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Pittsburgh Penguins centre Evgeni Malkin was played on injured reserve retroactive to last Friday, the team announced Monday.
Head coach Dan Bylsma revealed Sunday after his team's 5-3 win over Tampa Bay that Malkin was diagnosed with a concussion.
Bylsma also said Malkin suffered short-term memory loss, and will miss at least the next three contests.
"[Malkin has] had no other symptoms," Bylsma told the Penguins' official website. "He's feeling fine and his memory is returning. As we go forward in the next few days, standard protocol will be followed.”
The reigning NHL MVP was forced out of the Penguins' 3-1 win over the Panthers Friday night after being driven into the back boards on a hit by Panthers defender Erik Gudbranson at 15:09 of the third period.
Malkin came streaking along the wing, and after contact by Gudbranson, crashed with full speed into the boards, landing back first in an awkward position.
He was left lying on the ice, then rose to his knees looking dazed after being attended to by Pittsburgh's trainer, but skated off on his own power.
"I just asked him how he's doing," Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who has suffered through his share of concussions in recent years, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I'd probably give him a headache if I started trying to explain all the stuff I went through.
"I think that as a teammate, as a friend, I just ask him how he's feeling. It's too early for telling him my life story. I think it's just more or less being there for him. We'll see. From what I heard, he's feeling better [Sunday], so that's good."
He is expected to sit out upcoming road games against Florida, Carolina and Montreal. The 26-year-old has four goals and 17 assists in 18 games this season.
