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Canucks’ Tanev (ankle) ‘very, very, very doubtful’ for first game of playoffs

Chris Tanev

Injured Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev (ankle) is “very, very, very doubtful” to be ready for the first game of the playoffs, according to Vancouver assistant coach Rick Bowness (per TSN’s Farhan Lalji).

Tanev, 23, played an average of 17:17 in 38 games this season. If the steady, young blue-liner can’t go, head coach Alain Vigneault will have an interesting decision to make.

The top four is a given: Dan Hamhuis, Alex Edler, Kevin Bieksa, and Jason Garrison.

The bottom pairing could be veterans Keith Ballard and Andrew Alberts, but Vigneault also now has the option to dress 20-year-old rookie Frank Corrado, who’s acquitted himself rather well in two games since being called up on Monday.

Like Tanev, Corrado is a right-handed shot. (Though unlike Tanev, Corrado spent most of the season in the OHL.)

Bieksa is the only other right-shooting defenseman on the roster.

Cam Barker is also available.

Related: Bieksa also has a ‘body injury’