The 2024-25 NHL season is officially underway with a few weeks in the books. While the season has barely begun, plenty of players have already hit the injured list, including reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Connor McDavid.
The Edmonton Oilers have announced that McDavid will miss two-to-three weeks with an ankle injury. During an Oct. 28 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, McDavid got tripped up, and his feet went into boards awkwardly. After further evaluation, it was determined that McDavid had suffered an ankle injury severe enough for him to miss several weeks.
The Oilers were already off to a shaky start, and now they'll have to stay afloat without their best player and captain. If McDavid hits the two-week time frame, he'll miss around five games. If it's closer to three weeks, he could miss as many as many as six.
Meanwhile, San Jose Sharks No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini is currently on the shelf on injured reserve after playing just one game to begin his NHL career. Celebrini is currently dealing with a lower-body injury and could return sometime in November. Prior to going down, Celebrini tallied a goal and an assist in his first NHL game.
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is also currently out of the lineup. Demko is currently dealing with a knee injury that has hampered him since the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In Game 1 of Vancouver's opening-round series against the Nashville Predators, Demko injured his knee and wasn't able to return at any point in the postseason. It was recently revealed the Canucks netminder will miss three-to-four weeks, so he could return to the ice in early November.
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog also is continuing to work his way back from injury. It's been a long road for Landeskog, who hasn't played since the 2022 postseason. Landeskog underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. It was initially announced that Landeskog would miss the opening 12 weeks of the 2022-23 season, but he eventually ended up missing the entire campaign.
After revealing that the Colorado captain wouldn't take part in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team announced he needed cartilage transplant surgery and would miss the entire 2023-24 season. Landeskog continues to rehabilitate his knee, but it's unclear when he could return to the ice.
Here is a list of many of the marquee players that are currently sidelined due to injury.
Anaheim Ducks
John Gibson (G)
Type of Injury: Appendectomy surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Early November 2024
Last Played: 4/12/24
Buffalo Sabres
Zach Benson (LW)
Type of Injury: Lower-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Early November 2024
Last Played: 10/19/24
Colorado Avalanche
Gabriel Landeskog
Type of Injury: Knee
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 6/26/22
Artturi Lehkonen
Type of Injury: Shoulder surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 5/17/24
Columbus Blue Jackets
Erik Gudbranson (D)
Type of Injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 10/15/24
Edmonton Oilers
Evander Kane (LW)
Type of Injury: Hip, hernia surgeries
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: February 2025
Last Played: 6/10/24
Connor McDavid (C)
Type of Injury: Ankle
Injured Reserve: No (currently listed as week-to-week)
Approximate Return Date: Nov. 6-Nov. 13
Last Played: 10/28/24
Los Angeles Kings
Drew Doughty (D)
Type of Injury: Ankle surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 9/25/24
New York Islanders
Anthony Duclair (LW)
Type of Injury: Lower-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: December 2024
Last Played: 10/19/24
St. Louis Blues
Torey Krug (D)
Type of Injury: Ankle surgery
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: 2025-26 season
Last Played: 4/10/24
Robert Thomas (C)
Type of Injury: Fractured ankle
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 10/22/24
San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini (C)
Type of Injury: Lower body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: October 2024
Last Played: 10/10/24
Seattle Kraken
Vince Dunn (D)
Type of Injury: Mid-body injury
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Mid-November 2024
Last Played: 10/17/24
Toronto Maple Leafs
Calle Jarnkrok (C)
Type of Injury: Lower-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Late October 2024
Last Played: 9/22/24
Utah Hockey Club
John Marino (D)
Type of Injury: Upper-body
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Unknown
Last Played: 4/15/24
Vancouver Canucks
Thatcher Demko (G)
Type of Injury: Knee
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Late October 2024
Last Played: 4/21/24
Dakota Joshua (C)
Type of Injury: Recovery from testicular cancer
Injured Reserve: Yes
Approximate Return Date: Late October 2024
Last Played: 5/20/24