Vancouver Canucks Injury Update: Getting Healthy

Despite having six and a half injured players, the Vancouver Canucks injury report looks a lot better than it has so far this season.

First of all, how can the Vancouver Canucks have half an injured player? Well, Daniel Sedin got hit by a flying puck in the first period of last night’s 3-2 loss against the Phoenix Coyotes and lost several teeth along with a gross amount of blood. He left the ice looking like a zombie, returned before the period ended and scored a goal two periods later. You know, just the usual.

According to his brother Henrik, Daniel lost three or four teeth. Life of a hockey player. Daniel shouldn’t miss any more time — hence the “half injured”.

With that out of the way, let’s get to what has really been bothering us lately. The injuries of Ryan Miller, Luca Sbisa, Dan Hamhuis, Brandon Sutter, Brandon Prust and Sven Baertschi.

Sportsnet gave us an update on all of them during the Coyotes game.

Miller’s severe case of the cramps turned out to be a legitimate groin injury. Backup Jacob Markstrom has been filling in well and he will have to continue to do so for another couple of games. It looks like Miller will be back on the ice soon, though.

On defence, fans have started to like Alex Biega and even Andrey Pedan. With Sbisa close to skating again, Pedan will likely go back to the American Hockey League and one of Biega, Matt Bartkowski and Yannik Weber will be a healthy scratch. However, Sbisa has been underperforming prior to his injury and could end up being the odd man out as well.

The one thing we have all been waiting for is the return of Brandon Sutter. One of the club’s best forwards, Sutter would be an immediate upgrade for the top nine — wherever he slots in. Sutter has played as the Sedins’ right wing, but he has also centred the second and third lines.

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With the top line working the way it is, it is unlikely for Sutter to make an appearance there. Then again, Sedin-McCann-Horvat-Cracknell has been a decent centre lineup and head coach Willie Desjardins might have to figure out something else.

Prust and Baertschi have no set timetable for return as they are being evaluated day to day. Both have their spots in the lineup and should return to those when they are healthy.

Speaking of the lineup, with Baertschi, Prust and World Juniors returnee Jake Virtanen back in the lineup, the Canucks will have 16 healthy forwards on their roster. Chances are that Linden Vey and Ronalds Kenins will go back to the Utica Comets, but that would still leave the club with 14 forwards. Vancouver has until January 11th — the date of the WHL trade deadline — to decide if they want to return Virtanen to the WHL Calgary Hitmen. If not, they will have to find another player to demote or roll with three healthy scratches.

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Last but no less important, defenceman Dan Hamhuis can eat solid food again. Must have been a tough time eating soup, yogurt and mashed potatoes every day. Get well soon, Dan!

There are still six players on the Canucks’ injury list, but things are starting to brighten up for the club.