The Canucks were hoping an MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] procedure Monday would rid defenceman Lukas Krajicek of any lingering concern over his ankle ailment.

That hope has faded.

The MRI revealed a very small fracture in the foot along with an ankle sprain. Krajicek will wear a walking boot for two weeks. It will further keep the Canucks from icing their top six defencemen for the first time this season after Sami Salo returned last week from a wrist fracture.

The Vancouver Canucks have re-assigned left-winger Mason Raymond to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose, Canucks senior vice-president and general manager Dave Nonis announced Tuesday.

Labels: Krajicek, Raymond

It was about the kids for the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and Ryan Shannon, the 24-year-old baby-faced forward, showed he was more than all right.

Playing both right wing and the left point on the power play, Shannon demonstrated his speed, skill and savvy as the Canucks opened their 2007 pre-season schedule with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks won 3-2 in overtime when Petteri Wirtanen scored his second goal of the game. But that hardly mattered.

What did mater was Ryan Shannon had spark, Alex Burrows had edge and Luc Bourdon had a few headaches.

The winning goal deflected off of Bourdon after the young defenceman attempted an ill-advised pass. It wasn't the only time Bourdon had problems. He couldn't clear the puck out of the crease on the second goal when Wirtanen barrelled into the net, and he made a half-hearted effort one-on-one with Travis Moen in the first that led to a holding penalty.

• Can this squad handle it? (Barry Macdonald, 24 Hours)
• Luongo puts neck on line in practice. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
• Krajicek expected to take another step up. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
• Maybe Salo asked for it. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• 'Casual' Sami's need for speed. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun):

Labels: game recap, Krajicek, Salo, Shannon

Sanford, 27, signed for one year at $600,000 and will take Dany Sabourin's place on the end of the bench for all but a handful of games (all figures are in U.S. dollars).

Schneider, 21, agreed to a three-year entry level contract that will see him earn $924,200 at the NHL level and $70,000 in Manitoba, where he will be the go-to guy for the American Hockey League's Moose.

In Isbister, the Canucks get a 6-foot-4, 227-pound left-winger who doesn't always play to his size and takes too many nights off. In Ritchie, the Canucks get an undersized centre who has often irritated the opposition, but hasn't put up the offensive numbers.

What does this all mean?

A big gamble that Isbister ($525,000 US) and Ritchie ($675,000) will give coach Alain Vigneault some needed fourth-line muscle and grit for anticipated physical encounters against Calgary, Anaheim and San Jose.

Labels: Bieksa, Isbister, Krajicek, Miller, Ritchie, Schneider

Jason Jaffray could handle a contract snafu keeping him from playing for the Vancouver Canucks last season.

He could handle toiling for five years in the minors and he could handle the Kootenay Ice trading him in the midst of their 2002 Memorial Cup run, despite him being team captain at the time.

Jaffray, a winger who is in the midst of finalizing a two-year, two-way deal with the Canucks, has been saddled with much worse than anything hockey can dish out at him.

The Vancouver Canucks have to make their intentions known this week on the potential buyout of disappointing centre Marc Chouinard.

Chouinard, who finished last season in the minors, has a year remaining on his contract at $1.1 million and must clear waivers before the buyout process begins (all figures are in U.S. dollars).

Cowan, meanwhile, will become an unfettered free agent Sunday unless his representative, Rollie Thompson, and Canuck assistant GM Steve Tambellini can wrap up a deal.

"Steve and I had a couple of pretty good talks in Columbus over the weekend," Thompson said Monday. "We're going in the right direction. Both parties would like to make it happen."

Cowan, who was a waiver-wire pickup from the L.A. Kings in late December, earned $532,000 US last season. It's believed he's seeking a two-year deal.

Tambellini, who is handling many of the contract negotiations, also opened discussions with Krajicek's agent, Petr Svoboda, at the draft. Svoboda described the talks as "positive" but declined any specifics on term despite reports of a two-year offer.

"It doesn't really matter as long as Lukas has another good year and plays well," said Svoboda, the former NHL blueliner. "He was happy with his first season in Vancouver, but he knows he could do better. He loves the town, the organization and the players, so that's the key."

"Ryan is really thrilled about about this opportunity with Vancouver and he's looking forward to getting into camp. And, probably more importantly, he's looking forward to getting back from Europe in one piece."

Duberman said Canucks management has made no promises, other than the standard one of providing an opportunity. Vancouver already has three established centres under contract in Henrik Sedin, Brendan Morrison and Ryan Kesler. Shannon, presumably, would have to vie for fourth-line playing time with the likes of Rick Rypien and Alex Burrows.

"I know Ryan is a good enough player to be on their roster, especially with his speed, but nothing has been promised and we know that," continued Duberman.

Labels: Chouinard, Cowan, Jaffray, Krajicek, Shannon