RALEIGH, N.C. - Caroline Hurricanes defenceman Joni Pitkanen will miss the entire NHL season as he continues to recover from a broken left heel.
Pitkanen suffered the injury in April when he went hard into the boards trying to beat an icing call in a game against the Washington Capitals.
This season would have been the 29-year-old Finn's sixth with the Hurricanes and 10th in the NHL.
In 535 career games with Philadelphia, Edmonton and Carolina he has 57 goals and 225 assists.