Roussel inching closer to return

Forward Antoine Roussel’s recovery from an offseason concussion is progressing well, according to his NHL team.

The French winger, signed as a free agent during the off-season, took a regular turn Thursday at the Vancouver Canucks’ morning skate in Tampa. Head coach Travis Green indicated Roussel’s return is imminent.

“He’s getting closer, for sure,” Green said.

Roussel stayed on the ice after the rest of his teammates left to do extra work in an effort to get him closer to being game ready.

When Roussel is cleared to play, the Canucks will have to make another roster move by putting a player on waivers, unless another player gets hurt.

For the past few seasons the Canucks have carried two extra healthy defencemen and an extra forward, but Green suggested that might not be the case when the time comes to put a player on waivers; it could be a forward or a defenceman.

“I think anything is possible at this point,” he said. “It’s not going to be an easy decision to make.”

SEDINS NUMBERS TO BE RETIRED NEXT YEAR

Francesco Aquilini revealed Thursday on Sportsnet 650 that the team plans to retire the Sedins’ numbers during the 2019-20 season, when the Canucks mark their 50th season in the NHL.

“We’re probably going to retire the Sedins’ jerseys next year,” Aquilini said.

“Henrik and Daniel are a big part of this community. They’ve given back so much. They ’re iconic players. Iconic players and iconic people. We’re going to do something special for them,” said Aquilini.

The date for the ceremony hasn’t been determined, but he suggested it would be a special celebration, possibly a week in length.

IS UTICA IN FUTURE CARDS?

The Canucks’ lease at Utica’s Memorial Auditorium is up at the end of this AHL season.

The Canucks own the Utica Comets and the American Hockey League team has played there since 2013.

Asked by Sportsnet 650’s Rick Dhaliwal to comment on the team’s future in upstate New York, Aquilini did not make any commitments, but acknowledged the team has an option to extend the lease.

He didn’t expand on the terms of that option, but the Utica Observer-Dispatch’s Ben Birnell reports the Canucks must make a decision by Jan. 1.