McMichael (illness) will not be available for Wednesday's game vs. the Islanders.
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NHL Injury Report
Dougie Hamilton (torn left pectoral) has been placed on long-term Injured Reserve and is expected to be out until at least the playoffs.
New Jersey was dealt a huge blow Tuesday as it was announced Dougie Hamilton is expected to be out until the playoffs after being placed on long-term Injured Reserve. The Devils will now be without their top defensemen until at least the playoffs who had five goals, 11 assists, 61 SOG, 20 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus in 20 games this season prior to getting hurt. The move opens up $9 million in cap space for the Devils.
Source:
TSN 2023-12-20T22:41:52.844Z
Julien Gauthier (upper body) is out Wednesday vs. Washington and considered day-to-day.
Gauthier left the Islanders' game Tuesday after just 4:33 TOI due to an upper-body injury and will be out Wednesday vs. Washington but is staying with the team on their road trip. The 26-year-old right winger is on pace to set career highs in almost all statistical categories as he started the season with two goals, three assists, 19 SOG, four PIMs and a -3 plus/minus in 14 games prior to his injury.
Oliver Wahlstrom (illness) will return to the Islanders' lineup Wednesday vs. Washington.
Wahlstrom has missed the Islanders' previous eight games due to illness but is set to draw back into the lineup Wednesday as he takes the spot of Julien Gauthier (upper body). The 23-year-old right-winger had two goals, three assists, 23 SOG, four PIMs and a -5 plus/minus in 17 games played prior to missing the last two and a half weeks.
Mats Zuccarello (upper body) was placed on the Injured Reserve.
Zuccarello has not played the last two games for Minnesota due to an upper-body injury and has been placed on the injured reserve, meaning he will be out of the lineup until after the Christmas break. Before his injury, Zuccarello had only one point (0G / 1A) in his last five games despite averaging nearly 18 minutes of ice time per game, receiving top-line and top powerplay deployment.
Matt Martin (upper body) has been activated from the Injured Reserve.
Matt Martin has not played since November 15th and will remain on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury. In 14 games this season, Martin had two points (1G / 1A) and 31 hits while averaging 8:27 time-on-ice., the lowest total of his career since averaging 7:59 in the 2017-18 season.
Damon Severson (oblique) practiced Wednesday and could be back "before Christmas".
Severson has missed 14 games with an oblique injury suffered on November 19th and, after being a full participant at practice on Wednesday, could return to the lineup imminently. Head Coach Pascal Vincent used "before Christmas" as a target for Severson's return, suggesting he will play either on Thursday against the Washington Capitals or Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before his injury, Severson had three points (2G / 1A) in his last two games and has eight points (3G / 5A) in 19 games this season.
Mikhail Sergachev (lower body) did not practice Wednesday after leaving Tuesday's game vs. St. Louis early.
Sergachev exited Tuesday's 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues in the first period after playing only 4:31 time-on-ice with a lower-body injury. He was seen at the practice facility working on his stick handling but did not participate in on-ice drills as he avoided putting weight on his left foot. Sergachev has taken a decreased role this year after a career-best 2022-23 campaign where he scored 64 points (10G / 54A) in 79 games, but will still be a major loss for Tampa Bay if he is out of the lineup for a significant period. The 25-year-old defenseman has 19 points (2G / 17A) and ranks second amongst all players, averaging 22:59 time-on-ice through 33 games this season.
Julien Gauthier (undisclosed) left the Islanders' game Tuesday early and is questionable to suit up Wednesday.
Gauthier suffered an undisclosed injury in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers and exited the game after playing only 4:33 time-on-ice. Gauthier has been a regular in the Islanders lineup for the last month and has played predominantly on a line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, tallying five points (2G / 3A) in 14 games.
Jordan Greenway (upper body) practiced in full Wednesday and is nearing a return very soon.
Greenway has only played two of the last 14 games for the Sabres due to an upper-body injury dating back to November 24th. The 6'6 power forward was a full participant at practice on Wednesday and is expected to return to the lineup imminently. He has seven points (2G / 5A), averaging 16:24 time-on-ice while playing predominantly with Casey Mittelstadt and Zach Benson this season.
Jeff Skinner returned to Sabres' practice in full Wednesday.
Skinner has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury but was a full participant at practice on Wednesday, suggesting his return to the lineup could come before the holiday break. Skinner has 22 points (12G / 10A) in 30 games this season and is averaging 17:46 time-on-ice, the most since his inaugural season with the Sabres in 2018-19. The Sabres are 1-2-0 in his absence, including a 9-4 blowout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Rutta (illness) is not on the ice for warmups and is not expected to play against the Kings on Tuesday.
Rutta was a game-time decision on Tuesday due to an illness. Rutta has five points (0G / 5A) in 26 games while averaging 18:56 time-on-ice.
Addison (lower-body) is not on the ice for warmups and is not expected to play against the Kings on Tuesday.
Addison was a game-time decision Tuesday and will miss his first game since joining the Sharks earlier this year due to a lower-body injury. In 19 games with the Sharks, Addison has six points (1G / 5A), averaging 18:03 time-on-ice, including significant powerplay deployment.
Kurashev (undisclosed) is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game against the Avalanche.
Couturier (maintenance) is on the ice for warmups and is expected to play in New Jersey on Tuesday.
Sean Couturier received a maintenance day and did not practice on Monday, and was a game-time decision ahead of Tuesday's game against the New Jersey Devils. After missing the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign, Couturier hasn't missed a step. He has points in six of his last eight games, seven total (2G / 5A), and is averaging 3.4 shots per game.
McAvoy (upper-body) is one the ice for warmups and is expected to play against the Wild on Tuesday.
McAvoy will return to action on Tuesday after returning to practice on Monday as a full participant, including lining up on the top powerplay unit, a spot previously occupied by Kevin Shattenkirk. McAvoy has missed four straight games due to an upper-body injury suffered on December 7th.
Carter Hart (illness) will remain out Tuesday vs. New Jersey.
Hart was originally reported to be starting Tuesday but will remain out for a fourth-straight game due to illness. The 25-year-old returned to practice Monday but was deemed not fit to return even though he was a full participant. When he does return, he will look to build off his 9-6-1 record, 2.42 GAA and .919 SV%.
Andrei Svechnikov (upper body) is expected to return after a six-game absence Tuesday vs. Vegas.
Svechnikov has been out for the Hurricanes' previous six games due to an upper-body injury but is expected to return Tuesday vs. Vegas. The 23-year-old started his 2023-24 season late due to a pre-existing knee injury and has a goal, 11 points, 41 SOG, and 20 PIMs in 16 prior to his most recent ailment.
Mats Zuccarello (upper body) will be out again Tuesday and is considered week-to-week.
Zuccarello missed the Wilds' game Monday vs. Pittsburgh and will remain out Tuesday against Boston as he is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. It is a massive loss for the Wild as the 36-year-old veteran right-winger has six goals, 22 assists, 74 SOG, 10 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus in 28 games prior to his injury.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower body) has been placed on the Injured Reserve.
Bellemare exited Monday's game against the Dallas Stars with a lower-body injury after playing only 4:10 time-on-ice and was placed on the Injured Reserve Tuesday. The Kraken finished the game with only 10 forwards as Jared McCann exited the game as well shortly after. The 38-year-old Bellemare has five points (4G / 1A) in 29 games this season while averaging 9:34 time-on-ice.
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.