As the Vancouver Canucks prepare for their first home game of the new calendar year it appears the team was unable to shake the injury bug that followed them throughout 2009.
The Canucks announced Monday that defenceman Kevin Bieksa will be out of the line up for the next two to three months. The Canucks placed Bieksa on Injured Reserve after he suffered severed tendons in his left leg in the Canucks December 29 game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Bieksa threw a heavy check along the boards on Coyotes' forward Petr Prucha. Prucha's skate came up and tore into Bieksa's left leg just above the ankle. Bieksa's left foot will be in a cast for six weeks and then will begin the process of rehabbing his leg.
This is the second time in Bieksa's career that he will be sidelined after being cut by an opponents skate blade. Two seasons ago Bieksa missed 47 games after his calf was cut open by former Nashville Predator Vern Fiddler in a freak skate incident.
The Canucks also placed checking centre Ryan Johnson on Injured Reserve after he suffered a fracture in his foot. Johnson has missed the past five games, having last played December 22 against the Nashville Predators. Johnson and the Canucks are hopeful that if the swelling subsides he can start skating again in 10 days.
Pavol Demitra is another step closer to returning to the Canucks line up. Demitra who has not played a game this season after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery is still two weeks away from playing. The Slovak native is hoping to play in at least 10 NHL games before the Olympics. The 35-year-old forward was named to Slovakia's 23-man Olympic roster last week.
Forward Rick Rypien did not participate in the team's practice on Monday. He is expected to practice and play Tuesday when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit GM Place.
With files from TSN's Farhan Lalji
