Aleksander Barkov will miss two to three weeks of Florida Panthers activities due to a lower body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced.
The Finn did not suffer any fractures.
Maurice told reporters he hoped Barkov could be ready for the games in the Global Seriesin which the Panthers will play in Barkov’s native Finland on Nov. 1 and 2, and he added that Barkov might be ready to return before then.
The star forward was injured Thursday late in the game against the Ottawa Senators. He was trying to stop Tim Stutzle from scoring into an empty net when he fell heavily against the boards.
Barkov remained on the ground for a few minutes before retreating to the locker room with the help of two teammates.
There was no immediate information on the nature or severity of the injury.
Barkov, 29, the reigning winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward, is in his 12th season, all with the Panthers. He was the first player of Finnish descent to captain a Stanley Cup championship team when Florida beat Edmonton for the title last season.
Barkov is the leader in a number of categories in Panthers history, including goals (266), assists (466), points (712) and game-winning goals (48).
