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Nashville’s Hornqvist will miss minimum of four games

Patric Hornqvist, Jaroslav Halak

Jaroslav Halak #41 of the St. Louis Blues makes a save against Patric Hornqvist #27 of the Nashville Predators at the Scottrade Center on January 24, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri. (January 23, 2013 - Source: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America)

Nashville Predators forward Patric Hornqvist suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday and while the details are still scarce, it’s becoming clear that this is a serious problem.

While his teammates are in Phoenix for Monday’s game against the Coyotes, the 26-year-old returned to Nashville for further examination, according to the Tennessean.

“Obviously he’s out for the rest of this trip, and maybe longer,” Predators coach Barry Trotz said.

Nashville still has four games left on its current road trip and they won’t head home until after playing in St. Louis on Feb. 5.

Hornqvist is an offensive leader on a team that doesn’t have that many weapons to begin with. Replacing his presence around the net won’t be easy, but the Predators will likely turn to forward Brandon Yip, who used to serve in a similar role during his stint with the Colorado Avalanche.

“If I’m called upon to fulfill that role I’m going to try my best to get in there and muck it up the way (Hornqvist) does,” Yip said.

Trotz listed Gabriel Bourque, Colin Wilson, Paul Gaustad, and Nick Spaling as other forwards who might be asked to step up now that Hornqvist is out for at least a week.

Nashville has a 1-1-3 record this season and is averaging just two goals a game.