COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -Blue Jackets center Sergei Fedorov will be out four to six weeks after injuring his left shoulder during an exhibition game.

Columbus opens Oct. 6 at home against Vancouver, and the team hopes the 36-year-old veteran will be back early in the season.

"Sergei has worked extremely hard to get ready for the season so we're obviously disappointed for him," general manager and president Doug MacLean said.

Fedorov, who spent most of his 16-year NHL career with Detroit, was hurt in the second period of a 4-1 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night.

He was skating toward the right side of the net when Sabres rookie Jiri Novotny came from behind and kicked out the Russian's left leg. Fedorov was upended and slid into the boards. Blue Jackets coach Gerard Gallant called it a clean play.

The Blue Jackets got off to a slow start last season because of injuries to key players, but MacLean says the team has more depth now.

"You don't replace a player like Sergei, but we feel we are in a better position to deal with something like this than we have been in the past," he said.

Fedorov was acquired in a trade with Anaheim on Nov. 15. He had 12 goals and 32 assists in 67 games with Columbus while nursing several injuries. For his career, he ranks 12th among active players in points with 1,063.