More fallout from Saturday’s spirited game in Toronto -- the Vancouver Canucks announced today that winger Jannik Hansen is out 4-6 weeks with a fractured rib.
Canucks president Trevor Linden told TSN 1040 (audio) that he’s “90 percent” certain Hansen was injured on the hit by Toronto’s Morgan Rielly.
Seconds after getting crushed by Rielly, Hansen instigated a fight with Toronto’s Nazem Kadri, who’d leveled Daniel Sedin as Sedin shot and scored a goal.
“Towards the end of the fight he had to get out of there because he couldn’t go,” Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said of Hansen, per The Province newspaper. “For him to jump up and step in right away was good to see. The one thing you like out of that game was that we stuck together. You like that we cared. If you don’t care, then you don’t have any emotion and you don’t battle.”
Related: Canucks ‘disappointed’ with NHL’s decision to not suspend Kadri
It was originally reported that Hansen had a shoulder injury. The 30-year-old speedster was placed on IR at the beginning of the week. He missed Monday’s 4-2 loss to the Islanders and Tuesday’s 5-3 win over the Rangers, the latter of which snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Canucks.
In a related story, the fact Hansen was unable to play and Jake Virtanen was still a healthy scratch was quite the indictment of the youngster. Hansen and Virtanen both play right wing, yet instead of dressing Virtanen the past two games, Desjardins opted to give extra time to veterans Derek Dorsett, Alex Burrows and Jack Skille.
Yesterday, Virtanen was sent to the AHL for at least two Utica Comets games.
Linden says Virtanen isn't playing more b/c it's about "earning what you get." Will play at least 2 games for Utica before being reassessed
— Matthew Sekeres (@mattsekeres) November 10, 2016
The Canucks finish their six-game road trip tonight in Detroit. They kick off a four-game home stand Sunday against Dallas.