Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen is considered week-to-week after suffering burn injuries during what coach Paul Maurice described as a barbecue accident.
The Panthers divulged Luostarinen’s barbecue-related mishap on Wednesday. Maurice said the burns were not serious enough to require an overnight stay in the hospital, and that Luostarinen’s return would largely be determined by when he could wear hockey equipment again without suffering discomfort.
More on Luostarinen's burns:
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) November 19, 2025
Maurice said he didn't need to stay overnight at the hospital or anything, so that's good. A lot of his return will depend on how he feels when he puts his gear on
Needless to say, an injury like this is highly unusual, but not unprecedented. Two years ago, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku suffered burns to his face while lighting a backyard fire pit, but he was able to play in the team’s game two days after the incident.
The NHL has had a very unusual week in terms of strange off-ice injuries. New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes recently hurt his hand by cutting it on glass during a team dinner, and is expected to be out until January.
Luostarinen, 27, has been part of both of Florida’s Stanley Cup-winning teams over the last two seasons. He had three goals and seven assists so far this season in 18 games.
