SUNRISE — Injuries to key players has been a theme for the Florida Panthers to start this season and Monday brought more bad news.
Cole Schwindt was picked up waivers from Vegas before the season started to help fill the void left by fourth-line center Tomas Nosek after he sustained a knee injury which needed surgery during the offseason.
During the first period of Florida’s 8-5 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, Schwindt collided with Sergei Bobrovsky when the goalie came out to play the puck.
Schwindt went straight to the room and did not return.
After the game, Schwindt was spotted with his right arm in a sling; coach Paul Maurice could have an update on Schwindt’s condition at today’s practice in Fort Lauderdale.
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On Monday night, however, Maurice did not sound optimistic about Schwindt’s injury.
“Based on what we’re seeing,” Maurice said, “it’s not going to be short term.’’
Florida, which was playing Monday without Eetu Luostarinen because of a lower-body injury, did make a roster move in bringing prospect Jack Devine up from AHL Charlotte.
Devine, 22, has six goals and 12 points in 13 games for the Checkers this season. He had two goals and five points in seven playoff games last year.
The Panthers are very high on Devine — and for good reason.
Florida drafted Devine in the seventh round of the 2022 draft and Devine simply took off.
A Hobey Baker Award finalist last season as a senior at the University of Denver, Devine was one of the top scorers in collegiate hockey and helped the Pioneers to two national championships.
Devine signed with the Panthers after his senior season ended last year at the Frozen Four with a loss to eventual national champion Western Michigan.
The kid is a winner, and the Panthers dig his attitude.
“Obviously in Florida, there is a lot of success with two championships,” Devine said at the start of rookie camp. “Some of those things I was able to do in college.
“Those winning instincts were kind of instilled with me, and I try to bring those little details that are important to having success and winning out there. I know they can translate pretty well.”
Florida has been without Nosek and Matthew Tkachuk due to offseason surgeries before losing captain Sasha Barkov to a knee injury on the first day veterans took the ice at training camp.
The Panthers have since lost Dmitry Kulikov and Jonah Gadjovich to injury.
After Monday, the Panthers have lost a total of 84 man-games to injury.
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