NHL Superstar to miss Significant Time Following Surgery

The Anaheim Ducks will be without their leading scorer for the foreseeable future.

Centre Leo Carlsson is expected to miss three to five weeks after undergoing a procedure on his left thigh, the team announced Friday.

The procedure addressed a Morel-Lavallée lesion — a rare degloving injury in which the skin and fat separate from the underlying fascia, creating a fluid-filled pocket.

Carlsson has been a bright spot for Anaheim this season, recording 18 goals and 44 points in 44 games while posting a plus-three rating.

Leo now sits just one point shy of his career high of 45 points from last season, despite playing in 32 fewer games.

The 21-year-old’s injury also raises questions about his availability for Team Sweden at the upcoming Winter Olympics, with his status now uncertain.

Carlsson’s absence is the latest blow for the Ducks, who have dropped nine of their last 10 games after spending much of the season’s first two-and-a-half months atop the Pacific Division.

Anaheim now sits sixth in the Pacific division with a 22-21-3 record