Panthers’ Lundell out 2-6 weeks with rib injury

It isn’t quite clear when exactly Lundell suffered the injury. He missed last Friday’s game against the Calgary Flames after getting “banged up” during the team’s 4-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers last Thursday. Florida went on to lose to the Flames, 4-1. The 24-year-old also missed Tuesday night’s overtime win over the Seattle Kraken.

With the very wide-ranging timeline for Lundell’s return, he could either be back in time for the Panthers’ final couple of games of the regular season or end up out for the remainder of the campaign, barring a miraculous turnaround by the team in the remaining weeks.

Lundell has already missed some time this year with various injuries. In playing 64 of the team’s 70 contests, he has scored 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points, sitting fifth on the team in scoring. The Finnish center had been scoring at a higher clip than he was last season, as he registered 45 points in 79 games a year ago.

Lundell was a prominent performer in the Panthers’ runs to two consecutive Stanley Cups. In 2024, he posted 17 points in 24 games before adding another six goals and 18 points last spring.

The Panthers (35-32-3) are tied for last in the Atlantic Division with the Toronto Maple Leafs, both 12 points back of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.