Canucks: Patrik Allvin offers injury updates on Teddy Blueger and PO Joseph

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin met with the media on Tuesday as his club practiced on the ice at Rogers Arena. As expected, the Canucks’ GM offered injury updates on forward Teddy Blueger and defenceman PO Joseph.

Blueger was hurt during the Canucks’ final preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night. The Canucks went on to win that game by a final score of 3-2, with Conor Garland scoring the overtime winner to cap off a two-goal performance from Jonathan Lekkerimäki. As we found out yesterday, Lekkerimäki made the Canucks’ opening night roster, and in today’s line rushes, he skated on the third line alongside Evander Kane and Braeden Cootes.

Blueger’s injury opens the door for Aatu Räty to get regular reps as the club’s fourth line centre to open the season. Prior to the game against Edmonton, Räty was skating most often as a winger or as an extra during the Canucks’ line rushes late in the preseason. The Canucks will now be relying on him to play a key role for them not only at 5v5, but also on the penalty kill, where Blueger has been most effective during his time with the Canucks.

As we wrote earlier today, the Canucks have recalled defenceman Victor Mancini from the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks after cutting him from their opening night roster over the weekend. The Canucks later announced that Pierre-Olivier Joseph had been placed on injured reserve (retroactive to September 30th) in a corresponding move. Allvin clarified that this was because Joseph had been ruled out for Thursday’s home opener. Joseph’s last preseason game came on September 28th, when the Canucks lost 4-3 to the Oilers.

Joseph came to Vancouver after signing a one-year contract back on July 2nd. The deal carries a league-minimum salary of $775,000. He earned a spot on the team’s opening night roster, and will likely fill the role of the team’s 7th defenceman on the depth chart.