VANCOUVER -- Carson Soucy is out week to week for the Vancouver Canucks because of a left leg injury.
The 29-year-old defenseman sustained the injury during the second period of a 3-1 preseason win against the Calgary Flames on Friday when his leg was fallen on by Yegor Sharangovich during a battle along the boards.
“I don't think it's too long, but we'd have to say week to week right now,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said, adding he didn’t think Soucy would be placed on injured reserve.
Soucy, who is entering the first season of a three-year, $9.75 million contract ($3.25 million average annual value) he signed as a free agent on July 1, had 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) and a plus-18 rating in 78 games with the Seattle Kraken last season. He was brought in with aim of helping to improve the penalty kill, which was the worst in the NHL last season (71.6 percent).
Soucy’s injury comes after defenseman Guillaume Brisebois sustained an undisclosed injury late in a 2-1 loss to the Kraken on Wednesday. As a result, the Canucks called up on Sunday Akito Hirose, who had three assists in seven games last season after signing as an undrafted free agent on March 29, and Tocchet indicated that he could play in Vancouver’s season opener against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNP).
“Hirose playing for us last year helps. He's comfortable,” Tocchet said. “I don't think we're afraid if we had to play him Wednesday night. We can throw him in there. He's a very intelligent guy and he's been on that stage before.
“That's why I talk about a committee. We have some people that have to step into that right now. We're playing Edmonton back-to-back (also on Saturday), so you need some guys that can break the puck out. You need puck possession against Edmonton. You can't keep throwing the puck back to them. If you just keep giving the puck back to Edmonton, you're in trouble.”
Canucks center Teddy Blueger left practice early on Sunday after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Flames on Friday, but Tocchet expects him to play in the opener.
“It's kind of a bruise and he wanted to gut it through. I kicked him off,” Tocchet said. “He gets today off and tomorrow off, but he'll be ready to go on Wednesday.”
Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev was also cleared to take contact in practice on Sunday, a big step forward in his recovery from ACL surgery he had in January.
“It seems faster because now my knee is good,” Mikheyev said of his speed. "It's amazing when you feel like your leg and your knee work, like almost 100 percent.”
