EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Mikey Anderson is week-to-week for the Los Angeles Kings because of an upper-body injury.
The first-pair defenseman left during the third period of a 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Anderson, who has 15 points (one goal, 14 assists) in 55 games, is second on the Kings in average ice time per game (21:07). Only his defense partner Drew Doughty plays more (25:57).
Interim coach Jim Hiller said it would take a collective effort to make up for Anderson’s absence.
“He brings so much,” Hiller said. “There’s the leadership, the character. Those are the things that we really value within the team and in the dressing room that you may not see as much.
“On the ice, that carries over. Honest player, shot blocker, does all the little things, that dirty work that sometimes goes unnoticed. We’ll miss him in so many areas.”
Vladislav Gavrikov replaced Anderson on the first pair with Doughty during the morning skate prior to the Kings' game against the Anaheim Ducks at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
Brandt Clarke, the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, skated with Matt Roy on the second pair. Clarke, who is right-handed, worked on the left side.
He has five points (one goal, four assists) in 11 games this season.
Jordan Spence was recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League on Saturday and will play alongside Andreas Englund on the third pair. Spence has 16 assists in 44 games.
Spence and Clarke could also be called on to kill penalties, and Englund is likely to see an expanded role there as well. Anderson averaged 2:32 of short-handed ice time per game, second on Los Angeles.
“Somebody’s going to have to take the minutes, for sure,” Hiller said. “Penalty kill’s been good, we’ve got a good structure. Whoever it is I’m sure will go in and do a good job.”
Hiller said Anderson will not travel with the Kings on their three-game Western Canada road trip, which begins at the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
The loss of Anderson was the second major injury for Los Angeles in as many games. Forward Viktor Arvidsson sustained a lower-body injury in a 5-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday and was placed on long-term injured reserve Saturday.
Hiller expressed optimism that Arvidsson could return before the end of the regular season.
“I mean, he’s week-to-week,” Hiller said. “You never know how things progress. We’ll just see how it goes.”
Arvidsson, who did not make his season debut until Feb. 15 becuase of a back injury that required surgery, has two assists in four games. He was injured 17 seconds into his only shift against the Blue Jackets.
