After sitting out Tuesday’s loss to St. Louis with a lower-body injury, Kevin Bieksa is being flown back to Vancouver for examination, rather than stick with the Canucks as they take on the Stars in Dallas tonight.
On that note, Alain Vigneault wants to make one thing clear -- the issue isn’t with Bieksa’s groin.
“Day-to-day,” was how the Canucks head coach classified the injury, before swearing “on my daughters” that it’s not a groin problem.
Okay then!
To be fair to Vigneault, Bieksa does have a history of groin issues. The 31-year-old defenseman has been hampered with the ailment, missing seven games in March.
Bieksa also isn’t the only Vancouver defenseman on the limp right now.
Vigneault said Chris Tanev (ankle) won’t be ready for the start of the playoffs, further hampering a unit that was forced to rely on Cam Barker (17:50 TOI) and Andrew Alberts (14:19) in Tuesday’s loss to St. Louis.
In a related move, the Canucks recalled blueliner Derek Joslin from AHL Worcester on Wednesday.