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

NHL Injury Report

Bryan Rust(RW)|PIT
Injury
Injury
Rust (illness) will play vs. Buffalo on Wednesday after missing Pittsburgh's previous two practices.

Rust did not practice on Monday or Tuesday due to an illness, be will be ready to suit up when the Penguins return to action on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 33-year-old Rust is averaging a career-high 20:09 time-on-ice and has 15 points (5G / 10A) in 19 games this season.

Source:
Dan Potash 2025-11-26T16:21:40.200Z
Bryan Rust
Pontus Holmberg(RW)|TBL
Injury
Injury
Holmberg (undisclosed) will draw back into Tampa Bay's lineup vs. Calgary on Wednesday.

Holmberg (undisclosed) has not played since November 8th, but he will return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames. The 26-year-old Holmberg has five points (1G / 4A) in 15 games this season. Jack Finley will be a healthy scratch to accommodate Holmberg's return.

Source:
Erik Erlendsson 2025-11-26T16:20:33.136Z
Pontus Holmberg
Zach Werenski(D)|CBJ
Injury
Injury
Weresnki (upper-body) will play vs. Toronto on Wednesday.

Werenski did not play in the third period of Monday's 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, exiting the game after 17:36 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. The 28-year-old Werenski played in all but one game last season, but has battled injury concerns in recent years. That said, the team seems to have avoided a serious injury and are in the clear with their star blueliner, who has 21 points (7G / 14A) in 23 games this season.

Source:
Aaron Portzline 2025-11-26T15:56:30.479Z
Zach Werenski
Tyler Toffoli(C)|SJS
Injury
Injury
Toffoli (illness) is questionable vs. Colorado on Wednesday.

Toffoli could be at risk of missing his first game of the season on Wednesday as he is battling an illness. The 33-year-old Toffoli snapped a five game pointless skid in his most recent game, tallying an assist. He has 12 points (5G / 7A) in 23 games this season.

Source:
Sheng Peng 2025-11-25T20:58:49.817Z
Tyler Toffoli
Nicolas Roy(C)|COL
Injury
Injury
Roy (upper-body) was a full participant in Toronto's practice on Tuesday and is a possibility to return in Columbus on Wednesday.

Roy has not played since suffering an upper-body injury on November 15th, but he has returned to practice and could return to the lineup as early as Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 28-year-old bottom-six forward has four points (1G / 3A) through 19 games in his first season with the Maple Leafs.

Source:
David Alter 2025-11-25T19:32:39.136Z
Nicolas Roy
Matthew Knies(LW)|TOR
Injury
Injury
Knies (lower-body) practiced in full on Tuesday and is a possibility to return in Columbus on Wednesday.

Matthew Knies joins Auston Matthews (lower body) as a key offensive piece that could potentially return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Maple Leafs have lost seven of their last eight (1-4-3) and would love to re-insert Knies into their lineup. The 23-year-old Knies had a breakthrough 2024-25 season and is already on pace to crush his career-bests, with 22 points (5G / 17A) in 19 games this season.

Source:
David Alter 2025-11-25T19:31:20.005Z
Matthew Knies
Auston Matthews(C)|TOR
Injury
Injury
Matthews (lower-body) practiced on Tuesday and is a possibility for Wednesday in Columbus.

Matthews has not played since suffering a lower-body injury from a Nikita Zadorov hit two weeks ago, but has been practicing for a week and could return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 28-year-old Matthews has not been as dynamic as in previous seasons, but his goal-scoring prowess has been greatly missed by a Maple Leafs team that has lost seven of its last eight games (1-4-3). Matthews has 14 points (9G / 5A) through 17 games.

Source:
David Alter 2025-11-25T19:25:27.911Z
Auston Matthews
Tristan Jarry(G)|EDM
Injury
Injury
Jarry (lower-body) is expected to be available on Wednesday vs. Buffalo.

Jarry was off to a solid start to the season before suffering a lower-body injury on November 3rd, posting a 2.60 GAA and .911 SV% in seven games (5-2-0), marking his best start to a season in several years. The Penguins received serviceable goaltending from Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov, so it's unclear what Jarry's workload will be like when he returns to the lineup.

Source:
Pens Inside Scoop 2025-11-25T19:14:17.255Z
Tristan Jarry
Bryan Rust(RW)|PIT
Injury
Injury
Rust (illness) is expected to play on Wednesday vs. Buffalo after missing the last two practices.

Rust did not practice on Monday or Tuesday due to an illness, be he should be ready to suit up when the Penguins return to action on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 33-year-old Rust is averaging a career-high 20:09 time-on-ice and has 15 points (5G / 10A) in 19 games this season.

Source:
Pens Inside Scoop 2025-11-25T19:11:45.717Z
Bryan Rust
Joel Kiviranta(LW)|COL
Injury
Injury
Kiviranta (lower-body) is healthy and able to return vs. San Jose on Wednesday.

Kiviranta has not played since October 16th, recovering from a lower-body injury, but is officially ready to return to the lineup after practicing on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Kiviranta had a career-high 23 points (16G / 7A) in 79 games last season.

Source:
Aarif Deen 2025-11-25T19:45:43.530Z
Joel Kiviranta
Evgenii Dadonov(LW)|NJD
Injury
Injury
Dadonov (undisclosed) is doubtful for Wednesday vs. St. Louis.

Dadonov has been plagued by injuries this season, suffering a hand injury in the first game that kept him sidelined for nearly six weeks, and now he is battling an undisclosed injury that will likely keep him out of the lineup on Wednesday. His inability to stay in the lineup has hampered cohesion with his new team, and he has yet to score a point through five games this season.

Source:
Amanda Stein 2025-11-25T19:05:31.215Z
Evgenii Dadonov
Neal Pionk(D)|WPG
Injury
Injury
Pionk (lower-body) is considered day-to-day but will travel with Winnipeg on their upcoming road trip.

Pionk exited Winnipeg's most recent game in the first period due to a lower-body injury, but is considered day-to-day and could return to the lineup on their upcoming five-game road trip. The 30-year-old Pionk has been relied upon heavily this season, averaging 22:44 time-on-ice and recording five points (1G / 4A), 36 blocks, and 42 hits in 21 games.

Source:
Mitchell Clinton 2025-11-25T18:10:28.972Z
Neal Pionk
K'Andre Miller(D)|CAR
Injury
Injury
Miller (undisclosed) is hopeful to play vs. New York on Wednesday.

Miller missed some time earlier this season due to an injury and was banged up in Carolina's previous game, but he is expected to play on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Miller is averaging a career-high 22:52 time-on-ice and has 10 points (2G / 8A) in 16 games this season.

Source:
Walt Ruff 2025-11-25T18:08:31.796Z
K'Andre Miller
Pyotr Kochetkov(G)|CAR
Injury
Injury
Kochetkov (lower-body) has re-aggrivated an old injury and did not practice on Tuesday.

Kochetkov missed the opening month of the season due to a lower-body injury that he has seemingly re-aggravated. It's unclear whether the injury will keep him out of this lineup, but it is a concerning development after he was unable to practice on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Kochetkov has been outstanding between the pipes since making his season debut earlier this month for the Hurricanes, posting a 1.70 GAA and .926 SV% in five appearances (4-0-0). If Kochetkov misses any time, expect Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen to share the crease for the Hurricanes.

Source:
Cory Lavalette 2025-11-25T18:06:08.079Z
Pyotr Kochetkov
Jordan Staal(C)|CAR
Injury
Injury
Staal (illness) is hopeful to return vs. New York on Wednesday.

Staal did not play in Carolina's most recent game, but will likely return to the lineup on Wednesday. The 37-year-old Staal is coming off his best outing of the season, a two-goal performance in a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Staal is averaging 15:17 time-on-ice and has nine points (7G / 2A) in 21 games this season.

Source:
Cory Lavalette 2025-11-25T18:03:34.763Z
Jordan Staal
Jonathan Quick(G)|NYR
Injury
Injury
Quick has been placed on IR with a lower-body injury.

Quick has been excellent in a supporting role this season, posting an absurd 1.69 GAA and .944 SV% in six games (3-3-0). The veteran 39-year-old goalie saved 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%) in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth. He was absent from practice on Monday and was subsequently placed on Injured Reserve. We await further news from the Rangers on the severity of his injury, or lack thereof, but he will be sidelined for at least one week before he is eligible to be activated from IR.

Source:
Peter Baugh 2025-11-25T17:07:34.105Z
Jonathan Quick

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.