Welcome to another edition of the Fantasy Hockey Injury Report. Every week, we will discuss some key injuries around the league and how they may affect your fantasy hockey team.  It’s never easy to deal with the injury bug, but it doesn’t have to be the demise of your fantasy hockey team. Let’s take a look at who’s dealing with what this week!

 

Week 12 NHL Fantasy Hockey Injury Report

Leo Carlsson - Anaheim Ducks - Knee

The Anaheim Ducks will be without rookie Leo Carlsson for the next three to five weeks due to a knee injury. The kid suffered the injury against Calgary and was unable to finish the game. The injury could have been a lot worse, so even a five-week absence isn’t the end of the world. Carlsson has eight goals and seven assists this season, so there’s no reason to hold onto him in fantasy if you need the roster spot.

Zach Werenski - Columbus Blue Jackets - Lower-body

Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski is expected to miss some time due to a lower-body injury. Werenski suffered the injury against New Jersey and was unable to finish the game. The team is calling this injury week-to-week, so there is a real chance that he isn’t ready to return to the lineup in the next few days. There’s no question that he has talent-- racking up 25 points in 34 games already this season-- but he continues to be plagued by injuries that are keeping him out of action for an extended period of time. For now, it would be wise to stash him on the bench and wait for another update before deciding to cut him loose.

Jacob Trouba - New York Rangers - Upper-body

Rangers captain Jacob Trouba left Thursday’s game against the Capitals due to an upper-body injury and did not return. He took a solid hit from Tom Wilson and just seemed uncomfortable right after. Trouba may not be an offensive defenceman, but he is a huge part of the Rangers’ defense and how they play. He can also rack up hits and blocked shots, which are important categories in some leagues. We should get an update on his status in the coming days, but expect him to miss at least one or two games. 

Mikhail Sergachev - Tampa Bay Lightning - Lower-body

Mikhail Sergachev has missed the last three games due to a lower-body injury and there is still no timetable for his return. He last played on December 19th against St. Louis and hasn’t been able to return to game action. We have seen him at practice, but it looks like whatever is bothering him is still causing him issues. Tampa Bay still has two games before the New Year, so hopefully, he can return for one of those games. It hasn’t been a great season for Sergachev, but there is still lots of time to turn things around.

Players Dealing With Illnesses:

Not every player listed above is fantasy-relevant, but it’s still important to know which players may miss a game or two due to illness. It’s hard to gauge how much time a player is going to miss due to illness because everyone deals with it differently. It’s also quite frustrating to see a player out last minute because of it. Pavel Buchnevich and Travis Konecny are probably on a fantasy roster, so they are players to keep an eye out for. 

Konecny did suit up for Thursday's game against Vancouver but had to leave early because he couldn’t keep up. Blackwood and Lankinen are probably not goalies that many people own, but they could be serviceable in certain spots. It would still be wise to stay away from both of them especially if they are sick.