The Canuck’s D-man is likely out at least 3 months with the injury.
The team announced the injury as a “training” injury, but reports from his naitive Finland say that he was injured while playing floor hockey.
Salo had nine goals and 28 points in 68 games last season and has been a key part of the power play and penalty kill in his seven years in Vancouver. But he is also a frequent visitor to the injured list, missing an average of 19 games the past five seasons with an eye injury, sprained right MCL, and groin and leg injuries.
Salo has 81 goals and 273 points in 665 NHL games but has never played a full 82-game schedule during an 11-season career that started with four years in Ottawa.
The injury affects Vancouver’s defensive plans for the season as they were trying to trade one of their higher paid defensmen. The Canucks currently have 9 d-men on their roster, 7 is the most any team ever dresses and that’s if one of the players is injured and might not be able to play the entire game. By trading one of their D-men the Canucks would get back underneath the league’s salary cap which they are currently over by more than $1 million.
