As if Wednesday’s demoralizing 7-1 affair with the Nashville Predators wasn’t bad enough, the Vancouver Canucks lost their top defender, Chris Tanev, to injury. Again. This is Tanev’s second trip to the IR this season and, whether you want the Tanman to be the longterm anchor of the blue line or you want to use him as trade bait, another extended injury will be bad news.
But if it weren’t for bad news, the Canucks wouldn’t have much news at all lately. Vancouver has lost four games in a row and will be in tough against a San Jose team that has earned 7 of a possible eight points in its last four.