Kevin Westgarth has been cleared to play.
Last season, Westgarth found his way into 56 games, registering three assists with 105 PIM. He figures to be a decent source for PIM.
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NHL Injury Report
Mike Lundin (back), Matt Cullen (upper body) and Jared Spurgeon (rib) all remain out of the lineup, but Yeo again seemed confident that most or all would be ready for game one.
Lundin has been out all preseason and is the least likely to be ready for the season opener. Last season he scored a goal and 12 points for Guy Boucher and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Look for him to provide decent defensive play without lighting the lamp with any frequency.
Mike Lundin (back), Matt Cullen (upper body) and Jared Spurgeon (rib) all remain out of the lineup, but Yeo again seemed confident that most or all would be ready for game one.
The Wild can afford to rest their second liner during meaningless games. Cullen scored 12 goals and 39 points last season -- his first with his hometown team. Expect somewhere between 40 and 50 points over a full year for the versatile powerplay specialist.
Cal Clutterbuck is the latest player to go on the shelf. He’s been dealing with a tweaked groin, so Mike Yeo will keep him out of the lineup tonight as a precaution, saying he’s seen everything he needs to see from Clutter.
The gritty forward should be ready for Game 1. Last season he posted a career high 19 goals and 34 points -- totals he could hit if he remains on the third line. Nevertheless, he remains a player who will miss some games every year due to his style of play.
WILMINGTON, Mass. — Asked if there were any update on Steve Kampfer, who suffered an injured knee during the B’s 2-1 loss to Ottawa on Thursday, Boston Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien sounded mildly optimistic.
When Kampfer returns, he will have a spot on the team's roster. Last season, the Ann Arbor, MI native scored three goals and 16 points in 22 games with the Providence Bruins and five goals and 10 points with the Bruins. He likely won't hold too much fantasy hockey value this season unless he again sees regular playing time with Zdeno Chara.
"His foot is probably for 5-8 weeks,'' Holland said. "We're planning it's going to be three months before he can play. We think it's going to be sooner, but we're calling it three months, 10-12 weeks.''
The native of Yugoslavia was expected to make the team in a checking role or as as spare forward. In 19 games last season, Mursak managed to score on goal for the Red Wings. Don't expect much fantasy value this season with a 40-game maximum.
Injury
Coach Mike Babcock said Pavel Datsyuk won't play Saturday in Toronto due to the sore back he has from lifting weights. It's nothing major. He might sit out Sunday as well, be he should be ready for the season opener, Oct. 7 against Ottawa.
Clearly nothing serious or Datsyuk would be held out of the exhibition game. Last season he scored 23 goals and 59 points in 56 games and looked like a Hart Trophy finalist before succumbing to injury. Feel free taking him as early as the late first round.
DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Commodore might not be ready for the start of the regular season, Oct. 7 against Ottawa, due to a sore knee. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Commodore will be out 1-3 weeks.
Commodore's injury likely prevents him from making the team as a starting defender. The rugged blueliner scored two goals and six points in 20 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. He likely holds limited fantasy hockey value despite playing on a powerhouse.
Blues still fairly mum on Carlo Colaiacovo's injury....Payne said they want to do further testing before saying much about it. Could be a sign of something substantial, maybe not
No way to gauge the extent of his injury. Last season he scored six goals and 26 points but sits behind Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo on the depth chart. Stay tuned for a further update.
Center Stephen Weiss stayed off the ice for the fourth straight day as he battles what is believed to be a minor groin injury. Weiss isn't expected to practice Saturday but said he'll definitely be back Monday in preparation for the season opener.
Weiss is a tough customer who labored through last season despite being day-to-day almost everyday. The team's top-line center posted back-to-back 60-point seasons before falling to 49 last year. He should be able to reach the 60-point plateau once again with a better supporting cast.
#Flames RW Rene Bourque (undisclosed) and D Brett Carson (back) skating with Coach Lowry right now.
The Flames acquired Carson last season mainly due to his previous ties to the city as a Calgary Hitmen defender. He should challenge for a bottom-pairing role when healthy but don't expect much from a player with two goals and 12 points through 78 career NHL games.
#Flames RW Rene Bourque (undisclosed) and D Brett Carson (back) skating with Coach Lowry right now.
With an undisclosed injury it remains difficult to assess how long Bourque will miss. Last season, the streaky winger matched his career high with 27 goals through 80 games. He should be able to at least score 25 should he play around 70 games.
Jay Feaster just told #sportsnet hc@noon that jarome iginla will play in the season opener. #goodnewsforflames
Without Iginla the Flames would be even more of an underdog entering the season. Last year he scored 43 goals and 86 points which led the team and finished sixth in overall scoring. Look for at least 30 goals and 70 points over a full season.
Injury
Quenneville added that Bolland's injury is not serious and he is considered day-to-day.
No word on how long Bolland will miss but the team could use him with Patrick Sharp, Ben Smith and Viktor Stalberg all nursing injuries.. Last season he scored 15 goals and 37 points while centering the second and third line but missed 21 games due to various injuries. If he can't play the Blackhawks will have a hard time replacing his two-way play.
Injury
Joel Quenneville said Smith, who was injured during Wednesday's game against the Red Wings when Detroit Brendan Smith's delivered an illegal blow ot the head, "was about the same" as Thursday when the coach described him as "okay."
Smith's injury somewhat frees up the logjam at forward. The winger scored a goal in six regular season games before becoming a postseason hero for the Blackhawks. Keep an eye on this situation and don't roster Smith until he proves himself healthy.
Injury
Sharp, who underwent an emergency appendectomy Sept. 12, has been skating by himself this week but took a big step in his recovery when he joined practice at the United Center.
Sharp returning the lineup is a welcome addition with the injuries to Ben Smith and Viktor Stalberg. Last season he scored 34 goals and 71 points while centering the second line and manning the point on the PP. Expect similar results and for the versatile forward to only possibly miss the first week of the season.
DeBoer said defenseman Matt Taormina didn’t skate at all today, but didn’t get more specific on his injury, which he sustained in Wednesday’s controlled scrimmage.
No further news on the extent of his injury but it certainly does not help his chances of making the team. Taormina scored three goals to go along with five points in 17 games before missing the rest of the season to the aforementioned ankle injury. Regardless, the offensive-minded defenseman fit into the team's system and should be a player to watch for in the future.
Forward Dainius Zubrus, who is nursing a lower-body injury, practiced for the second day in a row and might play Saturday as well. It would be his first game of the preseason.
At this point his return is imminent. The versatile forward scored 13 goals and 30 points last season while missing only three games. The team continues to play it safe with him in order to avoid another injury up-front.
“He’s just resting.” DeBoer said. “He’s coming off some soreness there and it’s just precautionary. The plan is that he’ll play tomorrow night. We don’t want to push things like that this early.”
After missing a full NHL season the Devils are in no rush to get him in every game. In 2009-2010, the Brandon, Manitoba native scored four goals and 14 points for the Devils. He likely helps Martin Brodeur and company a whole lot more than he will your fantasy hockey team.
Devils coach Pete DeBoer said defensemen Bryce Salvador and Anton Volchenkov are both scheduled to play in Saturday’s preseason finale against Philadelphia along with what will be close to the team’s opening night lineup.
Volchenkov continues to be protected from the rigors of the preseason after only playing 57 games last season but he will start the season presumably healthy. A-Train is an incredibly injury prone player due to the amount of shots he blocks -- unless your league uses that stat, keep him off your team.
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.