This post does not represent good news for the Vancouver Canucks. Already there had been word that Micheal Ferland was done for the season; then, this week, it was announced that Josh Leivo is gone as well. Now, and let’s not yet call this three strikes and you’re out; however, it looks as if Brock Boeser might be gone for the season as well.
In this post, I want to keep Canucks fans up-to-date on the long-term injuries that are happening for this team. It isn’t as if other teams don’t have injuries as well, but this year had been shaping up towards a playoff run and the injuries that have occurred have put that run in jeopardy.
Already, general manager Jim Benning has traded for sniper Tyler Toffoli from the Los Angeles Kings as a rental – well, perhaps. There’s no word if they can sign him or not for next season; so, for right now, he’s taking the place of Brock Boeser. That would be a good haul for the team if Toffoli might be re-upped.
Related: Should the Vancouver Canucks Be Interested in Wayne Simmonds?
Injury One: Micheal Ferland Is Done for the Season
Micheal Ferland was supposed to be the wrecking ball the team needed to add that physical edge to the team as well as to ride shotgun for the young Swedish phenom Elias Pettersson. He might still be, but it won’t be this season. Ferland’s been dealing with recurring concussion-like symptoms and will miss the remainder of the season. The Canucks suffer on the ice because he has been missing.
It’s not like Ferland didn’t keep trying. He moved to the AHL’s Utica Comets after sitting out for much of the season for a conditioning stint, but he simply couldn’t play. He suffered a serious setback in his healing process and had to leave Friday’s conditioning game with the Comets. The 27-year-old hasn’t played in the NHL since Dec. 10 and will finish the season with five points in 14 games.
Ferland’s been out since Dec. 10 and now the word is that he’ll be forced to take a longer time for his recovery.
Injury Two: Josh Leivo Is also Done for the Regular Season
Josh Leivo, who suffered a kneecap injury, won’t return for the regular season. However, he could return should the Canucks make the playoffs. Had Leivo been closer to returning, the team might not have traded for Toffoli. Leivo had scored five goals and three helpers in the 11 games prior to his injury. Now that he’s on a prolonged absence, help was needed.
The situation had grown so bad that even Loui Eriksson has been getting significant time on the ice, and no one would have thought that would have been the case this season after he’d been so critical of head coach Travis Green during the summer when he was playing international hockey for Sweden.
Injury Three: Brock Boeser Now Might Be Out for the Season, Too
Brock Boeser’s rib injury, according to general manager Jim Benning, could mean he will miss the rest of the season. Boeser’s injury will be re-evaluated in three weeks, but the initial word is that he’ll likely miss at least two months with the rib injury he suffered on Feb. 8 against the Flames. Right now, it looks as if the only way Boeser might play is if the Canucks make a deep run in the playoffs.
That news isn’t good for Canucks fans. Boeser, who’s 22-years-old, has had a productive season and has scored 16 goals and 45 points in his 56 games. The recently-acquired Toffoli will replace Boeser in the Canucks’ top six for the remainder of the regular season.
Related: Why Isn’t the NHL Protecting Its Young Players? The Case of the Canucks’ Elias Pettersson
Where Does this Leave the Canucks?
All these injuries leave the Canucks with some holes to be filled for the playoff run; and, if the team even makes the playoffs, the playoffs themselves. As I noted, Vancouver isn’t the only team that’s suffering from injuries; however, after what had looked like it would be a special season, things are now a bit in limbo.
