After a gruelling 82-game schedule, which in some cases involves an extended playoff run, NHL players are grateful for the time off to allow their bodies to recover from serious or nagging injuries and gear up for the upcoming season.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way for every player. In rare cases, a player may pick up an injury while training in the off-season. However, in most cases, the off-season does not provide enough time for a full recovery.
Entering a new season while nursing an injury puts that player at a disadvantage. Many players use training camp and the pre-season to get themselves back into top shape, allowing them to start the season in rhythm.
Here are five players who could miss time to start the 2025-26 season:
Tkachuk first sustained a lower-body injury at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. He attempted to play through the injury in the final against Canada, but it was unfortunately too much to handle. The injury kept him out until the playoffs, and when he returned for the post-season, the 27-year-old was clearly dealing with the lingering effects.
Following the Panthers’ triumph, Tkachuk revealed he was dealing with a sports hernia and a hip adductor injury, claiming he tore it right off the bone. Tkachuk had been pondering the idea of undergoing surgery to repair the injury, and after much discussion, he finally decided to go through with it.
The recovery process is intense, and the current timeline for the two-time 100-point scorer’s return is January, just prior to the 2026 Olympics. The Panthers are the deepest team in the NHL and should be able to mitigate his loss, but it could affect their positioning in the standings come April.
Prior to the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen went under the knife to repair a right tricep tendon rupture. The 30-year-old underwent surgery on March 26, and it was revealed that it was completed on April 24.
The initial timeline given by the Flyers was six months, and he would miss training camp. His availability for the beginning of the season remains unknown.
The expectations for the Flyers are quite low once again. With new coach Rick Tocchet, the team is attempting to enter a new era, led by Matvei Michkov and several other young Flyers prospects who aren’t with the team just yet. Ristolainen has had his struggles throughout his NHL career, but he’s a trusted right-handed veteran defenseman who will likely log big minutes for Tocchet when he does return. Without him, the Flyers will be one of the weaker teams on the defensive side of the puck.
Much uncertainty surrounds the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and his current contract negotiations. Currently, he is pondering all decisions, and the leading question is whether he believes the team is capable of winning. If Hyman misses the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign, the Oilers will likely struggle, and make McDavid’s decision increasingly difficult.
Hyman suffered a dislocated wrist and damaged ligaments in the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars. The injury forced him to miss the Stanley Cup finals and resulted in him undergoing surgery. He is currently still fully engaged in rehab, but his availability for the beginning of the season is still in jeopardy.
The Jets captain underwent hip surgery following the team’s elimination by the Stars in the second round of the playoffs. Lowry was given a 5-6 month timeline, which means he will be out until the end of October at the very least.
Lowry set a career high in goals last season and was a stellar two-way center. He’s the heartbeat of the Jets, and his absence to start the season will have a greater effect than some may realize. He handles the opponent’s top forwards, freeing up Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi to produce offensively. Without Lowry, Arniel may find it a bit challenging to give the trio offensive advantages.
Brodin is among the best defensive defensemen in the NHL, and on a Minnesota Wild team that values defense very highly, his absence will be felt.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery to fix an upper-body injury that he suffered after the World Championship and will be out to begin the 2025-26 season. The Wild are a deep team, especially on the backend, which should allow them to remain competitive even without Brodin. Although the Wild would love to ease Zeev Buium into the NHL, Brodin’s absence creates an opportunity for Buium to take a top-four role and run with it.
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