Canucks' Boeser to miss at least 8 weeks with rib cartilage fracture

Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Tuesday that forward Brock Boeser will miss at least eight weeks with a rib cartilage fracture, according to Sportsnet's Randip Janda.

The Canucks said Monday that Boeser is to be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Boeser is seeing a specialist later this week, and Benning is hopeful he could be back for the playoffs should the Canucks qualify, per TSN's Farhan Lalji.

The Canucks landed fellow right-winger Tyler Toffoli from the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, which helps soften the blow of Boeser's absence.

"I want to compete down the stretch here for a playoff spot," Benning said. "Making this trade, that's the message I wanted to send to our group going down the stretch here."

Boeser tallied 16 goals and 45 points in 56 games this season.

The Canucks will also be without forwards Micheal Ferland and Josh Leivo for the rest of the season. Leivo was given a two-to-three month timeline in late December after fracturing his kneecap, but Benning didn't rule out a return in the postseason.

Vancouver currently sits third in the Pacific Division with 69 points.