Canucks lose Booth for rest of the regular season, Edler to two-game suspension

VANCOUVER - Vancouver Canucks winger David Booth underwent surgery Friday and will be lost for the rest of the regular season.

Booth suffered a leg injury last Saturday against Detroit and missed the last three games against Minnesota, St. Louis and Phoenix.

Canucks general manager Mike Gillis told a Vancouver radio station "there's a chance" Booth could return for the playoffs.

"Hopefully, (the surgery) will accelerate the process some measure and then he'll have to wait and rehab like anyone else," Gillis told Team 1040.

The team has not provided details on the exact nature of Booth's injury, but various reports have described it as an ankle sprain. Canucks officials could not be reached for comment on Booth's procedure Friday afternoon.

The setback continues a hard-luck season for Booth. The 28-year-old Detroit native suffered a groin injury during physical testing on the first day of training camp and missed the first 14 games of the regular season. He also sat out one more contest in Detroit.

Booth has just one goal this season, an empty-netter against Nashville.

Despite his difficulties, Booth found time to joke on Twitter on Friday morning.

"Don't need any anesthesia today. Plenty of basketball on tv," he tweeted.

News of Booth's injury comes as the Canucks are battling a shortage of forwards. Defenceman Keith Ballard played the wing in Thursday's win over Phoenix after Chris Higgins came down with a sore back during the morning skate and wingers Zack Kassian (back) and Steve Pinizzotto (illness) stayed home from their current three-game road trip because of health woes.

Meanwhile, Canucks defenceman Alex Edler had a phone hearing with the NHL after he took a five-minute major for charging Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith behind the net.

The Canucks called up forward Andrew Gordon from Chicago of the AHL for the game against Phoenix and face the possibility of more call-ups before Saturday's game in Los Angeles.

But Gillis ruled out the possibility of making a trade as a result of Booth's long-term hiatus.