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The 2023-24 NHL fantasy season is in its fourth week and injuries have started to pile up, including to some key players. Injuries always happen in hockey, so knowing what players to pick up on the waiver wire to replace them in fantasy hockey is crucial.
Knowing how long players will be out is also important, so here are the timelines for some key players.
NHL Fantasy Hockey Injury Report Week 4
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the best goalies in the NHL and would have been drafted early in fantasy hockey drafts. However, just before the season started, he underwent back surgery and would miss the first two months of the season.
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With the first month done, Vasilevskiy should be four weeks away from returning. However, the Tampa Bay Lightning goalie is already back practicing, so perhaps he can return sooner.
Milan Lucic, Calgary Flames
Milan Lucic signed a one-year deal with the Boston Bruins to play a fourth-line role. However, just a few games into the season, Lucic blocked a shot and has now been placed on injured reserve.
Given he's on injured reserve, Lucic will now be sidelined for a minimum of 10 games and 24 days for the Bruins. However, if your league doesn't count hits, Lucic should never have been considered to be drafted.
Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett is a key player for the Florida Panthers, but he's currently dealing with a lower-body injury.
Bennett left the Panthers' Monday night game against the Boston Bruins. It was his first game of the season, as he just returned from missing the first seven games due to a lower-body injury. The apparent ankle injury was gruesome to and Bennett needed help off the ice.
Currently, Florida has yet to say how long Bennett will be out, but he likely will miss a few games.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers also lost defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to an injury on Monday night.
Ekman-Larsson left the game after being hit to the head by Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy. It was a dirty hit to the head, and like Bennett, Florida has yet to comment on the severity of the injury.
