The Florida Panthers will likely be with out high defenceman Aaron Ekblad till not less than mid-November, and fairly probably longer, after the group placing him on the long-term injured reserve record with a groin harm.
Players on the LTIR record should miss not less than 10 video games and 24 days; the Panthers have 11 video games in that 24-day window, so Ekblad is out for not less than that many. He received harm in Florida’s loss Monday at Boston.
“We’re not pleased about it and clearly we’re involved for him as an individual first,” Panthers common supervisor Bill Zito mentioned Wednesday. “But he’ll be again. It’s not a season-ending factor. There’s no purpose to consider he will not be again at something apart from 100 per cent.”
And even with out their finest defenceman, the Panthers have discovered methods to win constantly during the last two seasons when he is not within the lineup. Florida has gone 31-10-1 within the 42 video games Ekblad missed over that span. He already is figuring out in anticipation of his return, Zito mentioned.
“It’s not a super scenario to lose a number of the key gamers from our group,” captain Aleksander Barkov mentioned. “But on the identical time, after all, it’s important to battle, not only for your self however for the man who’s lacking. You need to battle for him as nicely, received to play for him.”
The Panthers recalled Matt Kiersted and Lucas Carlsson from their AHL affiliate in Charlotte, and so they have veteran ahead Eric Staal — who was in camp with Florida on a tryout contract — nonetheless skating with the group as a non-roster participant. Zito mentioned the the cap-crunched group will attempt to discover a method so as to add Staal to the roster; his youthful brother Marc Staal, a defenceman, is in his first 12 months with the Panthers.
“Every single group within the NHL normally faces important adversity,” coach Paul Maurice mentioned. “It helps outline them. We’re not shying away from this.”
Knee surgical procedure sidelines Landeskog once more
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog will likely be sidelined about 12 weeks after present process arthroscopic knee surgical procedure.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar mentioned after morning skate Wednesday that Landeskog had the process carried out in Minneapolis the day earlier than. Landeskog missed the opening three video games of this season with what the group described as a lower-body harm.
Landeskog sat out the ultimate 23 regular-season video games final season after present process knee surgical procedure. He returned in time for the playoffs, the place he had 11 targets and 11 assists to assist the Avalanche win the franchise’s third Stanley Cup title.
The 29-year-old Landeskog is in his twelfth NHL season and his eleventh as captain of the Avalanche. He was the youngest captain in NHL historical past on the time he earned the function (19 years, 286 days) on Sept. 4, 2012. He held that distinction till Connor McDavid was named captain by the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 5, 2016, at 19 years, 266 days.
Muzzin battles neck harm
The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed veteran defenceman Jake Muzzin on injured reserve, the group introduced Wednesday.
Muzzin, who missed the beginning of coaching camp with again discomfort and has a concussion historical past, will miss not less than the following three video games — Thursday at residence towards Dallas, Saturday in Winnipeg and Monday in Vegas.
The Leafs recalled defenceman Filip Kral from the American Hockey League in a corresponding transfer.
Toronto has handled a rash of accidents on its blue line to begin the season. Jordie Benn (groin), Carl Dahlstrom (shoulder) and Timothy Liljegren (hernia) all began the schedule on long-term injured reserve.
Leafs goaltender Matt Murray (groin/abductor) joined the trio on LTIR over the weekend.