Vancouver Canucks rookie sensation Elias Pettersson is in concussion protocol after he was driven into the boards and slammed to the ice by Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson on Saturday, head coach Travis Green confirmed Monday.
There's no clear timeline on a return, but TSN's Bob McKenzie reports it'll be a minimum of seven-to-10 days as he recovers from his symptoms.
Here's Matheson's hit on Pettersson:
Elias Pettersson goes down hard. Shaken up on the play and has left the game. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/5CIiNIeMky
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) October 14, 2018
Following the game, Canucks head coach Travis Green labeled the hit a dirty play, while teammate Sven Baertschi likened the collision to one he'd see in the WWE.
Matheson will have a phone hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Monday over the hit.
Before the injury, Pettersson had recorded five goals and eight points in the first five games of his NHL career.
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