What happened: Ivan Demidov, Jake Sanderson, Josh Morrissey and Aleksander Barkov are currently sidelined. The injuries present varying levels of impact for their respective clubs as the preseason progresses.

Why it matters: The timeline and severity of these absences will shape early roster decisions. Ivan Demidov was previously ruled out for two-to-four weeks with a lower-body issue. Navigating these losses requires immediate lineup adjustments.

What to watch: Clubs will monitor the recovery timelines of the sidelined players.