Fantasy Hockey Injury Updates: Tavares and Cooley Return, Morrissey and Heiskanen Updates

Hey folks. We've got a busy injury update to get through, with some important players getting closer to returning to the lineup. One veteran forward is set to make his return against a divisional rival, while a top-tier defenseman is taking another major step toward getting back on the ice after missing several weeks.

Elsewhere, another star defenseman is expected to miss more time, creating an opportunity for a teammate to take on additional minutes and powerplay responsibilities. We'll also look at a Calgary goaltender who has been activated off injured reserve after putting together an impressive stretch before going down with an injury. 

Let's dive in and catch up on some of these key returns, plus more.

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John Tavares - Toronto Maple Leafs

This is a big boost for the Maple Leafs, who have been mediocre despite the huge additions to their roster and captain Auston Matthews looking better than he has in years and scoring at will. The return of the former captain will give Toronto some more options up front and provide a little more depth to a roster that hasn't quite lived up to expectations.

That said, Tavares is expected to play on the wing instead of down the middle in his return against Montreal on Saturday. This is something fantasy owners need to be mindful of, especially those who have faceoff wins in their league scoring. Tavares has traditionally been a strong contributor in that category, and playing on the wing could take away some of that production.

It is an interesting shift to move Tavares back to the wing, and to me this is probably temporary. He is so good down the middle, returning from injury at his age gets harder and harder and this is likely just a way for the coaching staff to shelter his exposure as he works his way back into his usual role.

Fantasy outlook: I'm happy to get Tavares back into my lineup, as he should provide some additional offensive production and remain a useful fantasy option in most formats. However, owners who rely on his faceoff wins should keep a close eye on his deployment. If he remains on the wing, there could be a noticeable drop in that category.

Josh Morrissey - Winnipeg Jets

Morrissey is getting closer to returning after missing time with a wrist injury, and we're expecting him back as early as Sunday against Tampa Bay. He hasn't played since October 7, but he appears to be making good progress and hasn't been ruled out for the upcoming game. The Jets could certainly use the help after going through a lengthy losing skid during his absence.

In my opinion, Morrissey is key to the Jets' success. They've had a bumpy run to start the season, and the Connor Hellebuyck drama still lingers. They need him back and healthy in the worst way.

Again, Morrissey is such an important piece of Winnipeg's offense, with a lot of the team's production flowing through his stick, especially on the top powerplay unit. His return will be a welcome addition to the lineup, but it will also have an impact on Neal Pionk's ice time and deployment. Pionk has had an opportunity to take on additional responsibilities with Morrissey out, but those minutes and powerplay opportunities will likely shift back once the Jets' top defenseman is healthy.

Fantasy outlook: Morrissey should be an automatic addition back into fantasy lineups once he's cleared to play. He's one of the better offensive defensemen in the league and his return should give Winnipeg's powerplay a significant boost. Pionk owners should temper their expectations a little, as his fantasy value could take a hit with Morrissey back in the lineup.

Miro Heiskanen - Dallas Stars

Heiskanen will miss his second consecutive game on Saturday against San Jose after suffering an upper-body injury against Washington on Tuesday. While he's considered day-to-day, the Stars have four days off following Saturday's game, which should allow them to be patient with his recovery. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up missing at least another week, as there's no reason for Dallas to rush one of its most important players back into the lineup.

Thomas Harley has been taking advantage of the increased ice time and opportunity on the top powerplay unit in Heiskanen's absence. He's certainly capable of producing when given the opportunity, but this is still Heiskanen's job once he's healthy. He's a clear top defenseman in this league, and Harley will likely find himself relegated back to the second powerplay unit and further down the defensive pairings when Heiskanen returns.

Fantasy outlook: Harley is worth riding while Heiskanen remains out, especially in deeper leagues where powerplay production is harder to find. However, don't get too attached to the increased role, as this is only temporary. Heiskanen remains a must-start fantasy defenseman once he's back, while Harley's value will likely take a hit - although he is still a great defenseman to have on your roster.

Devin Cooley - Calgary Flames

Cooley is back, although he served as the backup in his first game after being activated off injured reserve. It looks like the Flames are giving him some time to rest and shake off the rust before getting him back into the crease. He was handling an extremely heavy workload before his injury and was putting together some of the best hockey of his career. I'd expect him to build off that momentum once he gets another opportunity.

That said, the job is his to win back, as Dustin Wolf currently has the crease and has been getting the results. Calgary appears to be riding the hot glove right now, and I think we're likely looking at more of a tandem situation moving forward. Cooley is expected to serve as the backup for the second consecutive game Saturday against Anaheim, so fantasy owners will need to be patient as he works his way back into the rotation.

My expectation is that Cooley is still going to hold some value, and wasn't winning games and starting prior to his injury by accident. Once he starts seeing some starts again, he is going to be challenging for that starter role.

Fantasy outlook: I'm still interested in Cooley, especially in deeper leagues, but owners need to temper their expectations until we see how Calgary splits the starts. He was producing at a great rate before getting hurt, and there's enough upside here to warrant holding onto him. Wolf has earned his opportunity, though, so Cooley will need to prove he deserves a larger share of the workload again.