What happened: Carolina announced Tuesday its captain will miss one to two months with a torn calf muscle. Staal sustained the injury before the game in Philadelphia.

Why it matters: Jordan Staal captained Carolina to the Stanley Cup last season and earned playoff MVP honors. His absence removes the Hurricanes' matchup center for the opening stretch of the season.

What to watch: Carolina will reshuffle its top-nine centers until Staal is cleared to return.