NHL Injuries Today: Hintz, Larkin, Pesce All Sidelined
NHL injuries today dealt a rough hand to three contending teams on Sunday, March 8, 2026, as Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, and New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce were all ruled out of their respective games. The trio of absences spans the Western and Eastern Conferences, creating real lineup headaches for coaches and fantasy managers alike.
NHL.com’s daily status report confirmed all three players on Sunday morning, with timelines ranging from day-to-day to multiple weeks. Breaking down the advanced metrics on each lineup, these are not depth scratches — Hintz, Larkin, and Pesce each anchor critical roles in their team’s five-on-five structure and special teams units.
What Are the Latest NHL Injuries Today for March 8?
The three confirmed absences on March 8 cover a Stars top-line center, a Red Wings captain and leading scorer, and a Devils shutdown defenseman. Each injury is classified as lower-body, and none of the three players took part in morning skates ahead of their team’s Sunday contests, per NHL.com’s status report.
Roope Hintz is out at least a couple of weeks for Dallas, keeping him off the ice when the Stars host the Chicago Blackhawks at 6 p.m. ET on Victory+ and CHSN. Hintz has been one of the Stars’ most dangerous forwards this season, and his absence forces head coach Pete DeBoer to reshuffle the top six on short notice. Dylan Larkin, meanwhile, is listed day-to-day after leaving Detroit’s 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Friday night with a lower-body issue. The Red Wings captain will not suit up against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Over in New Jersey, Brett Pesce did not dress in the Devils’ 6-3 win against the New York Rangers on Saturday, and he is listed week-to-week with his own lower-body injury. Pesce’s absence is particularly notable on the defensive side of the puck, where his shot-blocking and positioning have been steady all year.
The numbers reveal a pattern here — all three injured players are among their team’s most productive or defensively reliable contributors, making these losses felt well beyond a single game. Larkin leads the Red Wings in scoring production at this stage of the season, and Pesce anchors New Jersey’s defensive structure with an elite shot-blocking rate.
Dylan Larkin has posted 55 points — 28 goals and 27 assists — in 63 games this season for Detroit. That pace puts him on track for one of his strongest offensive campaigns as a Red Wing. Losing him even for a few days disrupts Detroit’s top power play unit and their ability to generate zone entries through center ice.
Brett Pesce has seven points — one goal and six assists — in just 37 games for New Jersey, but the raw numbers undersell his defensive value. Pesce ranks second on the Devils with 80 blocked shots this season. That kind of shot suppression and physical commitment along the blue line is hard to replace off the bench. The Devils’ defensive scheme relies on Pesce to eat minutes against opposing top lines, and his week-to-week designation means New Jersey must lean on younger options in a tight Metropolitan Division race.
Roope Hintz’s multi-week absence hits Dallas at a delicate stretch of the schedule. The Stars are chasing a strong Central Division position, and Hintz as a top-six forward drives five-on-five expected goals in ways that are not easily replicated. The film shows his value is not just in point totals — his forechecking pressure and face-off dominance shape how Dallas controls puck possession in the offensive zone.
Key Developments From Sunday’s NHL Injury Report
Roope Hintz is out a minimum of a couple of weeks for the Stars with a lower-body injury, confirmed by Dallas ahead of Sunday’s game against Chicago.
Dylan Larkin sustained his lower-body injury during Detroit’s 3-1 loss to Ottawa on Friday and is listed day-to-day with no return date set for Sunday’s road game at New Jersey.
Brett Pesce did not play in New Jersey’s 6-3 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday and is now listed week-to-week.
Pesce has recorded 80 blocked shots this season, second-most on the Devils’ roster, underlining his defensive importance to the club.
Larkin’s 55 points in 63 games make him Detroit’s offensive engine, and his day-to-day status leaves the Red Wings uncertain about their top line for the coming week.
How Do These NHL Injuries Today Affect Fantasy Hockey and Standings?
Fantasy hockey managers tracking NHL injuries today need to act fast. Larkin’s day-to-day tag means he could return within days, but the risk of holding him on an active roster through Sunday is real. Hintz’s multi-week absence is a clearer drop or stash decision depending on roster depth. Pesce’s week-to-week status makes him a straight drop in most standard leagues.
From a standings perspective, the Dallas Stars face the tightest squeeze. The Central Division is competitive, and a multi-week absence from a top-line center like Hintz forces the coaching staff to elevate secondary forwards into bigger roles. Based on available data, the Stars’ five-on-five numbers tend to dip when Hintz is not driving play at even strength — that is a measurable trend across his injury history with Dallas.
Detroit’s situation is more fluid. The Red Wings are fighting for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, and Larkin’s production — 28 goals and 27 assists — is central to that push. A prolonged absence, even if it starts as day-to-day, would put real pressure on the Red Wings’ secondary scoring to step up. The numbers suggest Detroit’s penalty kill and power play both take a step back without Larkin quarterbacking key situations.
New Jersey, fresh off a 6-3 win over the Rangers on Saturday, absorbed Pesce’s absence without a loss. But week-to-week is a long runway, and the Devils’ defensive scheme breakdown becomes more vulnerable as the playoff push intensifies in the Metropolitan Division. Salary cap implications for any potential emergency call-ups are worth monitoring as the trade deadline window tightens.
How long is Roope Hintz out for the Dallas Stars?
Roope Hintz is out at least a couple of weeks for the Dallas Stars due to a lower-body injury, per NHL.com’s March 8 status report. He did not play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday and has no firm return date set at this time.
Is Dylan Larkin playing Sunday for the Detroit Red Wings?
Dylan Larkin will not play for the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, March 8, against the New Jersey Devils. Larkin is listed day-to-day after suffering a lower-body injury in Detroit’s 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Friday. He has 55 points in 63 games this season.
What is Brett Pesce’s injury status for the Devils?
Brett Pesce is listed week-to-week for the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury. He did not play in New Jersey’s 6-3 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Pesce has 80 blocked shots this season, second on the Devils’ roster.
Should I drop Brett Pesce in fantasy hockey?
Based on available data, Pesce’s week-to-week designation makes him a drop candidate in most standard fantasy hockey leagues. He offers solid defensive stats — 80 blocked shots in 37 games — but a multi-week absence is too long to hold in shallow formats. Deep leagues may stash him.
