We have a definitive timeline for one of the Vancouver Canucks’ blueliners.
On Friday, general manager Patrik Allvin stated that defenceman Noah Juulsen underwent a successful lower-body procedure and is expected to miss approximately 12 weeks.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today D Noah Juulsen had a successful lower body procedure. He is expected to miss approximately 12 weeks.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 28, 2025
The announcement comes a day after Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali — The Team reported that Juulsen would miss the rest of the 2024-25 season after undergoing hernia surgery.
With the released timeline, there is a slim chance that Juulsen could return, but that would require the Canucks to make it to the Western Conference Final, if not the Stanley Cup Final.
The 27-year-old had been fighting through a nagging ailment for the past couple of months. Juulsen was placed on injured reserve last month, missing over two weeks of action due to an undisclosed injury. Juulsen returned to appear in three contests, last seeing game action on Feb. 2 in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
Juulsen has played in just 35 of the Canucks’ 58 games this season. He didn’t register a point but posted a plus/minus of -12 while averaging 16:17 of ice time. Against the Red Wings, Juulsen played just 11:57.
Due to the early-season exit, this is the third time in the Surrey, B.C. native’s career that he has failed to score a point in the NHL during a season. Granted, he only played 12 games with Vancouver during the 2022-23 season and four with the Florida Panthers in 2020-21.
Juulsen entered this season after having the best season of his NHL career. In a career-high 54 games with the Canucks, he posted a goal and six assists for seven points, playing in two of the team’s games during last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, which saw Vancouver make it to Game 7 of the second round, losing to the rival Edmonton Oilers.
Juulsen will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s in the final season of a two-year contract that he signed with the Canucks in June 2023, with a cap hit of $775,000.
In 157 career NHL games, Juulsen has notched three goals and 14 assists for 17 points.
The Canucks (27-20-11) are fourth in the Pacific, one point ahead of the Calgary Flames for the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, and five points behind the Los Angeles Kings for third in the division.
