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Canucks: Close call, but Alex Edler should be good to go

By Brayden Ursel

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 17: Alexander Edler #23 of the Vancouver Canucks gets ready for warm-ups prior to his game against the St. Louis Blues in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on August 17, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 17: Alexander Edler #23 of the Vancouver Canucks gets ready for warm-ups prior to his game against the St. Louis Blues in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on August 17, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /
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The Vancouver Canucks longest-serving defender, Alex Edler took a skate to the neck area in the middle of game 5 but should be ready to play for game 6.

It’ something you never want to see,  and something you would never wish on your worst enemy. In a very close call that could have been fatal, Alex Edler of the Vancouver Canucks took a swinging skate blade directly to the neck/throat/ear area. People watching from their couches at home waited in shock as Edler profusely leaked blood all over his jersey and rushed to the bench for help while trying to cover up his wound.

It wasn’t a pretty sight and unfortunately, he never returned to the game. As fans wait to hear the damage on the 14-year Canuck, it should come as good news that Rick Dhaliwal of TSN reported that Edler should be good to go for game six and that the Canucks would be releasing more info on the subject shortly. You can breathe a sigh of relief. Exhale, it’s okay.

Already without the $6 million dollar man Tyler Myers in the lineup, it would have been an absolute heartbreaker to lose the blueline’s other $6 million dollar man. The two defenders munch massive minutes for Vancouver and without the two of them, closing out this series would be seriously challenging. Of course the Canucks were able to fend off the Blues and win without them for a single period of play, but not having them in a full game would be a completely different story.

He’s not the No. 1 guy from the past, but Edler’s presence is monumental for Vancouver’s backend and he stabilizes the second pairing. Not having to have Jordie Benn and Oscar Fantenberg as the team’s fourth and fifth defenders is calming. With any luck, maybe Myers draws back in for game 6 to give the Canucks a 100% healthy blueline.

Next. Canucks: Playoff success and bubble benefits. dark

Edler wouldn’t miss this game unless he absolutely had to. Cage or no cage, he’ll be ready to rock on Friday night and he’ll give it his all in an effort to push this team into the second round. Nobody has believed in this team over the years more than Edler. He wouldn’t want to miss this chance.

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