It’s gone from three to two young Vancouver forwards hoping to grab a roster spot with the Canucks, as Hunter Shinkaruk has been assigned to AHL Utica.
That leaves Bo Horvat and Nicklas Jensen still with the big club. The former was injured last night in Edmonton (seriousness of the injury still not known), while the latter picked up a nice assist on Alex Edler’s game-winner.
While Shinkaruk showed well in the preseason, scoring two goals in four games, the 19-year-old has never played a regular-season game in the AHL or NHL and is not all that far removed from undergoing hip surgery.
Jensen didn’t want to say last night that Horvat’s injury may provide him an opportunity to start the season in the NHL, but clearly it may. The 21-year-old winger has two goals and two assists in five preseason games.
Update:
Injury updates: Horvat’s shoulder injury not as serious as Desjardins thought (no breaks), Corrado progressing but still a few days out.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 3, 2014