# Early season injuries in the NHL

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/early-season-injuries-in-the-nhl
> Updated: 2026-09-30T18:21:42.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

The start of the 2026-27 NHL season has been marked by several significant player injuries across multiple teams.

In Edmonton, veteran centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to miss approximately two weeks due to a lower-body injury sustained during practice, causing him to miss the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers are also managing other roster issues, including a knee injury to goaltender Frederik Andersen and an eight-week absence for Matt Savoie.

Other league-wide injuries include Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber, who is out indefinitely following a skull fracture, and Pittsburgh winger Bryan Rust, who has been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-30: NHL players face early-season injuries

Several NHL players face early-season absences, including Minnesota's Brock Faber (indefinite), Pittsburgh's Bryan Rust (week-to-week), and Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (approximately two weeks).

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nhl-players-face-early-season-injuries

### 2026-09-29: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to miss Edmonton Oilers season opener

Edmonton Oilers veteran Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks due to a lower-body injury, with an estimated recovery time of two weeks.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/edmonton-oilers-face-multiple-injury-setbacks-before-season-opener

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Cite as: Early season injuries in the NHL. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/early-season-injuries-in-the-nhl