The NHL season is barely underway, but several significant injuries are already creating questions around the league. Here is the latest NHL injury report, including updates on Aleksander Barkov, Brock Faber, Zach Hyman and Ivan Provorov.
Aleksander Barkov Injury Creates Immediate Concern for Panthers
The biggest injury bombshell at the moment has to be Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
Barkov left Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks after going down awkwardly while battling for the puck during a second-period power play. The 31-year-old immediately headed down the tunnel and did not return.
The timing for Barkov to land on the NHL injury report could not have been worse for The Cats.
Barkov missed the entire 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right knee. The Finnish center went down in training camp last fall and did not play a game all season. He had only just returned to the Panthers, appearing in the team’s first two games of this campaign.
Coach Paul Maurice said the new injury is not related to last year’s knee injury, but Barkov was scheduled to undergo further examination Friday.
Until Florida gets the results, there is no reason to assume the worst. But after all, there might be some cause for concern.
Brock Faber Remains Indefinitely on NHL Injury Report After Skull Fracture
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber is facing a much longer recovery timeline after suffering a fractured skull during the preseason.
Faber was struck near the ear by a shot from Dallas forward Sam Steel on Sept. 25. Remarkably, he returned for another shift and finished the second period before sitting out the third. He subsequently underwent surgery and has landed on the NHL injury report indefinitely.
The Wild have not provided any sort of timetable for his return, with general manager Bill Guerin saying the team will follow the doctors’ guidance.
That makes this one particularly difficult to project.
Faber is entering the second season of his eight-year contract, and had become a major part of Minnesota’s blue line. The 24-year-old played in 80 games last season and recorded 51 points.
For now, the Wild simply have to wait.
Zach Hyman Injury Leaves Oilers Short on the Wing
The Edmonton Oilers are also dealing with an important injury after Zach Hyman was ruled out Thursday with an upper-body issue.
Hyman is officially considered day-to-day, although coach Mike Babcock joked that his interpretation of “day-to-day” could mean roughly two weeks on the NHL injury report. Hyman sustained the ailment during Edmonton’s final preseason game but still played 20:33 in the season opener against Vancouver.
That development could make this situation worth watching.
Hyman scored 31 goals in just 58 games last season, making him one of the Oilers’ most important secondary scorers behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton already entered the season dealing with several injuries, so losing another top-line forward puts more pressure on its depth.
Ivan Provorov Breaks Incredible Ironman Streak by Landing on NHL Injury Report
The Columbus Blue Jackets unexpectedly lost one of their most durable defensemen in Ivan Provorov suffered, when he sustained a lower-body injury.
Provorov is listed as week-to-week and was placed on injured reserve Thursday. The injury ended an incredible streak: The 29-year-old had never missed an NHL game because of injury during his 10-year career, appearing in 375 consecutive games.
Provorov played 82 games last season while averaging nearly 25 minutes per night, so his landing on the NHL injury report is significant for Columbus.
The Blue Jackets have plenty of season left to deal with it, but losing a defenseman who has been virtually automatic in the lineup is never easy.
And that makes Provorov one more name worth watching on the latest NHL injury report.
NHL Injury Report: Latest Updates on Barkov, Faber and More