To start off the 2012-2013 season Canucks centre Ryan Kesler was on the shelf with a left-wrist, and shoulder injury. Now he finds his way back on the injured reserve.
The Canucks centre will now be out another 4-6 weeks with a fractured right foot. In the 7 games played this season, Kesler has 7 points, and has been trying to return to his normal self. The loss of Kesler has the Canucks thin up front at the centre position, and Coach Alain Vigneault now has some important line changes that he must make in order to continue to make a push for a top seed in the ever competitive Western Conference.
In the wake of Kesler’s injury, the Canucks have called up Andrew Ebbett from their AHL minor league team. With Kesler now picking up his 3rd major injury in the past year, should the Canucks be worried about Kesler’s long-term health? I am not going to go as far and say that they should place him on the IR for the rest of the season, but the Canucks management must be a bit worried about their star centre getting injured as frequently as he has been as of late. Kesler must take a very cautious and safe approach when he decides he is ready to return back onto the ice. He knows how valuable he is to the club, and he will be counted on greatly down the stretch. Kesler, and the rest of the organization should take comfort in the fact that prior to Kesler’s return to the ice this season, the Canucks were actually playing very well without the centre’s services.
