Although injury is a part of hockey and sports in general, a few teams will be without key players as the 2025-26 campaign resumes Wednesday. Each of those teams are still in the playoff hunt with about 30 games to go, but not having those stars on the ice could be detrimental to their success. The Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Los Angeles Kings suffered major losses to their lineups, but can the rest of the rosters fill the holes left by their teammates?
When the Stars take the ice on Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken, it will be without their top point scorer. Mikko Rantanen, who did not play in Finland’s bronze-medal game against Slovakia, will miss some time, Dallas head coach Glen Gulutzan revealed Monday.
The Finnish forward being out of the lineup is a big blow for the Stars, as Rantanen leads the team in points (69) and assists (49) through 54 games. Thankfully, Dallas is in good hands on the scoring front, with Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston seemingly going to lead the charge going forward.
Robertson, 26, and Johnston, 22, are the top two scorers for the Stars, and their roles on the team will likely increase due to Rantanen’s absence. Dallas sits in third place in the Central Division, and it’ll be up to the dynamic duo to keep the Stars afloat while they await Rantanen’s return.
Perhaps the most prolific injury of the Olympics, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby did not play in Canada’s last two games after leaving the team’s game against Czechia. The nature of Crosby’s injury has not been made public, but considering his absence from Olympic play, it’s safe to assume he will be sidelined for a while.
The 21-year veteran has been the team’s primary offensive weapon this season, as he leads the team in all major categories. More so, the captain has been leading the charge back to the postseason for the Penguins, who have not played playoff hockey since 2021-22.
Crosby’s absence means that veterans like Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha will have to carry the load in the meantime. Pittsburgh is more well-equipped to handle injuries than some other teams that will be left leaning on their young players, but Crosby’s absence is a loss nonetheless. Hopefully, he will be back in time to help the Penguins make a push in the Metropolitan Division, but it seems like he’ll miss some time.
Kevin Fiala was one of the few to go down with an injury in the Olympics, sparking the public to ask whether NHL players should participate in the future.
Fiala, a key component of the Swiss team that showed promise, had to be stretchered off the ice after sustaining an injury against Canada on February 13th. The veteran will miss the rest of the regular season with leg fractures, a huge blow to the Kings, who sit just three points out of a Wild Card spot.
The 29-year-old was in the midst of a solid season for Los Angeles, with 40 points and 18 goals through 56 games. The Kings will now have to look for offense elsewhere, and it seems like they will have to lean on their young players the rest of the way. It’s not the worst case for the team with Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke leading the way, but Fiala’s absence will be felt as Los Angeles resumes its playoff hunt.
Injuries happen everywhere, at any time. They’re an unfortunate part of the game, and for a few teams, back breakers. It’ll be up to the Stars, Penguins, and Kings to navigate the future without some of their players, but resilience is key if they hope to make the playoffs.
The injuries to Rantanen, Crosby, and Fiala won’t be the last we see this season, a harsh reality that is at the forefront of the sport recently. With hockey being faster and more physical than ever, players will go down time and time again because that is the nature of the game. It’s an uncomfortable truth, but there’s a lot to look forward to as we enter the stretch and beyond.
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