Boeser to miss start of Canucks season after undergoing hand surgery

Brock Boeser’s injury is worse than first indicated.

The 25-year-old Vancouver Canucks winger underwent successful hand surgery, the team announced. Boeser is expected to miss the next three to four weeks.

Given that opening night in Edmonton on October 12 is just 16 days away, that timeline suggests he’ll be missing the start of the regular season.

Vancouver Canucks F Brock Boeser underwent successful hand surgery. He will return in 3-4 weeks. Boeser hurt himself at practice on day three of Canucks Training Camp in Whistler, Saturday, September 24th.

— Canucks PR (@CanucksPR) September 26, 2022

Boeser hurt himself during training camp in Whistler on Saturday, the team says.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin downplayed the injury initially, telling the media two days ago that Boeser was held off the ice simply for “precautionary” reasons and that he expected his star winger back in the lineup soon. Bruce Boudreau described the injury as “day-to-day” on Sunday night.

It’s bad news for Boeser, who appeared to be as motivated as ever and predicted that he would score 30 goals this season.

The Canucks could be missing two wingers, as Ilya Mikeheyev left Sunday’s preseason game at Rogers Arena with an injury. That should present an opportunity for Nils Höglander, who impressed the coach in Whistler despite beginning training camp on what looked like an AHL line.

More to come…