Key Fantasy Hockey Injuries Impacting Rosters

At this point in the season, it's safe to assume there are a number of injuries on your fantasy team. If you've avoided them so far, congratulations. You're ahead of the curve here, which makes it all the easier to manage your team. 

Most people aren't so lucky. This year was likely to always be a tough one for injuries anyway, considering the condensed schedule prior to the Olympics in February. It's a two-fold problem -- there are more games lost to injuries due to the packed schedule, and players are pushing themselves a little harder, especially those that might be on their country's roster bubble. 

Even team dinners aren't safe. Jack Hughes going out for eight weeks due to finger surgery sustained from a cut at a meal is just brutal luck. Really, any long-term injury is unfortunate, but it stings just a little more when it happens off the ice. 

The one thing that's always true in fantasy is that one player's absence opens the door for others to step up. It could take some time to figure out who the biggest beneficiary is from each injury situation -- sometimes, no one fills the void effectively. Not all the players below are picking up the slack from injuries, but they're solid choices to help you cover any holes in your roster from recent events. 

Under-the-Radar Players Emerging During Teams' Injury Crises

Eeli Tolvanen seems to have flipped a switch for the Kraken since the start of November. He's produced three goals and seven points over eight games this month, while adding 13 shots on net and 18 hits. He's on the third line at even strength, but his power-play usage has increased, which is where he's earned four of those seven points. Tolvanen is an inconsistent power winger, but his current production makes him a strong option right now. 

One of the more consistent defensemen this year has been Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He's kept it going in November with a goal and six points over his last seven contests, as well as a plus-6 rating. Considering the Maple Leafs' questionable defense as a team this year, Ekman-Larsson's success stands out even more. He had just 29 points in 77 regular-season games a year ago, but with 13 points over 19 outings so far in 2025-26, he's on pace for his best season since his Arizona days. 

Eetu Luostarinen has finally carved out a top-six role for the Panthers. Even though the team has struggled a bit, he's finding more success with a larger role, racking up seven points, 14 shots and 16 hits over seven games in November. The winger plays a physical game, and that makes him more valuable in banger leagues. His ice time is up nearly a minute and a half from last year, and he should have steady minutes for another month or so until Matthew Tkachuk (groin) returns. 

The Canucks' ongoing injury woes aren't slowing down Brock Boeser. He has four goals and four assists over his last seven outings. He's definitely gone under the radar in fantasy this year, but he's virtually a lock for 50-plus points each season, as long as he can stay healthy. Boeser hasn't gotten worse, and the Canucks' top players can still make a decent impact. He'll produce good totals in points, power-play points and shots. 

Depth Forwards and Unsung Rookies Earning Fantasy Value

I'm not sold that Jack Roslovic's stock is going to take a hit with Zach Hyman back in the lineup. Roslovic had a goal and an assist Saturday versus the Hurricanes -- while the revenge-game factor might have been in play, it's a continuation of his strong play recently. Roslovic will benefit from when the Oilers keep Leon Draisaitl separate from Connor McDavid, which spreads out the offense. I think the Oilers got an absolute steal to snag Roslovic's services, and he's settled in with 14 points over 18 appearances this year. He's all offense, and he's in a situation that could yield a career year. 

The Blue Jackets made a tweak in the top six, swapping Adam Fantilli to the top line and Sean Monahan to the second. This could be a coronation of sorts for Fantilli as the team's top-line center of the future, and he's clicked immediately with Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov. Fantilli has gone off to the tune of seven points over eight games in November, and he should be able to stack up some hits as well, as he's thrown the body a bit early in his career. 

The Ducks look like they're here to stay, and that means picking around their roster for depth pieces in fantasy could be worth it. Beckett Sennecke is a rookie winger who has clicked in a second-line role. He started hot, faded in late October and then bounced back with seven points, 16 shots, seven hits and six PIM over his last eight games to start November. Rookies bring risk, but Sennecke looks capable of keeping his current role at least until the trade deadline -- and beyond that if the Ducks decide not to go big on trades. 

Top Defensemen Keeping Production High Despite Lineup Instability

Drew Helleson is another player to keep an eye on, though he's more of a depth defenseman than a scorer. He's gone 11 games without a goal, but the blueliner has six assists with 19 hits and 15 blocked shots in that span. He's handled top-four minutes recently, though he could see his ice time slip with Radko Gudas healthy after a lower-body injury. Both play a similar style, with Helleson bringing plenty of thump in addition to his emerging offense. Helleson's youth -- and potential for growth on offense -- is the big advantage he has compared to similar blueliners. 

For a blueliner with more scoring potential, consider Simon Nemec. Dougie Hamilton (lower body) and Brett Pesce (upper body) have been out for a while, and Nemec has taken full advantage of the chance to be a top-four blueliner. He's got four goals and an assist over his last five games, and he had a shootout winner Saturday over the Capitals. With 12 points over 18 contests overall, Nemec is setting the stage for a breakout campaign on one of the Eastern Conference's best teams -- don't miss this hype train. 

To the crease, where I think there's some fire around the smoke of a goalie controversy in Minnesota. Jesper Wallstedt has posted back-to-back shutouts, and he's started three of the Wild's last five games. The hardest part for a young goalie trying to gain playing time is prying it away from the starter. It takes time to build trust with the coach, but Wallstedt is doing just that now. He's had just one bad game in six outings, going 4-0-2 with a 2.10 GAA and a .924 save percentage this season. 

Goalies Benefiting From Absences and Stepping Into the Spotlight

Even since Jacob Markstrom returned from injury, Jake Allen has maintained about a 50-50 split in the Devils' crease. There's not really a wrong answer in this crease, as both goalies should do well to earn wins this year. Allen is 2-1-0 with a .935 save percentage over three games in November. Especially in deeper leagues, you can't have all starters. Platoon goalies like Allen should be rostered pretty widely as long as the wins keep stacking up. 

I don't have full confidence in Philipp Grubauer, but he has a big opportunity ahead. Matt Murray (lower body) left Saturday's game versus the Sharks, and Joey Daccord (upper body) isn't ready to return yet. Daccord's timeline hasn't been updated, but that suggests he may not be out much longer -- the Kraken have typically been more specific for long-term injuries. Still, if Grubauer gets some starts this week, he could benefit from playing behind a tight defense. He's gone 3-0-1 with a 2.20 GAA and a .903 save percentage over five appearances this season. 

Navigating injuries is probably the second-biggest factor in fantasy, right behind drafting a good team to start with. Your risk tolerance on draft day has likely played a part in how many injuries your facing now. If you're cautious and take sturdy players primarily, it could pay off, as long as you're not sacrificing better offense. On the other hand, gambling on a highly productive player who gets hurt a lot, like a Hughes or a Mark Stone, can help you bank wins early in the season. Having a finger on the pulse of the waiver wire is critical for risky roster builds. With plenty of injuries to go around, you'll probably need to make some moves to avoid falling behind. Check in on who's out there and reinforce your roster with whoever fits best. I'll be back next week for more. 

Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.