Fantasy Hockey Injury News: Updates on Elias Pettersson, Gabriel Vilardi, Tomas Hertl, Shea Theodore and More

A lot of significant players in the league are out with injury right now, and today we add three more to the list. Not all bad news, though, as we have a returning top defender in the mix.

Let's dive in, shall we?

Vancouver Roadtrip

Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander of the Vancouver Canucks both did not play in Monday night's matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Unlikely top line centre fill in Pius Suter scored two goals in the win, but the Canucks are still left with a shallow top six.

Not good news for the Canucks, despite their win, as neither Pettersson or Hoglander will play the rest of the road trip, and the club has sent them both home to Vancouver. This also isn't good for Pettersson, Highlander, or Brock Boeser owners as the injured pair made up two thirds of the regular top line, leaving only Boeser to fend for himself. His production will surely take a dip with the absence of his linemates.

Petterson has 15 goals, 30 assists, and 16 powerplay points as a forward in 64 games played. He also has 109 shots on goal, 73 hits, and 77 blocked shots.

Hoglander has six goals, 15 assists, and 30 penalty minutes as a forward in 66 games played. He also has 76 shots on goal, 70 hits, and 21 blocked shots.

Keeping in mind that Vancouver is also missing Filip Chytil going down the stretch and into the fantasy playoffs, this team is going to struggle, and any players you have left on this diminished roster likely will, too. Beware of +/- and bench who you need to to preserve points.

That said, on the plus side, this was Thatcher Demko's first game back after being on IR, and he did secure the win for the Canucks. His future with the British Columbian team might be good for current season Demko owners, but I would not put a ton of Easter eggs in this basket. Demko hasn't played a game since February, but did stand on his head to secure the win.

Demko has seven wins in 18 games started this year as a goaltender. He also has an .890 save percentage, a 2.87 goals against average, and one shutout.

Jets Sky High

The 100-point Winnipeg Jets are flying high, however they will be doing so without Gabriel Vilardi for at least a couple weeks. He is considered week-to-week and it does not sound like he will return during the regular season.

Terrible timing for Vilardi owners, going into fantasy playoffs. They lose a high scoring, elite deployment player right into the postseason. It's also not ideal for the Jets, however it sounds like he may return for NHL playoffs, and they've already punched their card into the postseason.

Vilardi plays on the top line alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, and sees top powerplay time. It's certainly a blow to Vilardi owners as he is a mainstay on one of the best teams in the league.

Vilardi has 27 goals, 34 assists, and 25 powerplay points as a forward in 71 games played. He also has 130 shots on goal, 21 hits, and 50 blocked shots.

One Up, One Down in Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights have lost a player, but are soon to get one back. Both are impact players, so I am not sure if this is a win or loss for them. Either way, they are still the top team in the Pacific Division, so this isn't going to rock the boat for them.

In Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tomas Hertl was hit by Emil Lilleberg and suffered a shoulder injury, causing him to leave the game and not return. Hertl had a goal, and was coming off a hat trick the previous game the night before against the Dallas Stars.

The Golden Knights left for a three-game road trip, and Hertl did not travel with the team - not ideal for the top six forward. There has been no report of the seriousness of his injury as of yet, and we will keep an eye on this and report back should this be an extended absence, which would encompass significant time for fantasy league playoffs.

Hertl has 31 goals, 28 assists, and 23 powerplay points as a forward in 70 games played. He also has 170 shots on goal, 96 hits, and 54 blocked shots.

However, number one defenseman Shea Theodore did travel with the team on their road trip, indicating an imminent return. He does need to be activated from the IR list, but should he return to the ice, it is likely he will resume his role on the top pairing and the number one powerplay unit.

Great for Theodore owners, bad for Noah Hanifin owners as he will likely see a reduction in ice time, and be moved down to the second powerplay unit.

Theodore has seven goals, 41 assists, and 19 powerplay points as a defenseman in 55 games played. He also has 111 shots on goal, five hits, and 69 blocked shots.

Fantasy Outlook

Injuries are a double edged sword this time of year. By now you should all be in at least your first week of fantasy playoffs, if not in your second round. Injuries can be devastating for your team, leaving you to scramble to pick up a lesser replacement - however, they can be just enough of a blow to your opponent to give you the edge for the weekly matchup.

It is always important to stay on top of injuries and roster moves at this critical point in your season, as catching news quick enough and being able to make a shift in your roster can make or break your night, or sometimes your entire matchup.

Keep an eye out for our fantasy hockey editorial, and as well as our Fantasy Hockey Injury News, which is always up to date with the latest news the second it breaks.