With the start of the 2020-21 season, there are injuries to some of the game’s top players. David Pastrnak (BOS) has not played yet and will likely be out another two to three weeks. Neither have Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) and Nikita Kucherov (TBL), who are out for an undetermined period of time. And the young budding stars Alex Turcotte (LAK) and Nico Hischier (NJD) who should return in the coming weeks but have yet to take to the NHL ice.
And then there is COVID, which has ravaged the Dallas Stars, who will just start their season this coming Friday night (January 22; 8:30 pm EST)) against the Predators. Approximately 20 players are sidelined right now under the NHL’s COVID protocol, either because of testing positive, being exposed, being quarantined after coming from overseas, or just being plain ill.
That’s a lot of players, and the absences, as well as the shortened training camps with the lack of pre-season games, have been affecting their teams (and the lopsided scores) greatly.
We are trying to keep you abreast of who is out (and why, if it is announced). Just know that this list can change quickly, so come back often.
Today’s List
The way this is set up is by team, with the player’s name; the nature of the injury; whether he is on the IR or LTIR or just “out”; the nature of the injury; and when he is expected to return.
Anaheim
Ryan Kesler–LTIR–hip injuries–unlikely return (one more year on contract); Brendan Guhle–LTIR–MCL (Knee)–5 more weeks; Josh Manson–IR–oblique muscle injury–6 weeks; Sonny Milano–IR–unknown–unknown; Antti Raanta–out–unknown–day-to-day
Arizona
Marian Hossa–LTIR–skin disorder–not returning; Oliver Ekman-Larsson–IR–upper body injury–week-to-week
Boston
David Pastrnak–IR–hip–2 weeks; Ondrej Kase–out–upper body injury–unknown
Buffalo
Zemgus Girgensons–IR–hamstring surgery–6 months; Kyle Okposo–out–lower body–day-to-day; Carter Hutton–out–unknown–unknown
Calgary
Dillion Dube–out–lower body injury–day-to-day
Carolina
Jordan Staal–COVID protocol–unknown; Teuvo Tervainen–out–COVID protocol–day-to-day; Warren Foegele–out–COVID protocol–indefinite; Jordan Martinook–out–COVID protocol–indefinite; Jaccob Slavin–out–COVID protocol–indefinite
Chicago
Jonathan Toews–LTIR–medical condition–unknown return; Kirby Dach–LTIR–wrist–4 months; Alex Nylander–LTIR–knee surgery–4 months; Zack Smith–IR–back–unknown; Brent Seabrook–IR–back–unknown.
Colorado
Pavel Francouz–out–lower body injury–day-to-day; Andre Burakovsky–out–upper body injury–day-to-day
Columbus
Brandon Dubinsky–IR–wrist–unlikely to return; Gustav Nyquist–IR–shoulder surgery–3 to 4 months; Mikko Koivu–out –COVID protocol–day-to-day
Dallas
Tyler Seguin–out–hip surgery–2 months; Julius Honka--IR–unknown–Unknown; Stephen Johns--LTIR–post-concussion issues–unknown; Ben Bishop–LTIR–knee surgery–2 to 3 months; Blake Comeau–out–COVID protocol–day-to-day; Jamie Benn–out–lower body injury–unknown
Detroit
Henrik Zetterberg–IR–back—will not be returning; Jared McIsaac–IR–shoulder surgery–2 to 3 months; Robbie Fabbri–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Adam Erne–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Sam Gagner–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Jon Merrill–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Filip Zadina–out–COVID protocol–day-to-day
Edmonton
Oscar Klefbaum–LTIR–shoulder injury–out for season; Mike Smith–LTIR–unknown–unknown
Florida
Juho Lammikko–out–COVID protocol–day-to-day
Los Angeles
Alex Turcotte–out–lower body injury–week-to-week; Martin Frk–out–lower body injury–week-to-week; Mat Luff–out–undiscl0sed–day-to-day
Minnesota
Marco Rossi–IR–upper body injury–Indefinite; Mats Zuccarello–IR–arm surgery–unknown; Alex Stalock–IR–upper body injury, COVID protocol–indefinite; Cam Talbot–out–unknown–day-to-day; Nico Sturm–out–illness–day-to-day
Montreal
Paul Byron–out–unknown–day-to-day; Joel Armia–concussion–unknown
Nashville
Calle Jarnkrok–out–unknown–unknown
New Jersey
Nico Hischier–IR–foot issues–day-to-day; Jesper Bratt–out–COVID protocol–day-to-day; Mackenzie Blackwood–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Sami Vatanen–out-visa issues, COVID protocol
NY Islanders
Michael Dal Colle–IR–Unknown–unknown; Johnny Boychuk–LTIR–eye injury–not expected to return
NY Rangers
None
Ottawa
Vitaly Abramov–IR–unknown–unknown; Tim Stutzle–out–undisclosed–day-to-day
Philadelphia
Isaac Ratcliffe–IR–rib injury–unknown; Wade Allison–IR–unknown–unknown; Kirill Ustamenko–IR–hip surgery–3 to 4 months; Sean Couturier–out–shoulder–2 to 3 weeks; Philippe Myers–out–rib injury–week-to-week; Morgan Frost–IR–shoulder injury–unknown; Mark Friedman–out–unknown–day-to-day
Pittsburgh
Zach Aston-Reese–IR–shoulder surgery–4 weeks; Sam Miletic–out–unknown–unknown; Sam Trotman–IR–knee surgery–4 to 6 weeks; Mike Matheson–IR–unknown–unknown; Marcus Pettersson–out–upper body injury–week-to-week; Juuso Riikola–out–upper body injury–unknown
San Jose
None
St. Louis
Vladimir Tarasenko–LTIR–shoulder surgery–unknown; Alexander Steen–LTIR–back injury–will not return; Erik Foley–out–concussion–indefinite; Robert Bortuzzo–IR–upper body injury–unknown; Marco Scandella–out–upper body injury–day-to-day
Tampa Bay
Nikita Kucherov–LTIR–hip surgery–indefinite; Marian Gaborik–LTIR–back injury–will not return; Anders Nilsson–LTIR–post-concussion syndrome–indefinite; Curtis McElhinney–out–COVID protocol–unknown
Toronto
Nick Robertson–LTIR–knee injury–4 weeks; Joe Thornton–LTIR–rib injury–4 weeks; Auston Matthews–out–upper body–day-to-day
Vancouver
Michael Ferland–LTIR–concussion–indefinite; Jayce Hawryluk–LTIR–unknown–unknown; Jalen Chatfield–out–upper body injury–unknown; Alex Edler–out–unknown–unknown; Travis Hamonic–IR–upper body injury–unknown
Vegas
None
Washington
Beck Malenstyn–LTIR–achilles surgery–5 to 6 months; Michal Kempny–LTIR–achilles surgery–3 to 4 months; Henrik Lundqvist–LTIR–heart surgery–indefinite; Evgeny Kuznetsov–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Dmitry Orlov–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Alex Ovechkin—out–COVID protocol–unknown; Ilya Samsonov–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Tom Wilson–out–lower body injury–unknown
Winnipeg
Bryan Little–LTIR–head injury–indefinite; Dominic Toninato–LTIR–unknown–unknown; Anton Forsberg–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Tucker Poolman–out–COVID protocol–unknown; Patrik Laine–out–upper body injury–day-to-day; Nate Thompson–out–lower body injury–day-to-day
For our list of players out during the first week of the season, see https://www.nysportsday.com/2021/01/15/injuries-around-the-nhl-january-15-2021/
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