Carter out long term, absence 'to be measured on a month-to-month basis'

Jeff Carter is out indefinitely after suffering a cut to his leg that required surgery, but a high-ranking member of the Los Angeles Kings got a little more specific about the star forward's timetable Monday.

Kings assistant general manager Mike Futa told Sportsnet 590 The FAN that Carter's recovery is going to be a lengthy one.

"It's not a minor injury. It was a freak (injury) and he was wearing everything you need to be wearing (to protect yourself) ... but (the protective socks are) cut-resistant, not cut-proof," Futa said on "HockeyCentral at Noon."

"It's unfortunate," the executive added. "It's going to be a long-term injury. It's not ... a four-to-six weeker. It's going to be measured more on a month-to-month basis."

Futa then took it one step further and implied Carter may not be back until February.

"He's in such great shape that he's going to come back stronger than ever, and I think he'll probably be back around ... more like a trade-deadline acquisition kind of thing, getting a guy back at that time, but what can you do?"

Futa added that he doesn't think it makes sense for the Kings and GM Rob Blake to trade picks for a rental player to fill the void in the short term.

Carter had surgery performed last week on his left leg after being cut by Jeff Petry's skate on a bodycheck early in Wednesday's win over the Montreal Canadiens.

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