Aaron Ekblad was going to miss the start of Florida Panthers training camp. Everyone already knew that.
The Panthers just hope their rising star just doesn't miss too much more than that.
Ekblad, the 20-year-old defenseman who signed the richest deal in franchise history this summer, suffered a concussion while playing for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto on Sunday night.
Florida general manager Tom Rowe said Tuesday afternoon that he had been in contact with Ekblad's agent as well as Florida coach Gerard Gallant _ an assistant on Ekblad's team in Toronto _ and things are OK.
"I spoke with his agent, Jeff Jackson, this morning and Gerard and both said it's real minor," Rowe said. "They say he feels really good. Gerard's right there, keeping an eye on things."
Ekblad missed Monday's World Cup game after being run into the glass by Finland's Leo Komarov the previous night.
Although Ekblad finished Sunday's game, he sat out Monday's game against Russia and isn't expected to play in another World Cup game.
North America, which is 1-1 in the round-robin tournament, and plays what could be its final game Wednesday against Sweden. If North America advances, it would play in the semifinals this coming weekend. If it doesn't win, Ekblad would be headed south this week anyway.
Team North America GM Peter Chiarelli says Ekblad is day-to-day, but the Panthers have made it clear they don't want Ekblad competing in the NHL-sanctioned tournament anymore.
"We're not going to risk it, we have too much at stake," Rowe said. "We may talk about it again, but I don't think that's going to happen."
Ekblad, Rowe said, will remain in Toronto as he wanted to stick around his teammates. Ekblad will be seen by medical specialists on site in Toronto as well.
"We were thinking of bringing him back here," Rowe said. "He wants to stay with his team. And Peter Chiarelli says they're not going to put him at any risk at all. I don't think he's jumping into the lineup anytime soon."
Ekblad is entering his third season with the Panthers and signed an eight-year, $60 million contract extension which kicks in next season.
The first overall pick of the 2014 NHL draft, Ekblad was the 2015 rookie of the year and has missed just five games with the Panthers over his first two seasons.
Florida went 0-3-1 in the four games Ekblad missed last year because of a concussion he suffered on a hit from Edmonton's Matt Hendricks.
"We've missed everything," Gallant said then. "He's a 19-year-old kid but means a lot to our team obviously."
Said Jaromir Jagr: "I didn't think we were going to miss him that much but we did."
Teammate Vincent Trocheck is also part of Team North America (comprised of American and Canadian players age 23 and under) with Gallant serving as an assistant.
Florida's Sasha Barkov and Jussi Jokinen are playing for Finland in the tournament.
Florida veterans report to training camp Thursday with physicals at BB&T Center in Sunrise. The first workout of the 2016-17 season comes Friday morning in Coral Springs, Fla.
