SUNRISE - Florida Panthers assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu needed roughly 11 stitches after taking an errant puck to the face in the final two minutes of Sunday’s 6-3 preseason victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, but head coach Paul Maurice said Ruutu is otherwise fine.
Ruutu was struck by a deflected puck with 1:35 remaining in the game at Sunrise. Florida’s medical staff attended to him on the bench before he was taken to the locker room. Maurice confirmed the injury after the game, downplaying the severity while noting the obvious hazard.
“It’s going to be fine,” Maurice said. “You know, when that happens, the first thing you think about is the eye. But it wasn’t. He got about 11 stitches.”
Maurice, who kept the mood light, said Ruutu should expect a rough reception from teammates. “He will just get chirped so badly for not being able to get out of the way. But he’s fine. Just going to get heckled pretty good tomorrow,” the coach said.
The incident was the only blemish on an otherwise clean medical night for a Panthers team that led the NHL in games lost to injury last season. Maurice acknowledged the relief, according to Florida Hockey Now. “We got off the ice,” Maurice quipped, “minus an assistant coach.”
Florida’s preseason schedule continues Tuesday at Carolina, followed by a Thursday road game at the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers host Tampa Bay on Saturday, Sept. 26, before opening the 2026-27 regular season Sept. 29 at Carolina at 5 p.m. on ESPN. The home opener at Sunrise is set for Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild at 6 p.m. on Scripps. The team continues training camp practices through Sunday in Fort Lauderdale.