Report: Canucks’ Mikheyev is ‘banged up,’ not a healthy scratch for Game 5

It looks like a notable player might be out longer than expected.

According to Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy, Vancouver Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev is “banged up” and is considered to be day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. He was already ruled out of Game 5 of the Pacific Division Finals against the Edmonton Oilers earlier on Thursday.

Mikheyev was noticeably absent from line rushes in the lead-up to the game.

The Russian winger has played each of the first 10 games of the playoffs, but has yet to score a point. He has registered a plus-minus of -4 thus far, averaging 12:02 of ice time, playing 13:57 in the Canucks’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Oilers in Game 2 last Friday.

Mikheyev had been playing on a line with Elias Petterson and Linus Karlsson. Karlsson was moved to be an extra forward for Game 5, while Petterson is jumping on the wing with Elias Lindholm and Nils Hoglander.

Mikheyev ended the 2023-24 regular season with 11 goals and 31 points in 78 games, last scoring a goal on March 13 against the Colorado Avalanche. He had to miss the first few games of the season, recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2022-23 campaign.

In 270 career NHL appearances, Mikheyev has scored 60 goals and 71 assists, including four points in 29 playoff games. All of those points came in the first round in 2022, while with the Toronto Maple Leafs.