RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, tonight announced that center Jordan Staal suffered a broken bone in the lower portion of his right leg during the team’s preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Staal, 26, was injured during the third period when he got tangled up with Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges in the third period of Carolina’s 2-0 exhibition loss. Staal will return to Raleigh with the team on Wednesday and will be evaluated by team doctors on Thursday. A timetable for his recovery has yet to be determined.