Canucks lose Pavol Demitra for up to a month with rib injury

VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Vancouver Canucks could be without forward Pavol Demitra for a month with a rib injury.

Demitra has a fractured cartilage in his eighth rib and will be gone for three to four weeks, Alain Vigneault, coach of the NHL team, said Thursday.

Demitra, signed as a free agent over the summer, had an MRI done Wednesday and will see a specialist Friday.

Centre Rick Rypien is still sidelined with a virus infection while defenceman Sami Salo is listed day-to-day with a pulled groin.