CHICAGO -- Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg is expected to be out for three weeks with a lower-body injury, coach Joel Quenneville said Wednesday.

Quenneville said he wasn't sure if Versteeg, who suffered the injury during practice Tuesday, would be placed on long-term injured reserve.

"Yeah, kind of frustrating, disappointing for him," Quenneville said. "He was very upset with what happened there. We're disappointed, too, because we really felt that he gives us a lot of versatility and options in our game.

Kris Versteeg, who had 10 goals and 29 points for the Blackhawks last season, is expected to miss three weeks with a lower-body injury. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

"It looks like he found that stride he was looking for. We want to get him back to that pace when he gets back. We'll get excited again when he gets closer to getting back to our lineup. Certainly he's upset, and it's all part of our game."

Versteeg's injury is not related to the season-ending one that required surgery in 2013 while with the Florida Panthers. He returned at the beginning of the following season only to later say he came back too soon.

After strengthening his knee and feeling like his old self this offseason, Versteeg was expected to start on the Blackhawks' third line with Bryan Bickell and Brad Richards.

Ben Smith is expected to replace Versteeg on the Blackhawks' third line.

Versteeg had 10 goals, 19 assists and was a plus-9 in 63 regular-season games for the Blackhawks last season. His role was reduced in the playoffs, during which he had one goal, two assists and was a minus-5 in 15 games.

He was acquired by the Blackhawks from the Panthers in November 2013.