Niklas Kronwall of the Detroit Red Wings left Tuesday night's game with a knee injury and is awaiting word on an MRI exam.
Kronwall, who has been paired with Nicklas Lidstrom on the Detroit blueline, injured his left knee in the first period of Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Avalanche in Denver.
"He has some ACL and MCL damage," general manager Ken Holland said Wednesday before the Red Wings hosted Columbus. "He's going to be examined Friday, and we'll know more about his status after we get some more opinions."
The Red Wings will be hard-pressed to find a replacement in the new salary cap era.
"We have to roll with what we have because of the CBA," Holland said. "We're certainly not going to be able to make a move to replace Niklas Kronwall."
Last week, Detroit coach Mike Babcock said he was not surprised that Kronwall had been playing so well during the preseason.
"Last year at the world championships, he was a high-end player," Babcock said last week. "He buried some guys at the world championships because he's a really strong kid, who is also a good skater."
The Red Wings selected Kronwall 29th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Last season, he was named MVP of the American Hockey League after scoring 13 goals and 53 points in 73 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
In 2003-04, Kronwall played in 20 games with the Red Wings, scoring one goal and adding four assists.