Staal won't need surgery on injured knee

Eric Staal sprained his MCL at the world championships but will probably not miss any NHL games.

Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The Carolina Hurricanes say they expect captain Eric Staal to be ready to start next season after suffering a scary-looking knee injury during an international tournament.

The team said Staal underwent an MRI on his right knee Saturday and it revealed a third-degree sprain of his medial collateral ligament.

The team says Staal won't need surgery and he should need only three months of rehab.

Staal's injury Thursday during the world hockey quarterfinals in Stockholm certainly could have been a lot worse.

The captain of Canada's team collapsed to the ice in obvious pain following a knee-to-knee collision with Sweden's Alex Edler.

The durable Staal, 28, has missed only 14 games during nine NHL seasons. He led the Hurricanes with 35 assists and 53 points.