UND Fighting Sioux forward Rocco Grimaldi’s World Junior Championship hopes have been dashed after the five-foot-six, 165-pound forward will miss at least the next six weeks battling a knee injury.

Grimaldi, who has struggled with the injury throughout the start of the season, is expected to miss the World Junior Championship as a result.

“That’s life,” he told the Grand Forks Herald. “I’m just staying positive. There are a lot of things other than hockey to do with my life.”

If the injury doesn’t improve in the next two months, the Florida Panthers prospect will undergo season-ending surgery. He is unable to skate during that time.

“The (doctor) said we could go in and fix it now,” Grimaldi said. “But I would rather not do the surgery. The (six to eight weeks) could be a waste of time, but it at least gives me a chance to play this year. I believe it will.”

Grimaldi originally suffered the injury before the start of the season after taking a puck in the kneecap.