TORONTO -- The Florida Panthers aren't taking any risks with franchise defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
Ekblad, 20, is headed back to Florida and will miss the remainder of the World Cup of Hockey for Team North America.
"While Aaron would have liked to stay with his teammates at the World Cup of Hockey, we respect the decision for him to continue his evaluation and rehabilitation in Florida with the Panthers' team doctors," Team North America said in a statement. "Aaron was a very important part of our defense core here and a key leader on this team. We wish him all the best in his recovery."
Ekblad took a big hit from Finland's Leo Komarov during North America's win on Sunday and sat out Monday's 4-3 loss to Russia. North America is calling it an upper-body injury, but an NHL source said he was following league protocol by sitting out Monday's game with symptoms consistent with a mild concussion.
Ekblad will be re-evaluated by doctors in Florida.
"He's a huge piece of our team," said Team North America captain Connor McDavid. "We miss him a lot, but it will be up to us to kind of march on without him."
Added goaltender Matt Murray: "He's a great player. He seems like a 10-year veteran and he's only 20 years old. Yeah, we'll miss him."
Without Ekblad, the 2014 No. 1 draft pick who's already an NHL franchise defenseman, North America will need to lean more heavily on Morgan Rielly, Colton Parayko, Shayne Gostisbehere in a crucial game Wednesday against Sweden.
"The whole team has to be prepared to play more minutes, and rise to the challenge and take care of each other defensively," Rielly said. "You have to learn on the fly a little bit."
Coach Todd McLellan praised the play of replacement Jacob Trouba but also lamented Ekblad's absence. On a team of 23-and-under Americans and Canadians, youth was a weakness during a rough 10-minute stretch against Russia.
"When you're a group of young players, you're looking for somebody just to take charge and settle it down, maybe get a shift or two under your belt, and we didn't get that quick enough," McLellan said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.