Latest NHL Injury News on Brady Tkachuk, Vincent Trocheck, Jakob Markstrom, More

The New York Rangers are the latest NHL team to lose a star player to a weeks-long injury absence early in the 2025-26 season.

The Rangers placed Vincent Trocheck on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury on Wednesday.

Trocheck, who will now be sidelined until at least Nov. 1, isn't the only key player set to miss the rest of October.

Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will miss five months after undergoing surgery on a labral tear, coach Paul Maurice told reporters Wednesday.

New Jersey Devils coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters the same day that netminder Jacob Markstrom will likely miss a "couple of weeks" with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators will meanwhile hope to get more positive news about captain Brady Tkachuk, who is already set to miss an estimated four weeks after suffering an injury to his right hand Monday.

Sens owner Michael Andlauer told reporters Wednesday that Brady was seeking a second opinion and would know by Thursday whether the injury necessitates surgery.

Trocheck suffered his upper-body injury during a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres last Thursday. His LTIR placement will date back to Saturday, when he sat out the Rangers' 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, per The Athletic's Vince Z. Mercogliano.

Mika Zibanejad slid over to center to anchor the top line between Artemi Panarin and Alex Lafreniere in Trocheck's absence.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said shortly after Trocheck's injury he believed anchoring the top six around Zibanejad and J.T. Miller provides "balance" down the middle of the lineup.

Miller has struggled to drive play early this season. Taking Zibanejad off his second line will put more pressure on him to provide more offense over the next few weeks.

In Sunrise, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are showing wear and tear from three straight trips to the Final.

After suffering his injury on a hit during last Thursday's win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Kulikov will join Aleksander Barkov, Mathew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek as Panthers sidelined by long-term injuries.

Kulikov's absence will likely be felt most on the penalty kill, where he ranked second only to Gustav Forsling last season for the most 4v5 ice time of any Panthers defenseman.

Uvis Balinskis, who has drawn into the lineup as a third-pairing defenseman over the Cats' last two games, could continue to receive more playing time as the Panthers prepare to play through the winter without Kulikov.

The Devils are also in injury trouble this season after losing both Jake Allen and Markstrom in the same game.

Allen, who received a Monday start against the Columbus Blue Jackets, left in the second period due to cramping. Markstrom came in to replace him, but looked banged up after taking contact in the paint late in the third period.

Markstrom's absence will now present an opportunity for third-string netminder Nico Daws, who was recalled from the AHL's Utica Comets on Wednesday. Daws made six appearances last season, assuming Allen is healthy, will likely serve as his backup while Markstrom recovers.

The Senators, who came into the season looking to build on the team's first playoff run in eight years, will meanwhile need to rebound from a disappointing 1-2 start to the season without Tkachuk contributing his physical presence to Tim Stützle's top line.

Drake Batherson drew into the top six in Tkachuk's absence, while Michael Amadio could potentially get a look at skating alongside Stützle and Fabian Zetterlund as the Sens work on finalizing a new lineup ahead of Thursday's anticipated injury update.