Welcome to the September 13, 2026 edition of the Injury Ward!

With just over two weeks until the start of the 2026-2027 season, we over here at the Injury Ward are excited to kick off this new-look 84-game schedule. It goes without saying we wish all players a safe and healthy year on the ice, but for us, more games should equal more injuries, which should equal more content for you.

Fantasy Draft preparation has officially begun, so let's get you up to speed on all major injuries heading into draft day.

Kevin Fiala (LW) – LAK – week-to-week – On September 10, Fiala underwent an additional left leg surgery, which is related to his injury sustained at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Reports from The Kings' office indicate he will miss the start of training camp and more updates will be provided as he recovers. In only 56 games last season, he was 4th on the team in goals. Overall, Fiala finished with 40 points (18G, 22A), he plays top line minutes, and is a big part of the Kings' offense. The Kings only play twice during week one, so keep an eye on him as a potential add for the following week if he makes it out of the draft without a home.

Filip Gustavsson (G) – MIN – week-to-week – Fresh updates out of Minnesota regarding the Wild's No.1 goaltender. While initial reports indicated that Gustavsson would be fully recovered from offseason hip surgery and ready to go for opening night, it looks like he is still recovering and not progressing as quickly as expected. He is now listed as questionable for preseason action, so he may not be ready for opening night either. We will keep you updated. Either way, you do not want to sleep on this guy. He is as consistent as they come and perpetually a top ten performer in fantasy rankings amongst his peers.

Brad Marchand (RW) – FLA – week-to-week – In August 2026, Marchand underwent an undisclosed surgery with a tentative return date of October 10 being provided by the Panthers. This could be related to his existing hernia issues, but that is purely speculation. Marchand missed the last 19 games of the 2025-26 campaign, but was averaging over a point per game before his injury (27G, 27A, 52GP) and he is an absolute work horse, even in the twilight of his career. If your roster space permits it, consider holding off and picking him up in later rounds if he is still available.

Frederik Andersen (G) – EDM – week-to-week – It looks like the Oilers will be going with Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi while Andersen takes some additional time to rest. Oilers' GM Stan Bowman provided an update to the Oilers Now show and stated that shortly after signing with the club, Andersen tweaked the same knee that was injured during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He is expected to miss training camp, plus the early part of the campaign, with no estimated time set for his return at this time.

Owen Tippett (RW) – PHI – day-to-day – After leading the Flyers in goals last year, Tippett experienced internal bleeding during the second round of the 2026 playoffs and underwent successful sports hernia surgery in late May. He is a fixture on the second-line forward group and second-line powerplay units, so the Flyers do not want to rush his return, especially if they are hoping to make another appearance in the playoffs. He is currently listed to return September 21, but we will continue to monitor his situation and provide updates as this is always an extremely difficult injury to come back from.

Injured players confirmed or expected to be ready for the start of training camp or the start of the regular season:

D – Seth Jones (FLA), LW – Carter Verhaeghe (FLA), C – Sam Bennett (FLA), G – Jacob Markstrom (FLA), C – Jack Hughes (NJ), RW – Stefan Noesen (NJ), D – Jake Sanderson (OTT), D – Neal Pionk (WPG), LW – Alex Iafallo (WPG)

Injured players questionable for the start of training camp or the start of the regular season:

G – Thatcher Demko (VAN), C – William Karlsson (VGK)

Injured players with long term injuries and their estimated return dates:

G – Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ) – Late October 2026

C – Connor Bedard (CHI) – Early November 2026

RW – Troy Terry (ANA) – Mid November 2026

D – Seth Jarvis (CAR) – Late December 2026

D – Rasmus Sandin (WAS) – Late December 2026

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Injury Ward. My name is Kevin Bissonette, and I will be providing weekly NHL injury coverage, right here at Dobber Hockey, all season long. Please give me a follow on X (@DH_KBissonette), and feel free to reach out with any last-minute questions for your squad or updates from your favorite insiders!

Thanks for taking the time to visit DobberHockey, and good luck on your draft this year!