The 2024-25 NHL season is officially underway with a few weeks in the books. While the season has barely begun, things have already gone from bad to worse for the New York Islanders with the team placing star forward Mat Barzal on long-term injured reserve.
On Saturday, the Islanders announced a lengthy injury list, and Barzal was the biggest name of the bunch. Barzal is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Defenseman Adam Pelech will also be hitting IR while dealing with an upper-body injury as well. He has the same four-to-six week timetable as Barzal.
Two more Islanders, defensemen Mike Reilly and Alex Romanov have been listed as day-to-day with minor injuries.
Barzal becomes the latest high-profile player to suffer an early-season injury as that list keeps growing.
Elsewhere, the Edmonton Oilers have announced that Connor 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.
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
Ross Colton
Type of injury: Broken foot
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: 6-8 weeks
Last played: 10/28/24
Miles Wood
Type of injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: No
Approximate Return Date: 7-10 days
Last played: 10/28/24
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
Mat Barzal (C)
Type of injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: 4-6 weeks
Last Played: 10/30/24
Adam Pelech (D)
Type of injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: 4-6 weeks
Last Played: 11/1/24
Mike Reilly (D)
Type of injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: No
Approximate Return Date: Day-to-day
Last Played: 11/1/24
Alex Romanov (D)
Type of injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: No
Approximate Return Date: Day-to-day
Last Played: 11/1/24
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
As the 2024-25 NHL season kicks off, fans and fantasy hockey players alike are keeping a close eye on the injury reports coming out of training camps. Two of the biggest names currently sidelined are Mat Brazal and Connor McDavid, both dealing with significant injuries that could impact their teams’ performances in the upcoming season.
Brazal, a rising star for the New York Islanders, is facing a lengthy recovery after suffering a serious ankle injury during a preseason game. The young forward was expected to play a key role for the Islanders this season, but now his absence leaves a major hole in their lineup. The team will have to rely on other players to step up and fill the void left by Brazal’s absence.
On the other side of the continent, Edmonton Oilers fans are holding their breath as they wait for updates on Connor McDavid’s condition. The superstar center is dealing with an undisclosed injury that has kept him off the ice during training camp. McDavid is a crucial player for the Oilers, and his absence would be a huge blow to the team’s chances of success this season.
Injuries are an unfortunate reality in professional sports, and NHL teams must be prepared to adapt when key players are sidelined. Coaches will need to adjust their lineups and strategies to account for the absence of injured players, while teammates will need to step up and take on larger roles to help their teams stay competitive.
For fantasy hockey players, tracking injuries is essential for making informed decisions when setting lineups and making roster moves. Keeping a close eye on injury reports and updates can help fantasy managers stay ahead of the curve and make smart choices when it comes to managing their teams.
As the 2024-25 NHL season gets underway, all eyes will be on the injured players like Mat Brazal and Connor McDavid as they work towards recovery and eventual return to the ice. In the meantime, fans and fantasy players will be watching closely to see how their teams adjust to these key absences and how they can continue to compete at the highest level.
