Fantasy Hockey Injury Roundup: Key Stars Banged Up, and Senators Get Unexpected Draft Relief

Hey folks. Injuries are starting to pile up at an important time of the fantasy hockey season, and a few big names across the league suddenly have managers paying close attention to the injury report. When elite scorers start getting banged up this late in the year, it can quickly shift matchups, playoff races, and fantasy strategies.

At the same time, some interesting league news out of Ottawa could quietly impact the future of a rebuilding team. A penalty that once threatened to strip away a valuable draft asset has now been adjusted, giving the organization a different path forward this summer.

There's a lot to unpack between the injuries and the off ice news shaping the league right now, so let's dive right in.

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Auston Matthews - Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs may be holding their breath after Matthews left Thursday night's game against the Anaheim Ducks following an awkward knee incident from captain and defensemen Radko Gudas. One note is that Gudas has been suspended four times in his career, the last being in 2019, totalling sitting out 15 games.

Matthews appeared to be unable to stand up after the knee on knee hit and needed assistance leaving the ice, immediately raising concern given his importance to Toronto's offense and fantasy lineups everywhere. The team has not yet provided a firm update on the severity of the injury, but any time a superstar leaves a game early this late in the season, it gets the attention of fantasy managers quickly.

Honestly, I believe he will be out for a couple games at best, but pending the severity might be out for the remainder of the season. This hit did not look good at all. I am also disappointed that nobody on the team responded to the hit against their captain right away. Nobody went after the Ducks, or Gudas at first.

But, the rest of the game though the Maple Leafs began to be quite chippy, which was somewhat of a breath of fresh air from their normal play this season. Head coach Craig Berube said weeks ago they lacked heart, but when guys like Morgan Rielly and Easton Cowan are fighting - that's the type of response you want to see!

Matthews remains one of the most dominant goal scorers in the league and a foundational piece for fantasy teams across all formats. His massive shot volume keeps his fantasy floor extremely high, and his ability to produce on the powerplay makes him even more valuable to managers counting on elite offensive production down the stretch.

For now fantasy managers will want to monitor updates closely as more information becomes available. Even a short absence during this stage of the season can have major implications for playoff matchups, but Matthews is obviously a player that stays locked into lineups whenever he is healthy enough to suit up. He is keeper status every day of the week, so this is a huge blow for Matthews owners going into fantasy playoffs.

One positive I will note is should Matthews be out for the season being the undisputed best player on the Maple Leafs, this bodes well for their tanking of the rest of the season chasing their bottom-five protected draft pick this season.

Matthews has 27 goals, 26 assists, and 12 powerplay points in 60 games played as a forward. He also has 227 shots on goal, 42 hits, and 81 blocked shots.

Dylan Larkin - Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings could be dealing with an important injury situation of their own after Larkin was forced to leave a recent game early. Larkin has been one of the driving forces behind Detroit's offense this season, and any potential absence would immediately be felt both on the ice and in fantasy lineups. Right now he is considered week-to-week, which is awful timing for fantasy managers.

As the team's captain and top offensive center, Larkin plays a massive role in every situation for the Red Wings. He continues to log heavy minutes at even strength while also serving as a key piece on the powerplay, which has helped him remain one of Detroit's most consistent fantasy producers this season. His combination of scoring ability and steady shot volume makes him a valuable contributor across multiple categories.

With Larkin expected to miss a couple weeks, the Red Wings will need to find ways to replace a massive chunk of their offensive production. Detroit will likely lean more heavily on players like Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat to carry the scoring load while other forwards move up the lineup to fill the minutes Larkin normally handles.

For fantasy managers, this is a significant loss in the short term, especially with playoff matchups approaching, and it could create opportunities for other Detroit forwards to see expanded roles while the captain works his way back.

Larkin has 28 goals, 27 assists, and 18 powerplay points in 63 games played as a forward. He also has 191 shots on goal, 34 hits, and 31 blocked shots.

Alex Tuch - Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past few weeks, riding a wave of scoring depth and strong team play. That momentum takes a hit with Tuch sidelined for a couple of games due to a minor lower-body injury.

While the absence is expected to be short, it comes at a time when Buffalo's favorable fantasy playoff schedule makes every game even more important for managers chasing category points down the stretch.

Tuch has been a key contributor across multiple areas for Buffalo, providing scoring, powerplay production, and strong peripheral stats like hits and blocked shots. His presence in the lineup has been a major factor in the Sabres' recent surge, and losing him even briefly will require teammates to pick up the slack in all situations, particularly on the powerplay where he's been a reliable driver.

Fantasy managers should view this as a minor disruption rather than a major concern. With only a couple games expected to be missed, Tuch's value remains high, and his role on one of the league's most productive teams ensures he will quickly return to form.

Still, managers may need to temporarily adjust lineups or look for short-term replacements for those few games to avoid missing out on Buffalo's strong offensive production during this stretch.

Alex Tuch has 28 goals, 29 assists, and nine powerplay points in 64 games played as a forward. He also has 155 shots on goal, 69 hits, and 74 blocked shots.

Ottawa Senators - 2026 first-round draft pick

The Ottawa Senators received welcome news this week when the NHL modified the penalty tied to the mishandled Evgenii Dadonov trade from 2021. Originally set to lose a first-round draft pick, Ottawa will now retain the selection, slotted 32nd overall, though with restrictions on trading it. 

The league also assessed a $1M fine, but the key takeaway is that Ottawa keeps valuable draft capital as they continue their rebuild. For a team that has struggled to gain traction this season, holding onto this pick feels like a meaningful opportunity to maintain momentum heading into next season.

From a fantasy perspective, this adjustment may not have immediate implications, but it is a significant win for the Senators' long-term outlook. Retaining first-round draft capital gives the organization flexibility to add talent through the draft while continuing to develop core players like Jake Sanderson and Brady Tkachuk. 

Personally, it feels like Commissioner Gary Bettman was lenient in allowing this resolution - Ottawa clearly made mistakes in the past, but the league giving them a path to keep this pick is a chance to reset and potentially accelerate the team's rebuild. For fantasy managers in dynasty leagues, this is exactly the type of structural advantage that can pay dividends down the road.