Panthers suffer losses: Luostarinen due to accident and Schwindt to surgery

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – The current Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, are facing an increase in their injury list, including an unusual injury. Coach Paul Maurice views this situation as an opportunity for the team to improve. Forward Eetu Luostarinen will be out for several weeks, according to Maurice, due to a “barbecue accident.” There is no return date defined yet for Luostarinen.

We don’t have much experience with this. When he returns and feels comfortable with the team, we will move forward.

Paul Maurice

Cole Schwindt, who was claimed to help with injuries, also joins the list. Schwindt will need surgery for a broken arm and is expected to be out for two to three months. Luostarinen and Schwindt join the long list of injured players, which includes Aleksander Barkov (ACL injury in preseason), Dmitry Kulikov (upper body), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body), Tomas Nosek (knee), and Matthew Tkachuk (groin). Barkov, Kulikov, Gadjovich, and Nosek still have months of recovery ahead; Tkachuk could start skating later this month and debut in December. Despite this unexpected start to the season, Maurice sees an opportunity. The situation has forced the Panthers to change their style of play, which could generate valuable lessons.

There’s a lot of good if you can capture, if you can learn new things, things you have to learn to survive. And that’s really, in a way, what we’re doing, trying to survive. When you have seven players out of your lineup, you have a problem. We can survive that and then learn through adversity.

Paul Maurice

Maurice added that, after the exchange deadline, the team will experience the biggest player movement in the league.

We can be a better team than we were entering the playoffs last year, if we can learn to do this. It’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be uncomfortable right now. And we have to be okay with that.

Paul Maurice

The Panthers are hoping that rookie forward Jack Devine, who was part of two NCAA championship teams at Denver, will make his NHL debut on Thursday in a home game against New Jersey.