The Vancouver Canucks announced Monday that defenseman Alexander Edler had suffered a fractured index finger on his left hand. Edler was set to undergo surgery on the fractured finger today. The injury occurred in the Canucks 3-2 shootout win against the Colorado Avalanche this past Saturday. Edler was sent to the dressing room early in the first period when he blocked a shot from Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg. After evaluations this weekend, the Canucks confirmed that it was indeed a fractured finger. The timetable for Edler’s return is expected to be approximately four to six weeks.
Defenceman Alex Edler will undergo surgery today for a fractured index finger on his left hand. His expected recovery is 4-6 weeks. pic.twitter.com/xKkt4Kawqo
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 28, 2016
Vancouver Canucks Alexander Edler Out 4-6 Weeks
Now with Edler out, Vancouver is completely without their top defensive pairing. Fellow blue liner Christopher Tanev, who suffered a lower body injury on November 2nd, still has not returned to skating yet.
“Obviously, it changes things,” coach Willie Desjardins said of being without Edler and Tanev.
“It’s a challenge for sure, but guys are going to get an opportunity and they have to use it.””[Edler and Tanev] are our first D pairing and it’s tough when they are out so a lot of D has to step up,” said Philip Larsen. “It’s been a rough couple weeks. I got out of the lineup and wanted to get back in as quick as possible and then when you get sick on top of that it was not the best timing.”
Expect players such as Larsen, as well as Ben Hutton, Troy Stecher, and Luca Sbisa to be asked to step up and play more minutes.
Edler, 30, who has played in 21 games for the Canucks this year. He has scored a goal and added two assists for a total of three points.
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