Jovanovski could miss two months

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER -- The Florida Panthers could be without Ed Jovanovski for two months after the veteran defenceman underwent surgery to fix a broken hand.

Jovanovski injured his hand in a first-period fight against the Boston Bruins on Monday.

Before playing the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said he was "really impressed" with the 35-year-old Jovanovski's play this season. He has two goals and six assists in 43 games.

Jovanovski, in his second stint with the Panthers, was Florida's first-round pick in 1994. He played 3 1/2 seasons before being dealt to Vancouver, and spent five seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Panthers also pulled off a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

Florida sent forwards Evgenii Dadonov and A.J. Jenks to Carolina for forwards Jon Matsumoto and Mattias Lindstrom.

The 22-year-old Dadonov has spent most of this season with the Panthers' AHL affiliate in San Antonio, but has two goals and one assist in 15 games with Florida. The 21-year-old Jenks has split the season between San Antonio and the Panthers' ECHL affiliate in Cincinnati.

Matsumoto, 25, has spent this season with Charlotte of the AHL. He scored both of his career NHL goals in 13 games with the Hurricanes last season. Drafted by Carolina in the third round in 2009, Lindstrom is currently on loan to Skelleftea HC of the Swedish Elite League.