We found out on Saturday night that wrist surgery was going to be a possibility for Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson.
On Sunday, the team made it official.
The Canucks announced that Gudbranson will undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his right wrist.
“Erik suffered ligament damage to his wrist this season that has affected his wrist function,” general manager Jim Benning said in a statement released by the team.
“Continued treatment and rehabilitation have not improved his condition and Erik and our Canucks medical team believe that surgery offers the best long-term outcome and are confident in a full recovery. Erik’s leadership qualities and strong physical presence will be missed but this is a decision that best supports a long, productive and healthy career.”
The Canucks acquired Gudbranson from the Florida Panthers over the summer for Jared McCann.
From a Florida perspective, the trade has been harshly criticized because of how big of a change it was to their defense following a successful season in 2015-16 and that the team was missing the physical element Gudbranson brought to their blue line.
In 30 games this season with the Canucks Gudbranson has one goal and five assists.