Canucks have the spectre of LTIR looming over them

Towards the end of September, what was always strongly believed was finally confirmed -- Tucker Poolman will not play for the Vancouver Cancucks in 2024-25. The neurological complications from migraines which caused Poolman to sit out the entire 2023-24 season, will lead to a similar fate during the final year of his deal with the Canucks.

At the same time, the Canucks do not want to place Poolman and his $2.5 million salary on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) for the whole 2024-25 campaign, which was what they did last season. Instead, general manager Patrik Allvin wants to hold off on using LTIR for as long as possible.

In an ideal world Allvin would prefer not to use LTIR at all in 2024-25, but appreciates this is extemely unlikely. So instead he wants the Canucks to wait until around the trade deadline, to help them accrue some invaluable cap space in the meantime.

Lingering injury issues could ruin LTIR plan

However, a couple of injuries suffered during preseason, could now potentially put Allvin's plan at risk. The injuries in question are to Akito Hirose and Pius Suter, with a concussion and unsubstantiated upper-body injury respectively.

Now it should be stressed, that both players are making progress in their recovery. However, as per Patrick Johnston of The Province, the Canucks are in a race against time to have both players back and to avoid starting the regular season using LTIR.

Beginning with Hirose, he has been in return-to-play protocol since suffering a concussion last Saturday versus the Calgary Flames. As per Johnston though, he did finally return to the ice during Friday's morning skate, which is of course a positive step.

Not that Hirose is out of the woods yet, with him still needing to continue feeling no symptoms both before and after taking contact. However, the signs are good that he will be cleared to play and able to be assigned to Abbotsford, prior to Monday’s opening night roster deadline for the NHL regular season.

Suter's path to return even less clear

However, even if this is how things do proceed with Hirose, the Canucks are not out of the woods yet. There is still the issue of Suter, who has yet to return to the ice following his scuffle with Corey Perry during Monday night's preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers.

At the time the incident seemed like much ado about nothing, with Suter not prepared to have a proper fight with Perry. As such, it was somewhat of a surprise when Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet subsequently admitted the forward was being evaluated for a potential injury.

For what it's worth, as per Johnston, Tocchet did say Suter skated on his own on Friday. Further, if he is not able to play in Wednesday's home opener versus the Flames, the Canucks can go with 11 forwards and seven blue liners; obviously not ideal, but still feasible.

However, this is of course only a short-term solution to avoid using LTIR so early on in the 2024-25 season. Where the absence of Suter could become on issue, is when the Canucks prepare for their first road trip of the campaign.

Following two games at home to begin the regular season, the Canucks would then go on a four-game road trip. It would stat on Oct. 15 in Tampa Bay and conclude in Chicago on Oct. 22.

Four games on the road, is not a situation where the Canucks can afford to have one less skater for each contest. As such, if Suter is still not available come the beginning of the road trip, then Allvin's best-laid plans to avoid using LTIR until closer to the trade deadline will go up in smoke not even a week into the regular season. (And again, this is assuming Hirose is already back and assigned to Abbotsford.)

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