Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

NHL Injury Report

Bryan Little(C)|ARI
Injury
Injury
Little left Sunday’s preseason game with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Little was blindsided by Wild forward Luke Kunin and left the ice with an upper-body injury and did not return. The Jets did not have an update on Little’s status post-game, so look for an update prior to Thursday’s season opener in New York.

Source:
@WpgJetsPR 2019-09-30T14:12:32.256Z
Bryan Little
David Krejci(C)|FA
Injury
Injury
Krejci (lower-body) is expected to be “good to go” for the Bruins season opener.

Krejci suffered a lower-body injury in last Monday’s preseason game but skated lightly on Saturday. It was a step in the right direction for the veteran centre and head coach Bruce Cassidy believes Krejci will be good to go for Opening Night (Thursday @ Dallas). Krejci is set to centre the Bruins second-line with Jake DeBrusk and Karson Kuhlman on his wings.

Source:
Eric Russo 2019-09-30T13:38:22.098Z
David Krejci
Antti Raanta(G)|FA
Injury
Injury
Raanta remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Raanta has dealt with injuries in his first two seasons with the Coyotes and was limited to just 12 starts in 2019. So this is far from the ideal start to the 2020 season for Raanta. If he is unable to go in their season opener, the Coyotes will turn to Darcy Kuemper, who went 27-20-8 with a 2.33 GAA and .925 SV% last season while filling in for Raanta.

Source:
Craig Morgan 2019-09-30T13:31:18.137Z
Antti Raanta
Ondrej Kase(RW)|FA
Injury
Injury
Kase “is close” but questionable for the Ducks season opener.

Kase has not been on the ice since last Monday when he took an elbow to the head from Kings forward Jeff Carter. Kase finished the game and the Ducks haven’t pinpointed what is ailing the oft-injured winger, but he is “close” according to head coach Dallas Eakins. The only way Kase plays in the season opener is if he gets onto the ice over the next few days, so monitor his status leading up to Thursday’s opener.

Source:
Eric Stephens 2019-09-30T13:25:11.789Z
Ondrej Kase
Cody Eakin(C)|FA
Injury
Injury
Eakin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Eakin was hurt in Friday’s preseason game and is danger of missing the start of the regular season. While he is only day-to-day, Eakin’s injury opens the door for Cody Glass to start the season as the Golden Knights’ No.3 centre.

Source:
Jesse Granger 2019-09-30T03:11:58.388Z
Cody Eakin
Alex Tuch(RW)|BUF
Injury
Injury
Tuch is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Tuch crashed hard into the end boards and left the ice during Friday night’s preseason game. The Golden Knights have listed their right-winger as “week-to-week.” With Tuch out, Reilly Smith is guaranteed a spot in the top-6 and it opens the door for Cody Glass to start the year in the NHL.

Source:
Jesse Granger 2019-09-30T03:08:22.174Z
Alex Tuch
Nolan Patrick(C)|FA
Injury
Injury
Patrick has been diagnosed with migraine disorder and is listed as week-to-week.

Patrick will not be going to Europe to start the season and is officially listed as week-to-week. With Patrick missing a couple of weeks, Connor Bunnaman is expected to serve as the Flyers fourth-line centre to begin the season.

Source:
@NHLFlyers 2019-09-26T19:08:40.016Z
Nolan Patrick
David Krejci(C)|FA
Injury
Injury
Krejci (lower-body) will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.

Krejci left Monday’s preseason game following a collision with Shayne Gostisbehere and did not return or practice on Tuesday. Head coach Bruce Cassidy said that he will be “re-evaluated on Wednesday” and added that they are going to “take [their] time with it.” With the Bruins season set to start in just over one week, Krejci’s status for the season-opener is in jeopardy.

Source:
Joe Haggerty 2019-09-25T02:10:11.819Z
David Krejci
Brock Boeser(RW)|VAN
Injury
Injury
Boeser is in concussion protocol following Monday’s preseason game.

Boeser took an ugly hit from behind from Senators centre Chris Tierney and Canucks head coach Travis Green announced that Boeser is in concussion protocol. With the regular season just over one week away, Boeser’s status for the season opener is suddenly in question.

Source:
@Canucks 2019-09-24T19:52:58.387Z
Brock Boeser
Zach Hyman(LW)|EDM
Injury
Injury
Hyman (knee) is expected to miss the first 12-15 games of the season.

Hyman underwent offseason knee surgery to repair a torn ACL and is expected to miss 12-15 games according to head coach Mike Babcock. With Hyman out to begin the season, Kasperi Kapanen is expected to skate on Tavares’ line and Ilya Mikheyev should make the opening night roster.

Source:
Paul Hendrick 2019-09-23T23:08:51.333Z
Zach Hyman
Radim Simek(D)|FA
Injury
Injury
Simek (leg) is not expected to be ready for the season opener (Oct.2).

Simek is expected to resume practicing soon but is expected to miss the season opener vs. the Golden Knights. With Simek’s status in question, the Sharks may open the season with a third-pairing of Mario Ferraro and Dalton Prout.

Source:
Kevin Kurz 2019-09-23T21:01:08.196Z
Radim Simek
Nolan Patrick(C)|FA
Injury
Injury
Patrick (upper-body) is expected to miss opening night (Oct.4).

Flyers’ GM Chuck Fletcher will have an update on Patrick’s status in the next couple of days. At this point, it looks like Patrick will miss the start of the NHL season, which opens the door for Joel Farabee to crack the opening night roster.

Source:
Sam Carchidi 2019-09-23T19:05:17.548Z
Nolan Patrick
Morgan Frost(C)|CGY
Injury
Injury
Frost will be out 5-to-7 days with a groin strain.

Frost seemed like a front-runner to at start the season with the Flyers, but this injury all but guarantees that he will end up in the AHL next week. While this is bad news for Frost, it opens the door for fellow rookies German Rubtsov and Joel Farabee to make the opening night roster.

Source:
@NHLFlyers 2019-09-23T19:01:55.014Z
Morgan Frost
Noah Juulsen(D)|PHI
Injury
Injury
Juulsen consulting with a specialist for headaches.

The Canadiens announced that Juulsen is not dealing with a concussion, but did have a facial fracture after being hit in the face by the puck last November. Juulsen’s status for the start of the regular season is unclear, but these headaches could open up a spot for Cale Fleury to start the year with Montreal.

Source:
John Lu 2019-09-23T18:20:00.441Z
Noah Juulsen
Ryan Poehling(C)|ANA
Injury
Injury
Poehling is out indefinitely with a concussion.

Poehling took a big hit from Dryden Hunt during last Wednesday’s preseason game and is out indefinitely with a concussion. This is a tough break for Poehling, who was likely to open the season on the Canadiens roster. However, it does open up the possibility for Montreal to take a look at Ryan Suzuki early in the season.

Source:
Stu Cowan 2019-09-23T18:09:04.481Z
Ryan Poehling
Brandon Montour(D)|SEA
Injury
Injury
Montour (hand) status is uncertain for the start of the regular season.

Montour is set to miss the rest of the preseason and could miss some regular-season time with a hand injury. Henri Jokiharju, who was acquired from the Blackhawks this offseason, is the most likely candidate to fill the hole left by Montour’s injury to start the season.

Source:
Joe Yerdon 2019-09-23T14:57:36.230Z
Brandon Montour

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.