Kevin Fiala is out for season, but who's ready to step up? Plus, Logan Cooley and Robert Thomas expected to return after the Olympics. Get the latest scoop.
Injury Update – Olympic Edition
Kevin Fiala, LW, Kings
It’s every team’s worst nightmare. Fiala crumpled to the ice after a collision with Tom Wilson, suffering a fractured leg that required surgery and will force him to miss the rest of the season. He finishes the season with 40 points in 56 games, including 17 on the power play. Overall, it was a disappointing season for the Swiss left winger, who scored more than 30 goals for just the second time in his career last season.
The Kings made a big splash in acquiring Artemi Panarin, but the loss of Fiala means they’re shy of another top-six winger once again. Panarin will likely slot into Fiala’s spot at even strength and on PP1, and opens the door for Warren Foegele or Taylor Ward to get more ice time on the power play. Note, however, that Fiala has not been ruled out for the postseason.
Tyler Bertuzzi, Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund are a few options worth considering to replace Fiala on your roster. All three players provide goal-scoring upside on the power play and rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Logan Cooley, C, Mammoth
Cooley was practicing in a non-contact jersey prior to the Olympic break though there’s no set date for his return. The Mammoth’s top center looks like he’s getting closer to returning, and fantasy managers should be ready to activate him right away. The Mammoth will resume play on the first day the NHL returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 25 against the Avs.
Robert Thomas, C, Blues
No updates will be provided until teams resume practice in a week, but Thomas is slated to return right after the break. He underwent a minor leg procedure in late January and, hopefully, with a clean(er) bill of health and some extra rest, plays closer to last season’s form to close out the final month-and-half of the season.
Dylan Holloway, LW, Blues
Holloway hurt his ankle on Dec. 12 but reaggravated his injury upon his return on Jan. 12, forcing him to next eight games. However, Holloway is expected to be healthy and return on Feb. 26 against the Kraken. After scoring 63 points in 77 games last season, Holloway is scoring at 41-point pace. When healthy, he averages over two shots and two hits per game, giving him good value in multi-category leagues.
Josh Norris, C, Sabres
Norris remains on IR but was deemed to be day-to-day just prior to the Olympic break. A legit top-six center whose fantasy value is hampered by his frequent injuries, Norris a fantastic under-the-radar pickup offering close to point-per-game upside. When the NHL resumes play, don’t be surprised if Norris returns to action right away.
Tyler Seguin, C, Stars
Seguin underwent surgery for a torn ACL in mid-December and was originally set to miss the remainder of the season, though that may change once he’s re-evaluated following the Olympic break. He has not been officially ruled out for the rest of the season, and when healthy can provide dependable offense in deeper leagues. He scored 17 points in 27 games prior to his injury, and we shall wait and see to see if the veteran forward will return.
Patrik Laine, LW/RW, Canadiens
Laine was practicing in a non-contact jersey in mid-January though there’s no timetable for his return, and it’s believed that the Habs are shopping him as well. He underwent surgery in late October and original timeline was 3-4 months, which means that he should be returning soon if there has been no setbacks.
It’s an interesting situation; teams may be fearful about acquiring Laine without seeing him in game action first, and the Habs may not want to risk further injury to their trade bait and also don’t have a space in their current lineup for him. A power-play specialist who can still be effective when healthy, Laine might be a sneaky pickup for power-play points in deeper leagues should he be moved to a team that’s willing to give him a chance on PP1.
Connor McMichael, C/LW, Capitals
Spencer Carbery said McMichael "looked good" at practice, which means he's likely to return following a four-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Originally out week-to-week, the break came at an opportune time. With Pierre-Luc Dubois back in the lineup and Ethen Frank and Ryan Leonard playing top-six roles, it doesn't seem like there's a lot of ice time to go around for McMichael. It's a testament to the Caps' depth, but from a fantasy standpoint, McMichael only offers modest upside unless he can find his way to Alex Ovechkin or Tom Wilson's line, and get some PP1 as well.
Frank Vatrano, C/LW, Ducks
It’s been a tough season for Vatrano, who has battled injuries and also seen his minutes decline drastically (17:33 TOI/GP last season vs. 12:21 this season) due to the Ducks’ added depth. Originally set to miss six weeks following a shoulder injury on Dec. 31, it’ll have been eight weeks once the NHL resumes play.
Vatrano averages close to two shots and two hits per game, and his 4.4 shooting percentage this season makes him an intriguing buy-low candidate. The drawback, of course, is the lack of ice time.
Adam Fox, D, Rangers
It's a very good sign Fox is practicing in a full-contact jersey, indicating that he's at least getting much closer to game action though he's yet to be activated off LTIR. Fox has not played since Jan. 5, and he's been one of the few bright spots on the Rangers this season with 28 points in 30 games.
If we're only considering offensive production, Fox remains a very valuable fantasy defenseman and could be a top-10 defenseman for the rest of the season, though that will also depend on who the Rangers trade away at the deadline. If, for example, Vincent Trocheck is traded, their power play will lose some effectiveness.
Kris Letang, D, Penguins
Letang broke his foot in late January and was expected to miss four weeks of action, which puts him on track to return to action shortly after the Olympic break. There's no return date set, but Letang is "close to 100%" and will miss minimal time, if any, once the NHL resumes play.
Morgan Rielly, D, Maple Leafs
Rielly missed two games prior to the Olympic break with an upper-body injury and will return to the ice right away on Feb. 25 against the Lightning. A better in real life than fantasy type of player, Rielly's actually on pace to surpass last season's stats though it often doesn't feel like he's playing up to his potential. He remains a quality depth defenseman who can contribute in points and shots, especially if he can stay on PP1.
Igor Shesterkin, G, Rangers
The Rangers could certainly use Shesterkin with Jonathan Quick having a poor season and lacking a reliable third option. Shesterkin has not played since Jan. 5 due to a lower-body injury and he's been one of the league's top goalies despite very subpar play from the team in front of him.
Shesterkin is back at practice with seemingly no limitations, which means he's likely to return soon after the Olympic break, if not immediately after.
Charlie Lindgren, G, Capitals
The Caps may give Logan Thompson a breather once he returns from the Olympics, which means that Lindgren might get the first time immediately after the break. For what it's worth, Lindgren said "he's feeling good to go." It's been a tough season for Lindgren so far but could get a pretty good matchup against the offensively-challenged Flyers on Feb. 25.
No injury updates have been provided for the following players so far:
Leo Carlsson, C, Ducks (IR)
Pavel Zacha, C/LW, Bruins (dtd)
Zach Benson, LW, Sabres (dtd)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, Sabres (IR)
Simon Edvinsson, D, Red Wings (IR)
Aaron Ekblad, D, Panthers (dtd)
Seth Jones, D, Panthers (LTIR)
Alex Turcotte, C, Kings (IR)
Andrei Kuzmenko, LW/RW, Kings (dtd)
Luke Hughes, D, Devils (LTIR)
Anthony Cirelli, C, Lightning (dtd)
Brayden Point, C, Lightning (LTIR)
Nick Paul, C/LW, Lightning (dtd)
Brock Boeser, RW, Canucks (IR)
Filip Chytil, C, Canucks (dtd)
Marco Rossi, C, Canucks (IR)
Zeev Buium, D, Canucks (IR)
Neal Pionk, D, Jets (IR)
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