Do NHL Pre-Season Wins And Losses Matter? Drew Doughty and John Tavares [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA5NTkxODE5ODE2Njc0NDY0/usatsi_22213499_168400847_lowres.jpg] Drew Doughty and John Tavares If there’s one thing that’s true about the NHL and professional hockey, it’s that the injury bug never sleeps. One way or another, NHL teams have to face the often-grim reality that, in a contact sport, players will be sidelined right out of the gate. And before the 2024-25 NHL regular season begins, veteran players are out of action, and the depth of teams is being tested. For evidence, just scan any NHL team’s injury reports, and you’’ll almost always find their sick bay already being filled. In Toronto, star winger William Nylander left a pre-season game as a precaution [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-wasnt-ready-for-it-i-didnt-feel-like-it-was-needed-maple-leafs-william-nylander-reacts-to-freak-play-which-forced-him-out-of-pre-season-game-against-canadiens] after dealing with what looked like an innocuous bump, while John Tavares is day-to-day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-john-tavares-day-to-day-with-a-lower-body-injury-after-collision-in-pre-season-win-against-canadiens] with a lower-body issue. In Anaheim, goalie John Gibson underwent an emergency appendectomy [https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/gibson-out-3-6-weeks-after-emergency-appendectomy-surgery] that will put him on the shelf for three to six weeks, while in Montreal, blueliner Kaiden Guhle had the same surgery [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-guhle-isnt-the-first-hab-to-have-appendix-issues]. In Dallas, star left winger Jason Robertson was out of action following surgery to remove a cyst on his foot [https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-training-camp-buzz-news-and-notes-september-18]. In Buffalo, new Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin missed some of training camp with an injury [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/dahlin-practices-before-sabres-depart-for-europe]. And in Los Angeles, star defenseman Drew Doughty suffered a terrible-looking lower-body injury [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/doughtys-injury-could-be-worse-than-initially-feared] in a pre-season game, and he could be unavailable to play for at least a couple of months. This is why GMs lose sleep at night. They know injuries are possible at any moment in plays that don’t look harmful at all. If they could protect players with bubble wrap, they’d happily do so. Right from the first practice of the season, management members are acutely aware of how fragile their team’s depth charts can be. You can see, then, why NHL teams go out of their way to make depth signings of players who otherwise would start the season in the AHL. At first glance, those players are happy just to get an AHL contract, but they understand things can change in an instant, and suddenly, an opportunity to step into the NHL greets them. No player wants to see their teammates hurt, but players also recognize the need for roster help at any given moment, and they want to be part of the solution to any problem that arises. The Maple Leafs, for example, have Alex Nylander on an AHL deal who'll be front of mind if the team deals with any long-term injury issues. In Dallas, the Stars are one of the deepest teams in the league, and any time Robertson misses will be filled by youngsters such as Mavrik Bourque, Logan Stankoven and Wyatt Johnston. But in L.A., it will be more or less impossible to replace what Doughty brings to the table. Quality depth is a rare thing indeed, and that's why a team's chances at success can be sank completely with injuries to specific players. But the more talent you have in your system, the better your odds are of being able to ride out the injury storm and holding the fort until players can return to action. Once the regular season does begin, the energy of players will rise exponentially, and so will the physicality we see in games. That will result in even more injuries, no matter how often trainers and teams try to mitigate them. The debate comes up time and again to play fewer pre-season games to reduce chances of injury in exhibitions. But either way, it’s unavoidable, and it’s why drafting and development – as well as savvy depth signings – is of paramount importance.
