Stecher recalled with three Canucks hurting
The Vancouver Canucks had a day off Monday, but their walking wounded didn’t.
Alex Burrows was spotted at Rogers Arena and couldn’t move his neck after absorbing a heavy sideboards collision with Nick Shore on Saturday in Los Angeles. He didn’t play Sunday and was placed on injured reserve along with Derek Dorsett, which means they will be out a minimum of seven days. Dorsett suffered a second-period shoulder injury against the Kings on a hit from Brayden McNabb.
Chris Tanev had treatment Monday at Rogers Arena and was walking gingerly. He got tangled up with Anze Kopitar on Saturday and went heavily into the end boards on Sunday on a heavy hit from Nick Ritchie in Anaheim. The Canucks have recalled winger Jayson Megna and defenceman Troy Stecher from the Utica Comets, and if Tanev can’t go against the Ottawa Senators, then Stecher could make his regular-season debut.
As for Burrows, there was some thought that concussion protocol should have been in place after he got hit. He didn’t leave the bench, finished the game and was in the shootout.
“The spotters asked if I was all right and I had zero symptoms,” Burrows said Monday. “I knew exactly what happened. I’m just feeling tightness in the neck. It’s pretty frustrating early on because you want to contribute.”
Canucks coach Willie Desjardins sounded like Stecher might play on today.
“Could be. Both (Utica) guys have played well, and for Stecher, he had a good camp and he’s a guy we want to get a look at,” said Desjardins, who cautioned a lineup decision depends on Tanev’s readiness.
“We’ll have to get him checked out. He’s a warrior and one of the most underrated players in the league with what he gives us and how he plays every night.”
Stecher, 22, has an assist and four penalty minutes in his first four American Hockey League games.
A native of Richmond, the diminutive Stecher was signed by Vancouver as a free agent on April 13 after a standout career at North Dakota, where his club captured the national title last spring.
Megna, 26, has appeared in four games with Utica this season and has a goal and two assists. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound forward was signed by Vancouver as a free agent on July 1.