The second period of the Vancouver Canucks pre-season game against the Calgary Flames is at an end, and Sven Baertschi didn’t play a second of it. In fact, Baertschi never even came out of the locker room after the first intermission.

There’s been no word on what exactly happened to Baertschi to keep him from game action from the Canucks, and they’ve yet to comment on his status for the remainder of the game. One theory put forward by The Province’s Ben Kuzma is that Baertschi was hurt on a collision with Flames defenceman Dougie Hamilton in the first period.

Baertschi last skated at the very end of the first period. In tonight’s game, the Canucks’ winger played 4:59 and was minus-one in on-ice shot attempt differential.

The Canucks, who are already down Bo Horvat, could be facing a scenario where two-thirds of their second line from last season are on the shelf to finish the pre-season. Obviously, you never want to see anyone get hurt, but this could open the door for an early season audition for some of the Canucks youngsters on the bubble.

Then again, this could just as easily be a precautionary move by the Canucks, and we’ll see Baertschi as soon as Saturday’s game. Let’s hope for that.

Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy is reporting that it’s not an injury that’s keeping Baertschi from the Canucks lineup, but an illness. That’s welcome news for everyone involved, I am sure.