Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers appears to have avoided a serious injury after an awkward collision with Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee during his first shift in last night’s 3-2 shootout loss. Myers went down and stayed on the ice, favouring his knee, which caused concern among fans and media.
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After practice today, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet provided an update on Myers’ injury.
“Day-to-day,” Tocchet said. “I think we dodged a bullet. It looked worse [than it was]. He was hurting, but after talking to him today and after the game, I think we might’ve dodged a bullet. We’ll see what happens. He’ll be on the road.”
Myers joining the team for their upcoming four-game road trip would be encouraging, especially since many feared after reviewing the injury footage that he could be out long-term. His knee appeared to hyperextend, similar to Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine’s recent knee sprain, which is expected to sideline Laine for three months. Given that, the news of a day-to-day status is a great sign.
The Canucks’ blue line has been a question mark throughout training camp and preseason, and after two regular-season games, it seems there are still more questions than answers. Had Myers faced a long-term absence, the situation on defence would have been even more concerning. Offseason acquisition Vincent Desharnais was a healthy scratch after just one regular-season game. If Myers does miss time, Mark Friedman and or Erik Brannstrom, who was acquired in the Tucker Poolman trade with the Colorado Avalanche, are expected to be the top options for call-ups.
The 34-year-old Houston, Texas native signed a three-year, $9 million extension this offseason after one of his best seasons on the blue line for the Canucks. Now in his 16th NHL season, Myers has steadily improved his game compared to 3-4 years ago when he first joined Vancouver in 2019. Working with Adam Foote and Sergei Gonchar over the last couple of seasons, the 6’8″ defender has leaned into his strengths and has become the best version of himself we’ve seen with Vancouver.