The Vancouver Canucks could get a big boost to their lineup soon, as both Teddy Blueger and Filip Chytil are expected to return sooner rather than later.
While things still look bleak for the Vancouver Canucks, it appears that they’ll be getting a boost as they head into the second game of their current eight-game homestand. Only a few days after shedding their non-contact jerseys, Teddy Blueger and Filip Chytil took part in Vancouver’s practice today, with the former part of the team’s expected line combinations for Monday.
Blueger and Chytil have both been out of the lineup since October 19, though the former also missed the start of the season due to injury as well. During practice today, Blueger skated alongside forwards Liam Öhgren and Conor Garland, indicating that he could return to the lineup as soon as tomorrow’s matchap against the New York Islanders.
“I think we had a couple of setbacks throughout the process,” Blueger told the media after Sunday’s practice. “It was a difficult rehab, wasn’t as straightforward as I think we expected and would have liked. So it definitely took quite a bit more time than I ever thought it would. It’s been tough, for sure.”
"Probably an outside chance tomorrow for Teddy," Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said of when Blueger is expected back. He also noted that Chytil should be expected back "hopefully soon," but did not commit to when.
While Blueger practiced as part of a line expected to play tomorrow, Chytil skated with the players who are expected to be out of the lineup. He skated with Aatu Räty and Arshdeep Bains as one of Vancouver’s extras at practice today, which could signal that he won’t be returning as quickly as Blueger. With that being said, Chytil and Foote were both optimistic about the center’s timeline for return.
“It's been a long two months and a lot of hard work behind me,” Chytil explained on Sunday. “Just now I need some more practices with my teammates, and whenever I’ll be ready, I’m going to be back, and I can’t wait for that day.”
Jan 21, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) during a stop in play against the Buffalo Sabres in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesFoote also provided an update on the statuses of Thatcher Demko and Kiefer Sherwood, noting that they will both need further evaluations before the team can commit to a timeline for return. The Head Coach noted that they should have a better idea of when the two players will return by "the end of the week or early next week."
One other thing to keep an eye on from today’s practice is that Filip Hronek did not participate, with Pierre-Oliver Joseph skating in his place alongside Marcus Pettersson instead. As per Foote, today was a maintenance day for Hronek and the defenceman will be good to play tomorrow.
Vancouver will take on the New York Islanders tomorrow in their second game of an eight-game homestand. With their 6–0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers last night, the Canucks are one loss away from setting a new franchise record for the longest losing streak. Puck drop for tomorrow’s game is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News