Hurricanes' Kotkaniemi out at least one week
Published
Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi will miss at least one week, head coach Rod Brind'Amour said via team reporter Walt Ruff.
Kotkaniemi played just 7:42 in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins and missed the entire third period. Brind'Amour said Saturday Kotkaniemi "tweaked something" but added Tuesday he believes the injury is "not too serious."
Based on Brind'Amour's timeline, this could mean the end of Kotkaniemi's regular season. He has 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 76 games.
Meanwhile, Brind'Amour also said forwards Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov will be back in the lineup Tuesday as the Hurricanes take on the Sabres in Buffalo. Staal has been out since March 28 with a lower-body injury and Svechnikov (undisclosed) has missed Carolina's last two games.
The Hurricanes enter play Tuesday at 46-26-4 for 96 points. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division and are currently on track for a first-round showdown with the New Jersey Devils.