VANCOUVER — Ilya Mikheyev is out for the remainder of the season for the Vancouver Canucks and will have ACL surgery.
The announcement came after a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Arena on Friday. The 28-year-old forward scored in the first period.
“Tough moment,” Mikheyev said after pausing to collect himself.
Mikheyev said he sustained a partial tear of his ACL in his first preseason game with the Canucks against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 25. He left that game after getting hit into the boards at 4:17 of the second period and was originally declared week to week with a lower-body injury. He missed the first three games of the regular season before returning Oct. 18 at Columbus.
“It needed surgery,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “You’re basically playing on one knee here, and it speaks highly about his pain tolerance and what he’s willing to do.”
Mikheyev wore a brace to continue playing and had 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 46 games. He said he hopes to be ready for the start of next season.
“It was a real challenge, but we worked with it [the] medical staff and [tried to] find some way [so] I can play much better like with this knee, [but] now it’s time [to have surgery]Mikheyev said.
Video: CBJ@VAN: Mikheyev increases Canucks’ lead in 1st
Mikheyev was playing his first season with Vancouver after agreeing to a four-year contract on July 13, 2022. He had 32 points (21 goals, 11 assists) in 53 regular-season games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, and four points ( two goals, two assists) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games. Mikheyev has 100 points (49 goals, 51 assists) in 192 games with the Canucks and Maple Leafs.
He admitted the injury robbed him of the speed that is key to his game.
“It’s not about pain. It’s more like power,” Mikheyev said.
Rick Tocchet, who replaced Bruce Boudreau as Canucks coach last Sunday, said Mikheyev wanted to keep playing.
Vancouver (20-26-3) is sixth in the Pacific Division and trails Calgary by 14 points for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.
“He’s been giving all he has this year, [but] he’s not healthy,” Tocchet said. “He’s a really good hockey player, and we’ll use this 5-6 months to get him healthy. Kid’s got a lot of character to play the way he’s been playing. I think he wanted to keep playing just to show me. It means a lot, but I want him healthy.”
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