The Vancouver Canucks are adjusting their blueline as the Montreal Canadiens come into town.
Head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed to reporters that veteran defenceman Ian Cole is banged up and will sit out tonight. Noah Juulsen will slot into the lineup in his place.
Cole, 35, has played in 68 of the Canucks’ 69 games this season, scoring two goals and nine points. He averages 18:48 in time on ice per game.
He signed a one-year contract in Vancouver as a free agent in the off-season.
Juulsen had been a regular in the Canucks’ lineup while Carson Soucy recovered from an injury. Since Soucy’s return, Juulsen has been the club’s seventh defenceman, but has put up a respectable seven points across his 50 games.
Tocchet also told reporters that forward Elias Lindholm was playing through injury, but confirmed it was nothing major and as of now, he will not miss time.
The Canucks host the Canadiens at Rogers Arena as they continue to fight for home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Watch all the action on Sportsnet Pacific and Sportsnet+ starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
