NHL Injury Report: Bedard Beats Timelines, Huberdeau Stalls as Training Camps Open

Training camps open Thursday, September 17, but the ice will be noticeably lighter in Chicago, Calgary, and Carolina. Three franchise cornerstones—Connor Bedard, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Seth Jarvis—are navigating major offseason surgeries, and their respective recovery timelines will dictate the opening month of the 2026-27 NHL season.[1][6]

In Chicago, the stakes revolve around 21-year-old phenom Connor Bedard. Following a July 2 practice injury in Vancouver, Bedard underwent surgery on his left shoulder. The Blackhawks initially assigned him a strict four-month recovery window, a timeline that projected an early-November return and roughly 14 missed regular-season games.[1][6]

But Bedard is already beating the math. Reports out of Chicago this week confirm the center is back on the ice, skating and shooting ahead of schedule. The rapid progression comes on the heels of a dominant 2025-26 campaign where he racked up 75 points—including 30 goals and 45 assists—in 69 games.[1][3]

The Blackhawks' offense historically sputters without him, posting an 8-17-2 record during his career absences. However, the organization is balancing his eagerness to return with long-term caution, especially amid swirling reports that Bedard could be named the team's next captain before the puck drops on opening night.[1][3]

While Chicago manages a speedy recovery, the Calgary Flames are facing a much steeper uphill climb with 33-year-old Jonathan Huberdeau. The veteran winger underwent highly invasive hip resurfacing surgery in March, a procedure that prematurely ended his 2025-26 season after 50 games and 25 points.[2][4]

Hip resurfacing is notoriously difficult to bounce back from. While players like Patrick Kane have successfully returned to elite form, the surgery has effectively ended the careers of others, including Ryan Kesler and Carl Hagelin. Huberdeau’s age and the five years remaining on his $52.5 million contract make the stakes astronomical for Calgary.[2][4]

The timeline hit a snag in late August. Flames General Manager Craig Conroy confirmed that Huberdeau suffered a skating setback, forcing the team to pump the brakes ahead of camp. “He had a little bit of a setback maybe two weeks ago with his skating,” Conroy stated. “If it is to take a little bit more time, and have him feeling 100 percent good about the hip, then that’s what we’re going to do.”[2][4][8]

Conroy noted that while Huberdeau is performing well in the gym, the organization will not rush his return to physical contact on the ice. He will begin training camp working individually, leaving his availability for the October 1 season opener highly doubtful.[4][8]

In Carolina, the injury report reads more like a badge of honor. Forward Seth Jarvis finally underwent surgery on his right shoulder in late June, addressing a torn labrum and rotator cuff that he had been playing through since the 2023-24 season.[5][7]

Despite the severe structural damage, Jarvis played 71 regular-season games last year, burying 32 goals and 66 points. He then added four goals and seven assists in 19 playoff games, culminating in the Hurricanes lifting the Stanley Cup.[5][7]

“Once it goes, you can keep aggravating it and it can limit what you can do,” Hurricanes General Manager Eric Tulsky explained. “At some point, you just need to do it. You can’t be limited for the rest of your career.” The surgery carries a four-to-six-month recovery window, meaning Jarvis will likely miss the first month of the title defense.[5][7]

The Hurricanes rewarded Jarvis's resilience with a massive new contract carrying a $7.42 million AAV through the 2031-32 season. As training camps officially open this week, the league will be watching closely to see how these three distinct recoveries reshape the early balance of power in the NHL.[1][5][7]