NHL Injuries Updates

By: IceHockeyMan Newsroom | Updated: October 6, 2026

Context

This daily NHL injury snapshot tracks current injury designations and reserve placements by team, using RotoWire’s public injury report. Day-to-day does not guarantee a return for the next game. Listings reflect the latest available source snapshot, rather than confirmation that every listed player will miss tonight’s game.

League-Wide Injury Takeaways

121 injury listings; 11 goaltenders. Personal and suspension-related absences are separated below.

Current NHL Injury Report by Team

Anaheim Ducks

• Drew Helleson (D) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ian Moore (D) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Troy Terry (RW) - Hip - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Boston Bruins

No injury designation is listed for this team in the current snapshot.

Buffalo Sabres

• Alex Lyon (G) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Conor Timmins (D) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jack Rathbone (D) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jason Zucker (LW) - Abdomen - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Topias Leinonen (G) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 5 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Calgary Flames

• Jonathan Huberdeau (LW) - Hip - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 1 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Carolina Hurricanes

• Alexander Nikishin (D) - Contract Dispute - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Seth Jarvis (RW) - Shoulder - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 2 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Chicago Blackhawks

• Andrew Mangiapane (LW) - Lower Body - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Connor Bedard (C) - Shoulder - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ryan Ellis (D) - Back - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Colorado Avalanche

• Georgi Merkulov (LW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Logan O'Connor (RW) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Trent Miner (G) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Zachary L'Heureux (C) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 4 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Columbus Blue Jackets

• Caleb MacDonald (D) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Damon Severson (D) - Shoulder - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Dante Fabbro (D) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Isac Lundestrom (C) - Achilles - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ivan Provorov (D) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Mikael Pyyhtia (LW) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Riley Bezeau (RW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 7 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Dallas Stars

• Cameron Hughes (C) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Harrison Scott (LW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Luke Krys (D) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Matt Duchene (C) - Lower Body - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 4 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Detroit Red Wings

• Carter Bear (LW) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Chase Stillman (RW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• J.T. Compher (C) - Undisclosed - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Jacob Bernard-Docker (D) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Marco Kasper (C) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Mason Appleton (C) - Undisclosed - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Simon Edvinsson (D) - Contract Dispute - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.

Team availability: 7 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Edmonton Oilers

• Alec Regula (D) - Undisclosed - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Atro Leppanen (D) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Frederik Andersen (G) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• James Stefan (RW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jason Dickinson (C) - Foot - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Matt Savoie (C) - Lower Body - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Mattias Janmark (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Zach Hyman (RW) - Undisclosed - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.

Team availability: 9 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Florida Panthers

• Aleksander Barkov (C) - Knee - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jonah Gadjovich (LW) - Upper Body - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Mackenzie Entwistle (RW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Los Angeles Kings

• Jakub Dvorak (D) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jan Jenik (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Kevin Fiala (LW) - Lower Leg - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Minnesota Wild

• Brock Faber (D) - Skull - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Danila Yurov (RW) - Upper Body - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.
• Filip Gustavsson (G) - Hip - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 1 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Montreal Canadiens

• Alexandre Carrier (D) - Undisclosed - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.
• Bryce Pickford (D) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ivan Demidov (RW) - Lower Body - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Kaiden Guhle (D) - Groin - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Lucas Condotta (LW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Oliver Kapanen (C) - Lower Body - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.

Team availability: 6 current injury listings, including 2 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Nashville Predators

• Justus Annunen (G) - Undisclosed - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 1 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

New Jersey Devils

• Connor Brown (RW) - Lower Body - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Johnny Kovacevic (D) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Nick Bjugstad (C) - Pectoral - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Seamus Casey (D) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 4 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

New York Islanders

• Mathew Barzal (C) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 1 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

New York Rangers

• Adam Sykora (LW) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Aidan Thompson (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Joe Veleno (C) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Joonas Korpisalo (G) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 4 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Ottawa Senators

• Andre Burakovsky (LW) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Artem Zub (D) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Blake Montgomery (LW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jake Sanderson (D) - Lower Body - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Kurtis MacDermid (LW) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Linus Ullmark (G) - Undisclosed - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.

Team availability: 6 current injury listings, including 1 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Philadelphia Flyers

• Helge Grans (D) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Nikita Grebenkin (RW) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Rasmus Ristolainen (D) - Undisclosed - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 1 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Pittsburgh Penguins

• Bryan Rust (RW) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Justin Brazeau (LW) - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ryan Graves (D) - Knee - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

San Jose Sharks

• Adam Gaudette (C) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Alex Barre-Boulet (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Cameron Lund (C) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Kyle Keyser (G) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Logan Couture (C) - Groin - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Macklin Celebrini (C) - Lower Body - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.
• Quentin Musty (LW) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 7 current injury listings, including 1 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Seattle Kraken

• Jacob Melanson (RW) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jake O'Brien (C) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 2 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

St. Louis Blues

• Alexey Toropchenko (RW) - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Felix Trudeau (LW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Logan Mailloux (D) - Hand - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Torey Krug (D) - Ankle - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Tyler Tucker (D) - Knee - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 5 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Tampa Bay Lightning

• Dominic James (LW) - Hand - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Emil Lilleberg (D) - Undisclosed - Out. The source currently lists the player as out; no return date is confirmed here.
• Yanni Gourde (LW) - Hip - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Toronto Maple Leafs

• Cade Webber (D) - Elbow - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Dakota Joshua (LW) - Abdomen - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Elvis Merzlikins (G) - Shoulder - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Max Domi (C) - Back - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• William Villeneuve (D) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 5 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Utah Mammoth

• Maveric Lamoureux (D) - Shoulder - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 1 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Vancouver Canucks

• Akil Thomas (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Filip Chytil (C) - Shoulder - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Jack Thompson (D) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Mackenzie MacEachern (LW) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Thatcher Demko (G) - Hip - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 5 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Vegas Golden Knights

• Alex Pietrangelo (D) - Hip - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Ben Hemmerling (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Kai Uchacz (C) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Lukas Cormier (D) - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Raphael Lavoie (C) - Undisclosed - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.

Team availability: 5 current injury listings, including 1 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Washington Capitals

• Matt Roy (D) - Lower Body - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.
• Patrick Thomas (C) - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Rasmus Sandin (D) - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 1 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Winnipeg Jets

• Elias Salomonsson (D) - Shoulder - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Garrett Brown (D) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Walker Duehr (RW) - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Team availability: 3 current injury listings, including 0 day-to-day. Reserve designations and medical return decisions should be read separately.

Goaltending Injury Watch

• Alex Lyon (G) - Buffalo Sabres - Upper Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Elvis Merzlikins (G) - Toronto Maple Leafs - Shoulder - Long-Term Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Filip Gustavsson (G) - Minnesota Wild - Hip - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Frederik Andersen (G) - Edmonton Oilers - Knee - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Joonas Korpisalo (G) - New York Rangers - Lower Body - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Justus Annunen (G) - Nashville Predators - Undisclosed - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Kyle Keyser (G) - San Jose Sharks - Upper Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Linus Ullmark (G) - Ottawa Senators - Undisclosed - Day-to-Day. Availability remains subject to a short-term reassessment.
• Thatcher Demko (G) - Vancouver Canucks - Hip - Injured Reserve. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Topias Leinonen (G) - Buffalo Sabres - Lower Body - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.
• Trent Miner (G) - Colorado Avalanche - Undisclosed - Injured Non-Roster. The player currently carries this reserve designation; it does not establish a guaranteed return date.

Other Availability Restrictions

These listings are not classified as medical injuries.

• Aaron Ekblad (D) - Florida Panthers - Personal - Day-to-Day. This is an availability restriction, not a reported medical injury.
• Adam Jecho (RW) - St. Louis Blues - Personal - Injured Non-Roster. This is an availability restriction, not a reported medical injury.
• Charlie McAvoy (D) - Boston Bruins - Suspension - Out. This is an availability restriction, not a reported medical injury.
• Connor Hellebuyck (G) - Winnipeg Jets - Suspension - Injured Non-Roster. This is an availability restriction, not a reported medical injury.

What Day-to-Day, IR, LTIR and Injured Non-Roster Mean

Day-to-Day

A day-to-day player is dealing with an injury that is not currently expected to require a major long-term absence.

However, the designation is not a guarantee that the player will return for the next game. Medical response, practice participation and pain management can all affect availability.

Injured Reserve - IR

Injured Reserve is an official roster designation used when a player is unavailable because of injury.

It provides teams with roster flexibility while the player recovers.

Long-Term Injured Reserve - LTIR

LTIR is used for longer absences and has important roster and salary-cap implications.

A player on LTIR should generally be viewed very differently from someone listed day-to-day.

Injured Non-Roster - IR-NR

Injured non-roster status is commonly used for players who are injured before being placed on the active NHL roster.

This is particularly common around training camp and opening-roster deadlines.

Not every IR-NR listing represents a major injury. Some involve prospects or organisational depth players who were not expected to occupy major NHL roles immediately.

Q&A: Understanding NHL Injury Reports

How often do NHL injury statuses change?

They can change every day and sometimes several times during the same day.

Morning skate participation, medical evaluation and post-practice response can all affect whether a player is ultimately cleared.

Does day-to-day mean the player will return for the next game?

No.

Day-to-day simply indicates that the injury is being evaluated on a short-term basis. A player can still miss multiple games.

Does injured reserve always mean a serious injury?

No.

IR is also a roster-management tool. Some players return relatively quickly, while others remain unavailable much longer.

What is the difference between IR and LTIR?

LTIR is designed for longer-term absences and has specific salary-cap implications.

A standard IR placement can cover shorter injuries.

What is injured non-roster status?

It is commonly used when a player is injured before joining the active roster, particularly around training camp and opening day.

Why are estimated return dates unreliable?

Recovery is not perfectly predictable.

A target date can move depending on skating response, contact tolerance, conditioning and medical clearance.

Which injuries usually affect a team the most?

Starting-goaltender injuries, top-pair defensive absences and injuries to first-line centres or primary offensive drivers tend to have the largest structural effect.

Why can one injury matter more than several others?

Because player role matters more than raw injury count.

Losing a franchise centre can affect several tactical areas simultaneously, while multiple depth-player injuries may be easier to absorb.

Should fantasy hockey players follow AHL recalls after NHL injuries?

Yes.

An NHL injury can create an immediate opportunity for an AHL prospect or depth player to receive more minutes, special-teams usage or a top-six role.

Why should fans check injury information close to puck drop?

Because morning information can become outdated quickly.

A player listed day-to-day in the morning may participate in warmups and play, while another player may suffer a setback during practice and be ruled out later.

IceHockeyMan will continue updating this NHL injury report throughout the 2026/27 season as player statuses, injured-reserve placements and return timelines change.

IHM Newsroom