CANUCKS ROOKIE BOESER WILL MISS EXTENSIVE TIME

» VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA Canucks forward Brock Boeser will probably miss the rest of the NHL season after the team said he will be out four to six weeks with a back injury.

The star rookie left Rogers Arena on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital after a collision in the Canucks’ 4-3 overtime win over the Islanders on Monday.

Boeser fell into an open gate at the players’ bench after trying to make a hit on Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck.

The Canucks said Tuesday that he was diagnosed with a soft-tissue injury and a nonstructural, nondisplaced fracture of a transverse process in his lower back.

Bruins’ McAvoy injured.

BOSTON» The Bruins said rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy is out for at least a month with a sprained left MCL.

General manager Don Sweeney said McAvoy will be evaluated in four weeks. He suffered the injury on Saturday in the opening shift of Boston’s 2-1 overtime win over Montreal.

Smith: “Step in right direction.”

N.Y.» Flames goalie BUFFALO,

Mike Smith is encouraged but said it’s premature to determine when he’ll be cleared to play after practicing with the team for the first time in nearly a month since sustaining a lower body injury.

Smith called practicing “a step in the right direction,” while adding he wants to see how his body reacts. As for providing a timetable for his return, Smith said: “Your guess is as good as mine.”

NHL to open in Sweden.

YORK» Taylor Hall and the NEW Devils will face Connor McDavid and the Oilers to open the regular season in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Oct. 6 as part of the NHL’s Global Series.

In the second year of regular games in Europe, the Panthers and Jets also will play Nov. 1 and 2 in Helsinki. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced the games and two exhibitions.

Cheechoo retires.

Jonathan Cheechoo retired from hockey after playing seven NHL seasons and finishing with four years in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.