The 2024-25 NHL season is officially underway with a few weeks in the books. While the season has barely begun, plenty of players have already hit the injured list, including reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Connor McDavid.
The Edmonton Oilers have announced that McDavid will miss two-to-three weeks with an ankle injury. During an Oct. 28 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, McDavid got tripped up, and his feet went into boards awkwardly. After further evaluation, it was determined that McDavid had suffered an ankle injury severe enough for him to miss several weeks.
The Oilers were already off to a shaky start, and now they’ll have to stay afloat without their best player and captain. If McDavid hits the two-week time frame, he’ll miss around five games. If it’s closer to three weeks, he could miss as many as many as six.
Meanwhile, San Jose Sharks No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini is currently on the shelf on injured reserve after playing just one game to begin his NHL career. Celebrini is currently dealing with a lower-body injury and could return sometime in November. Prior to going down, Celebrini tallied a goal and an assist in his first NHL game.
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is also currently out of the lineup. Demko is currently dealing with a knee injury that has hampered him since the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In Game 1 of Vancouver’s opening-round series against the Nashville Predators, Demko injured his knee and wasn’t able to return at any point in the postseason. It was recently revealed the Canucks netminder will miss three-to-four weeks, so he could return to the ice in early November.
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog also is continuing to work his way back from injury. It’s been a long road for Landeskog, who hasn’t played since the 2022 postseason. Landeskog underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. It was initially announced that Landeskog would miss the opening 12 weeks of the 2022-23 season, but he eventually ended up missing the entire campaign.
After revealing that the Colorado captain wouldn’t take part in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team announced he needed cartilage transplant surgery and would miss the entire 2023-24 season. Landeskog continues to rehabilitate his knee, but it’s unclear when he could return to the ice.
Here is a list of many of the marquee players that are currently sidelined due to injury.
John Gibson (G)
Type of Injury: Appendectomy surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Early November 2024
Last Played: 4/12/24
Zach Benson (LW)
Type of Injury: Lower-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Early November 2024
Last Played: 10/19/24
Colorado Avalanche
Gabriel Landeskog
Type of Injury: Knee
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 6/26/22
Artturi Lehkonen
Type of Injury: Shoulder surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 5/17/24
Columbus Blue Jackets
Erik Gudbranson (D)
Type of Injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 10/15/24
Evander Kane (LW)
Type of Injury: Hip, hernia surgeries
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: February 2025
Last Played: 6/10/24
Connor McDavid (C)
Type of Injury: Ankle
Injured Reserve: No (currently listed as week-to-week)
Approximate Return Date: Nov. 6-Nov. 13
Last Played: 10/28/24
Drew Doughty (D)
Type of Injury: Ankle surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 9/25/24
Anthony Duclair (LW)
Type of Injury: Lower-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: December 2024
Last Played: 10/19/24
Torey Krug (D)
Type of Injury: Ankle surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: 2025-26 season
Last Played: 4/10/24
Robert Thomas (C)
Type of Injury: Fractured ankle
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 10/22/24
San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini (C)
Type of Injury: Lower body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: October 2024
Last Played: 10/10/24
Vince Dunn (D)
Type of Injury: Mid-body injury
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Mid-November 2024
Last Played: 10/17/24
Calle Jarnkrok (C)
Type of Injury: Lower-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Late October 2024
Last Played: 9/22/24
John Marino (D)
Type of Injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 4/15/24
Vancouver Canucks
Thatcher Demko (G)
Type of Injury: Knee
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Late October 2024
Last Played: 4/21/24
Dakota Joshua (C)
Type of Injury: Recovery from testicular cancer
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Late October 2024
Last Played: 5/20/24
The Edmonton Oilers have been dealt a significant blow with the news that their star player, Connor McDavid, has been listed as week-to-week with an ankle injury in the 2024-25 NHL injury tracker. McDavid, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in the league, suffered the injury during a game against the Calgary Flames last week.
The loss of McDavid will undoubtedly have a major impact on the Oilers’ performance in the coming weeks. McDavid is not only the team’s leading scorer, but he also plays a key role in setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities. His absence will leave a significant void in the Oilers’ lineup and will put added pressure on the rest of the team to step up and fill the void left by their injured captain.
Injuries are an unfortunate reality in professional sports, and they can have a major impact on a team’s performance. The Oilers will need to adjust their game plan and find ways to compensate for McDavid’s absence if they hope to remain competitive in the tough Western Conference.
Fortunately for the Oilers, McDavid’s injury is not expected to be season-ending, and there is hope that he will be able to return to the lineup in the near future. In the meantime, the team will need to rely on their depth and resilience to weather the storm and continue to compete at a high level.
McDavid’s injury serves as a reminder of the fragility of professional athletes and the importance of staying healthy and taking care of one’s body. Injuries can strike at any time, and it is crucial for players to prioritize their health and well-being in order to perform at their best on the ice.
As fans of the game, we can only hope for a speedy recovery for Connor McDavid and look forward to seeing him back on the ice doing what he does best – dazzling fans with his incredible skill and talent. In the meantime, let’s show our support for the Oilers as they navigate this challenging period without their star player.
