the next week?

The center positions, the crease situations, and whether day-to-day stars like Kaprizov, Reinhart, Lundell, McCann, Rielly and Stolarz actually return on schedule. Those shifts can change game flow quickly.

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