Here's the latest news in the world of NHL injuries to get you ready for the upcoming season. If you ever need injury updates for a specific player, shoot me a message on Twitter @BrennanDeSouza!

David Pastrnak – The Czech forward had a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair done on September 16th. Arthroscopy is typically used to diagnose joint problems, in this case at the hip joint. It sounds like repairs were made on the cartilage that normally provides stability at the joint, absorbing shock and distributing pressure evenly as we move our hips. The recovery period for his procedure was set at five months, which means that Pastrnak will likely miss the first month of the 2021 campaign. While there's no concrete date set for his return, he has been making encouraging progress. 

Brad Marchand – On September 14th, the Bruins forward underwent a sports hernia repair. He was expected to recover from the procedure after four months, which perfectly lines up with the beginning of the 2021 campaign. The fact that he's already started skating is a good sign and there's a chance he could be available for opening night. Marchand tallied 87 points in 70 games last season, which translates to 102 points over 82 games!

Gustav Nyquist – On November 3rd, the 31-year-old forward had surgery to repair a labral tear of his left shoulder. Blue Jackets' General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen revealed that the issue had been present for a few seasons but got worse recently – making surgery the best option. Nyquist will need five to six months to recover from the procedure, so there's a chance he misses the entire regular season, which is projected to end in early May. He scored at a 49-point pace last season despite playing for an offensively challenged team in Columbus. The team's attack looks a bit more dangerous this year with the acquisition of Max Domi, so Nyquist should have a better supporting cast when he eventually returns to the lineup.  

Tyler Seguin – Seguin underwent a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair on November 2nd, which came with a recovery period of four to five months. As such, he's projected to return between early March and early April, with the regular season ending in early May. While Seguin's absence should open up opportunities for other forwards on the team, I'm hesitant to endorse anyone just yet. Dallas' offense ranked 26th in the league last season as they averaged 2.58 goals per game. Losing one of their most offensively gifted players only makes their attack less threatening. 

Ben Bishop – Dallas' netminder had surgery for a torn meniscus on October 21st. The procedure comes with a total recovery period of roughly five months – of which three months still remain. He's expected to return in late March, which would make him available for just over a month before the regular season ends in early May. 34-year-old Anton Khudobin will take over as the team's starter in Bishop's absence. Khudobin posted a 16-8-4 record during the regular season last year, along with a 2.22 GAA and .930 save percentage. He put forth a solid performance during the 2020 playoffs which brought Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final. While Khudobin is certainly a viable option in fantasy leagues this year, I wonder if Seguin's absence will affect his win totals.  

Oscar Klefbom – A chronic shoulder injury will keep the 27-year-old defenseman sidelined for the entirety of the 2021 campaign. Edmonton signing Tyson Barrie becomes all the more important now that the team has to navigate the whole season without Klefbom. In previous years, Klefbom held a significant share of Edmonton's time with the man advantage and was considered the team's top power-play defenseman. Tyson Barrie showed us that he's more than capable of quarterbacking a power play as he tallied 55 points with the man advantage over his final two seasons in Colorado (2017-2018, 2018-2019). 

Alex Stalock – The team recently announced that Stalock would be sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury. General Manager Bill Guerin reportedly expects Stalock to return at some point this season, in the not too distant future. The Wild signed Andrew Hammond to occupy the backup role behind Cam Talbot while Stalock recovers. If Talbot falters as the starter, there's a realistic chance that Stalock will have the opportunity to take over once he recovers from this upper-body injury.  

Mats Zuccarello – The Wild winger had surgery on his arm in November and there's currently no timetable for his return. The procedure reportedly repaired a torn ligament that had caused Zuccarello discomfort throughout much of last season. He tallied 37 points in 65 games with Minnesota during the 2019-2020 campaign. Zuccarello’s absence might create an even bigger role for the underrated Kevin Fiala as the season gets underway.   

Johnny Boychuk – An eye injury sustained during the 2019-2020 campaign caused the 36-year-old defenseman to end his career in the NHL. He suffered the injury against the Canadiens in March when Arturri Lehkonen's skate clipped him up high.  Boychuk's absence could free up more minutes for the likes of Ryan Pulock and Noah Dobson in New York. 

Anders Nilsson – The 30-year-old netminder is still suffering the effects of post-concussion syndrome and his status for the 2021 campaign remains up in the air. From a fantasy perspective, Matt Murray should get the lion's share of starts in Ottawa this season regardless of who the backup is. In any case, I don't think a backup goalie on the Senators is someone you're looking to target, considering the team's current status. 

Nolan Patrick – The second overall pick of the 2017 draft was sidelined for the entirety of last season due to a migraine disorder. Patrick is reportedly feeling much better these days and is often skating and working out. Last year, we saw how unpredictable the recovery process was – some days he was feeling good but other days were much tougher and overall progression was far from linear. While we should learn whether he's cleared for contact in early January, projecting a date for his eventual return remains futile at this point. 

Vladimir Tarasenko – The 29-year-old forward had shoulder surgery in early September and is expected to be re-evaluated in February. This was Tarasenko's third shoulder surgery in as many years, which makes the situation slightly more concerning. The procedure was necessary because his second shoulder surgery – performed in October 2019 – didn't successfully remedy the issue. Expect the Blues to be extremely cautious with Tarasenko's recovery this time around as they must prioritize his long-term health at this point. I'd be surprised to see Tarasenko return before March. 

Alexander Steen – A back injury sustained during the 2019-2020 campaign caused the Blues' forward to announce his retirement. He's reportedly dealing with multiple levels of degenerative herniated discs of his lumbar spine. In other words, he's experiencing significant lower back pain. From a fantasy perspective, his absence won't free up huge opportunities for the rest of the roster as he averaged just 14 minutes of ice time last season. 

Nikita Kucherov – The superstar winger has reportedly been dealing with a hip injury since the 2020 playoffs – which concluded roughly three months ago. It sounds like he received an injection last week to treat the pain and will try skating soon to see how his hip feels. At this point, his status for opening night is up in the air, but we should get more informative updates from the team in the coming days.  

Steven Stamkos – In early October, Tampa Bay's captain had surgery to repair a lower abdominal core muscle injury. He was expected to make a full recovery prior to the start of the 2021 campaign and still seems on track to do so. He tallied 66 points in 57 games last season before he was sidelined with a sports hernia that required surgery. 

Henrik Lundqvist – Due to a heart condition, King Henrik has made the difficult decision to sit out of the 2021 campaign. The 38-year-old netminder was set to play his first season with the Capitals after 13 incredible years with the Rangers. He would have provided an important veteran presence in Washington, helping 23-year-old Ilya Samsonov ease into the starting role. Instead, Samsonov will be trusted with more starts and won't have the luxury of playing alongside and learning from an all-time great.  

Bryan Little – Doctors have recommended that the 33-year-old forward sits out of the 2021 season. He reportedly suffered a perforated eardrum and vertigo symptoms after taking a slapshot to the side of the head during a game last November. Newly-acquired Paul Stastny might be tasked with more minutes while Little is unavailable.