Erat will be a game-time decision this afternoon.
Erat is banged up from blocking shots in a Thursday's win over the Panthers. Casey Wellman has been recalled on an emergency basis and will play if Erat is unable to go.
NHL Injury Report
Salvador (collarbone) will not play Saturday.
Salvador is a little banged-up and with eight defensemen on the roster there is no reason to risk playing him this afternoon vs. the Islanders. Anton Volchenkov will slide into the lineup.
Emery will not dress on Saturday, day-to-day with lower-body injury.
Emery was not at practice on Friday, evidently due to his lower-body injury. Cal Heeter has been recalled on an emergency basis and will serve as Steve Mason's backup this afternoon.
Injury
Koivu (ankle) will not play tonight in Vancouver.
Koivu will miss his 17th straight game tonight. "Wait another day and get a good team practice on Sunda and then look at it again [for Calgary on Monday]," Koivu said. "It's getting better and it's pretty much the same story it's been this whole week. It's slowly getting there and getting more comfortable on skates, but it's still not quite where I want to be, especially battles and things like that.
Butler (lower-body) is doubtful to play against the Oilers.
Butler left Thursday's game after playing just 8:51 and did not return. Butler did not take part in Friday's practice and is likely to be replaced by Derek Smith tomorrow. Butler has two goals and eight assists (10 points) in 59 games.
Yakupov (ankle) feels good, could play Saturday.
Yakupov left Thursday's game with an ankle injury. X-rays on the ankle came back negative on Friday and he says that he does not know if he will play vs. Calgary tomorrow. Yakupov has two goals and four assists in his last nine games. Ales Hemsky will move to the top-line if Yak is not available.
No update on Semin who left Thursday's game with a lower-body injury.
Semin played just 4:21 before leaving the game and not returning. Semin was the only play who was not on the ice for the Hurricanes' practice this morning. His status for Saturday's afternoon (4:00 pm EST) game is uncertain. Monitor his status as puck-drop draws near tomorrow.
Bonino (upper-body) is expected to be available for the Ducks tonight.
Bonino missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, but should be back in the lineup tonight. There is no official word on his status, but he has been on the ice with the Ducks as they prepare for their first game back from the Olympic break tonight vs. St. Louis. Bonino has been great this season, recording 16 goals and 24 assists (40 points) in 56 games.
Tanev (thumb) will play Friday.
Tanev missed the last seven games with a thumb injury, but will return tonight vs. the Wild. There is no official word as to who will come out of the lineup for Tanev. The Canucks could elect to go with seven defensemen like they have many times this season. Tavev has 14 points (5G / 9A) with a plus-8 rating in 54 games this season.
Kesler (hand) will play vs. the Wild.
Kesler was a full participant in Thursday's practice, so his return vs. the Wild was expected. Kesler missed one game with a hand injury, but will return tonight. He has become talks of a potential trade, so tonight could be his last home game as a Canuck. He is expected to centre Vancouver's second line.
McQuaid (leg) has suffered a setback, likely won't play over the weekend.
McQuaid is expected to miss his 11th and 12th games in a row when the Bruins take on the Capitals and Rangers on Saturday and Sunday.
Injury
Bolland does not expect to play on Saturday, listed as day-to-day.
Bolland will alert the Maple Leafs when he is ready to play, but he does not anticipate that will be tomorrow vs. Montreal. Bolland is definitely nearing a return, but we likely won't see him until Monday at the earliest. Monitor his status following Saturday's morning skate.
Konopka (finger) will play tonight for John Scott.
Konopka is not fantasy relevant.
Ennis (lower-body) is close, but will not return tonight.
Ennis is listed as day-to-day and will likely return Monday in Dallas. Zenon Konopka will replace John Scott who took Ennis' place in the last game.
Injury
Grabovski will not travel to Boston with the team.
Grabovski hurt re-injured his ankle after playing just 2:20 in Thursday's win over the Panthers. Grabo missed the previous eight games with an ankle injury, then aggravated in the first last night. Expect Marcus Johansson to move up into his spot on the second line and Aaron Volpatti to draw in on the fourth line.
Letang uncertain about his NHL future after having a stroke in late January.
Letang will be on blood-thinners for another three weeks, is restricted to light exercise, and is counting on medical evidence that those who suffer strokes at such a young age can resume professional sports careers. Doctors have told Letang there is no reason he cannot resume his hockey career, but they cannot tell him when. “I’m targeting it day-by-day,” he said. “I’m trying to improve every day I come [to the rink]. I try to exercise the best I can. I see doctors pretty much every week, twice a week to get better. So we’ll go from there.”
McQuaid (leg) is not skating at Bruins practice this morning.
McQuaid has missed the last 10 games with a leg injury and his absence this morning suggests that he will miss number-11 on Saturday vs. Washington. Monitor McQuaid's status during the morning skate for confirmation.
Ennis (lower-body) is on the ice for the Sabres' morning skate.
Ennis missed Wednesday's game after suffering a minor injury on a hit in the third period of Tuesday's contest. His presence at the morning skate is a good sign that he could be back in the lineup tonight vs. the Sharks. Ennis has 14 goals and 16 assists (30 points) in 58 games this season.
Injury
Smith (hand) has been activated from injured reserve and will play tonight.
Smith has been sidelined since Dec. 18 with hand injury. He has four goals and five assists (nine points) in 25 games this season.
Kesler (hand) practiced with Canucks today and expects to play on Friday.
Kesler missed Wednesday's game with a hand injury that he suffered in Sochi. He participated in practice on Thursday and is probable to play vs. the Wild. Kesler's name has surfaced on the trade market, so Friday could potentially be his last with Vancouver.
NHL Injury Report
Daily Faceoff NHL injury report compiles all of the reported injuries from across the National Hockey League so you can see who is set to be sidelined, what their injury is, and how long they are expect to be out of commission. Injury updates are some of the most important NHL player news for any hockey fan to stay on top of, as winning or losing can ultimately be decided by the absence of a key player from within a team’s lineup. If you’re an avid hockey bettor, it’s crucial to your betting success that you stay informed on the latest injury news. Check out the latest NHL injury report on this page and see who’s set to miss some time this NHL season.
Reading the NHL Injury Report
The daily NHL injury report provides you with information regarding the type of injury a player is suffering from, the severity of it, as well as the timeline for their potential return. Common injury designations are day-to-day (almost fully healthy) out (not healthy, but not a long-term issue), and injured reserve/long-term injured reserve (out for an extended period of time).
Along with our regularly updated NHL injury report, you can also stay in the know regarding NHL injuries through team reporters/beat writers, social media channels and journalists, as well as official site reports from the NHL or their respective clubs.
Common NHL Injuries
In a physical sport such as hockey, injuries are a necessary evil as the toll it takes on each player’s body builds up over the course of an entire season. With the speed the game is played at the NHL level, it is common place for various injures to occur on a game-to-game basis. Whether it’s from a hard hit, inadvertent contact from a stick, or even being pelted by a blocked shot or deflected puck, it can be nearly impossible to avoid getting banged up over the course of an NHL contest.
Unlike many other professional sports leagues across the globe, the NHL tends to keep injury details close to the vest, reporting injury designations as either an upper body injury or lower body injury after players undergo tests. Below we’ll dive into some of the most common injuries that occur across the NHL, how they can affect players, and how long these injuries can sideline them from action.
Upper Body Injuries
Upper body injuries encompass all injuries that occur from the waist and up which includes the torso, arms, back, as well as the head. Common upper body injuries include shoulder dislocation, clavicle fractures, and broken/sprained wrists. An upper body injury could happen in a number of ways.
One of the most common and severe injuries that occurs across the NHL are concussions. Concussions are caused when the brain bounces or twists within the skull. This can be caused in a number of ways in hockey, generally from a hard impact whether that’s against another players body, the ice, or the boards. Recovery timelines for concussions vary from case-to-case with some players suffering mild effects and clearing protocol within a few weeks, to drastic scenarios where a player could miss the remainder of the season.
Lower Body Injuries
While players are often able to play through upper body injuries, a lower body injury can force a player to miss an extended amount of ice time depending on the location and severity of the issue. Lower body injuries encompass all issues from the waist down.
With so many pivotal muscle groups found within the lower body, these types of injuries often leave athletes unable to practice, let alone compete. Arguably the worst lower body injury a player can experience is a knee injury. From ACL tears, to MCL strains, or even broken patellas, there a numerous key ligaments and muscles, within the knee that are essential to a hockey players ability to hit the ice. Severe injuries to the knee can lead to lengthy absences from the lineup as well as a host of potential issues down the line of a players career if not successfully rehabbed. Other common lower body injuries in hockey include hip pointers, groin strains, and sprained/broken ankles.
Reserve Lists
In the NHL, players are often moved in and out of the lineup due to injury but when an issue occurs in which a player is set to miss an extended period of time, they must be placed under the official designation of the injured reserve list. NHL teams utilize reserve lists as a way to provide injured players time to recover from their physical ailments, as well as to free up space within their active roster to replace the output of their missing player.
There are two versions of reserve lists in the NHL, the injured reserve list (IR) and the long term injured reserve list (LTIR). Each reserve list holds their own distinctions for players to qualify, as well as how teams are able to replace members of the roster when they are forced to send an injured athlete to an injury reserve list. Below are the key differences between each reserve list and how an injured player can find themselves placed there in a season.
Injured Reserve List
The injured reserve list (IR) is for any player who is set to miss seven calendar days or more due to injury, disablement or illness is designated. Once a player is sent to injured reserve they must spend at least seven calendar days out of the teams lineup, but is still able to attend practices, team meetings, as well as travel with their team. Players are eligible to stay on the injured reserve until they are cleared by their team medical staff as ready and fit to return to competition…. When a player is sent to the injured reserve list, clubs are able to call up players from their roster to replace them whether that is from a scratched member of their main roster, a call up from the minors (AHL/ECHL), or by signing a free agent (cap space permitting).
Long Term Injured Reserve List
Similar to the injured reserve list, the long term injured reserve list (LTIR) is designed for teams to make up for severe injuries that have occurred to a player during the season. A player can be placed on the LTIR if they have been evaluated by medical staff and are ruled out of action for a minimum of 24 calendar days or 10 NHL games. Players often spend a much longer time on this reserve list once they are placed there due to the nature and severity of their injuries.
One major difference between the IR and the LTIR is the ability to circumvent the salary cap. When a player is placed on the LTIR, teams are able to pull from what is referred to as the “LTIR Pool”. The LTIR pool is the amount in which a team is granted in cap space after a player has been assigned to the LTIR. This amount is determined by subtracting the total amount of cap space remaining for a team from the affected player’s salary cap hit for the season. The amount given in the LTIR pool is also dependent on whether a team is under or over the salary cap at the beginning of the regular season.
For example, if a player who has a $2 million annual cap hit is placed on the LTIR and their team was under the salary cap by $500K, they would deduct the $500K in remaining cap space from the player’s annual salary hit, leaving the team with $1.5M to spend on replacements for their injured player.
However, if a team is over the salary cap to begin the regular season the LTIR pool is divided differently. In this case whatever the value of the overage in salary cap is at the start of the season will be the LTIR pool funds available for a club. For example, if a team is over the salary cap by $1 million, and a player with a $5 million cap hit is placed on the LTIR, their LTIR pool is valued at $1M as that is the amount they were over the cap to begin the season.
When a player is removed from the LTIR, the team must be under the annual salary cap hit on that day.
Considering Injuries When Placing NHL Bets
Considering injuries when placing NHL bets is incredibly important. By staying informed about the latest injury news heading into a matchup, you can better formulate how a matchup may play out based on the personnel available for action. Here’s how you can use the NHL injury report to influence your next bet and help give you a knowledgeable boost on all your wagers placed on tonight’s clashes.
Moneyline and Puck Line Bets
When placing a moneyline or puck line bet, knowing who is suiting up for action can make or break your chances of winning your wager. It only takes the absence of one player to shift the lines and change the outcome of the game. By waiting for the latest injury report prior to puck drop, bettors can make informed decisions before throwing down a wager on an upcoming matchup.
For example, if the New Jersey Devils are set to play the Columbus Blue Jackets but Jack Hughes is out due to injury, you may not want to back the Devils on the moneyline. Instead, you can use this information to reevaluate where the best value is on the adjusted moneyline and puck line for this contest.
Goal Total Bets
Each team relies heavily on their top goal-scorers to produce on a nightly-basis. If one of these performers is sidelined due to injury this could majorly effect the final score of the game. For example, if Minnesota Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov is out of action due to injury heading into a contest against the New York Islanders, you could use this information to your advantage by betting the Under on the matchup due to the elite goal-scorer’s absence.
The same can be said inversely about a team’s goaltending. If the Tampa Bay Lightning are set to be without superstar netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy in their clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it may be in your best interest to bet the Over as his backup may not be able to handle the oppositions high-powered offence.
Prop Bets
Player injuries are also a prevalent factor to take into account before placing a prop bet on a matchup. If a team is without some of their top line players, it can leave the door open for someone lower in the depth chart to step up in their place.
For example, if The Ottawa Senators are taking on the San Jose Sharks, but Brady Tkachuk is listed as out on the latest injury report, other members of the Senators may be due for an increase in output as they look to make up for the void in production left by their team captain.
Futures Odds
While you don’t need a crystal ball to place a successful futures bet, knowing the latest injury news for each team can make a positive impact on your bets potential success. The NHL regular season is a vigorous journey that takes a heavy toll on the bodies of the athletes competing, and can sometimes lead to key members of a roster winding up on the injured reserve as a result. If a team does end up with an injury to one of their top players, this could completely derail their hopes of competing into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
For example, if Colorado Avalanche superstar forward Nathan Mackinnon suffers a season-ending injury just before the All-Star break, you can expect to see their Stanley Cup future odds drop drastically as their best player is put on the shelf. On the other hand, you can also expect to see the ripple effects of this change in odds as other top contenders see their Stanley Cup odds increase as the competition among the top of the league is dropped.
NHL Injury Report FAQs
How often does the NHL injury report get updated?
The NHL injury report is updated daily so that you can see the latest injury news ahead of puck drop in any of today’s matchups. Seeing timely updates to the NHL injury report can make a major impact on your daily fantasy sports picks and wagers on a particular game. All information provided on the NHL injury report is provided directly by the NHL and each respective franchise to ensure accuracy.
How long can a player stay on the injured reserve list?
While the minimum amount of time spent on the injured reserve list is seven calendar days, there is no maximum amount of time that a player can be placed on the injured reserve list. If a player is set to be sidelined for longer than 24 calendar days or 10 NHL games, then a club may opt to place them on the long-term injured reserve instead. This allows franchises with the ability to exceed the salary cap while a player is placed on this reserve list.
How long does it take to recover from an ice hockey injury?
No injury recovery timeline is the same as another as there are several factors that go into the rehab process for a player being affected by injury. Factors include but are not limited to, injury severity, player injury/medical history, age, as well as the location of the injury. Some injuries are able to clear up in a matter of days, while others may take an athlete out of action for the entirety of a season.