Canucks' Boeser out eight weeks with rib injury

Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser will miss eight weeks with a rib cartilage fracture, general manager Jim Benning announced Tuesday. The timeline would place Boeser's potential return in the playoffs, should Vancouver qualify.

The Canucks initially announced on Monday that Boeser would be re-evaluated in three weeks. Benning, however, declared that the injury was more serious than initially thought. Boeser sustained the injury after getting tangled up with Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane at 2:30 of the third period of the Canucks' 6-2 setback on Feb. 8.

The 22-year-old, who had yet to miss a game, collected 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 56 games this season. Boeser has recorded 161 points (75 goals, 86 assists) in 196 career games since being selected by the Canucks with the 23rd overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft.