5 Players Ready to Bounce Back From Injury in 2025-26
Injuries are a part of sports and unfortunately, for these three players, it's been a big part of their career so far. The 2025-26 NHL season is upon us, and now they have a clean slate to try and bounce back, and show to their team they can be relied upon to contribute.
Here's five players to keep an eye on as bounce-back candidates for the 2025-26 season:
Kirby Dach, Montreal Canadiens
Chicago, Montreal, it doesn't really matter to this point, unfortunately Kirby Dach hasn't been able to stay healthy. The Canadiens are hopeful this is finally the year, and Dach has a golden opportunity to make a huge impact on the up and coming team out of Montreal. The Habs didn't add another veteran center this offseason, as they are hopeful Dach is ready to show off the skill set that had him drafted third overall.
Mat Barzal, New York Islanders
Barzal only dressed in 30 games last season, posting 20 points, and it's been a lot of 'what if's' the last few seasons. The Islanders are a bubble team and they need Barzal to help lead the charge, so it's going to be interesting to see if they can get back on track on Long Island. Barzal will be the #1 center with Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri on his wings. If Barzal can stay healthy, a point per game isn't out of the question.
Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Doughty missed 52 games last season and even though he's getting up there in age, he's ready to hit the reset button. It's a massive year for Doughty as he wants to make Team Canada's Olympic team, so he's been very open about using that as motivation this season. Doughty finished with 17 points in 30 games last season, if he's healthy, a 50-point season is possible.
Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
Seguin's battled injuries throughout the later stages of his career, and the Stars are hopeful he can get back on track with his health. Seguin missed 60 games last year due to hip surgery, and when he did return, he posted 21 points in 20 games. However, he showed his age in the playoffs and couldn't keep up to the faster pace. The Stars are hopeful that's not the case this season with a healthy summer behind him.
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
There isn't one person that's rooting against the Avalanche captain. Landeskog missed three full regular seasons, and when many counted him out, he proved that he's still committed to being an NHLer and put in the work to make his return possible last playoffs. At 32 years old, there's still plenty left in the tank, and while don't expect to see Landeskog play all 82 games, he's ready to contribute on a regular basis.
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
