Nucks Misconduct, a Vancouver Canucks community

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Updates: Rome is out, Ballard is in. Bieksa is a game time decision, and Sulzer will slot in if #3 can’t play.

Looks like Burrows back with the Sedins. Kesler with Booth and Raymond. Higgins-Hodgson-Hansen. Lappy-Malhotra-Weise.
Ballard skating with Sulzer on defence.

Canuck coach Alain Vigneault is expected to brief reporters later today on the status of Kesler and defenceman Keith Ballard, who also missed practice after leaving Wednesday's game with a back injury.

"I would say that I wouldn't be surprised that they would take the morning skate with us for the LA game (in Vancouver on Thursday)," Vigneault said. "That would be a first step, a little morning skate, 15 to 20 minutes. Then we'd have to see how that goes."

...But Canucks assistant GM Lorne Henning explained that even though defencemen Keith Ballard ($4.2-million cap hit) and Lee Sweatt ($650,00 cap hit) are injured, it's possible they could both be back sooner than the 10 games/24 days minimum out of action that would be required if they were put on LTIR to remove their salaries from the books. "(Ballard) has been improving pretty well," said Hennning and Lee (Sweatt) is in the same boat."

Vigneault said Wednesday that checking centre Ryan Johnson, who crashed frighteningly into the boards against the Red Wings, was discharged from hospital late Tuesday night and wanted to practise with teammates on Wednesday.
Johnson hit his head after losing an edge during a high-speed puck chase and is expected to be out a minimum of one week in accordance with the National Hockey League protocol on concussions.