The Carolina Hurricanes continue to be burdened with a growing injury list, as yet another of the team's forwards has been sidelined.
Centerman Mark Jankowski was ruled out before Sunday's game against the Calgary Flames with a lower-body injury, with Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour saying postgame that he had been sent back to Raleigh for further evaluation.
"I don't even know what happened, but we sent him home to get looked at," Brind'Amour said. "I don't have any other update than that."
The loss of Jankowski, who was on a six-game goal streak before the injury, is a rather large one too considering that he was already playing higher up in the lineup due to the injuries the team was already dealing with.
Jordan Staal is out for the next one to two months due to a partial calf tear and so Jankowski was taking on a lot of the captain's responsibilities.
So without both, the team's center depth has taken a huge blow, especially when it comes to the defensive side of the game.
The loss of Jankowski is the fourth forward to be sidelined this year, joining Staal, Taylor Hall and Seth Jarvis.
The Hurricanes already had a pair of rookies filling in in Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum, but now the Jankowski loss may prompt another move given the Canes only have three centers on the roster.
"Obviously there's been a lot of guys getting nicked up here to start the year," said alternate captain Jordan Martinook who filled in at center on Sunday. "I think forever around here it's been the next-man-up mentality. That's not going to change anytime soon. I think everyone is comfortable with whoever we put in. It's just the way it is right now."
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