The injury bug is hitting the Vancouver Canucks a little ahead of schedule this year, as Chris Higgins will find himself out of the lineup for at least the first few weeks of the season.

While it was reported earlier in the day that the 32-year-old winger was walking around wearing a boot on his right foot, little was known about his exact status. However, the Canucks have confirmed that the situation is a little more dire than originally expected.

The wording of this is particularly telling, stating that Higgins will be re-evaluated at that time, rather than expected to return at that point. This puts October 13th as the minimum time of clearance, meaning he’ll miss at least the first three games of the year, if not more.

Higgins suffered the injury yesterday night, while attempting to block a shot late in the third period.