Canucks shut down Ilya Mikheyev due to knee injury
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Ilya Mikheyev’s season is over.
The Vancouver Canucks winger is scheduled for surgery next week to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the team announced after Friday’s 5-2 win at Rogers Arena against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Mikheyev scored in his last game of the season.
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin confirmed that Mikheyev first suffered the injury in a preseason game on Sept. 25 against the Calgary Flames.
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Mikheyev was initially sidelined and initial fears were that it would be a serious injury that would keep him out for some time, but Mikheyev decided he wanted to continue playing and with the help of the Canucks’ medical staff he was feeling well enough recover to play 45 games this season.
Mikheyev said after the game that his knee was taped and he would wear a brace to play. It wasn’t a painful injury, just a challenge to functionality, he added.
“Yes, that is a real challenge. A challenge for me but we are working hard with medical staff trying to find a way for me to play, I can play much better with this knee. And now the time has come,” Mikheyev said after the game with tears in his eyes.
Mikheyev’s agent Dan Milstein said that between taping his knee and certain warm-up exercises, it would take 45 minutes to an hour for Mikheyev to prepare for each session on the ice, Milstein added.
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“He was such a warrior, you have no idea. The character is through the roof,” he said.
“You’ve only seen 50 or 60 percent of what you’re going to see in the future.”
Tyler Myers and his teammates were thrilled their teammate had scored on Friday, although it was also bittersweet knowing it was the winger’s last game of the season.
“He jumped straight into the group and has been a key figure for us on and off the ice. When you hear such news, it doesn’t feel good for the whole group. You feel for him, but I’m happy that he’ll be able to get ready and feel good next season,” Myers said after the game.
Switching off Mikheyev, who signed a four-year deal last summer for surgery, was a day Allvin knew would come sooner rather than later.
“I think that shows a lot about Ilya’s character and his desire to play here for the Vancouver Canucks,” he said of Mikheyev’s desire to keep fighting.
Mikheyev is scheduled to have surgery in the US next week
There is now an eight-month recovery period following the operation, which Allvin and Milstein say is just what Mikheyev needs to make a full recovery in time for September’s training camp.
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