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Vancouver’s Dan Hamhuis out with concussion after big hit by Ryan Getzlaf

Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan, Teemu Selanne

Vancouver Canucks’ Dan Hamhuis, right, lays on the ice behind goalie Cory Schneider after being hit by Anaheim Ducks’ Ryan Getzlaf, not pictured, during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday Feb. 9, 2011. Hamhuis was tended to on the ice by a doctor and left the game. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press - Darryl Dyck)

AP

Vancouver announced that Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis will be out indefinitely with a concussion. Hamhuis was injured Wednesday night when he was crushed in open ice by Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf.

While the hit itself was violent and terrible looking, it’s one that hasn’t been met with the same outrage we’ve seen elsewhere with other big hits. As we’ve seen around the NHL over the last few years, huge hits sometimes bring about huge, senseless scrums and fighting. In this case, outrage was saved for another day as even Canucks GM Mike Gillis didn’t find anything wrong with Getzlaf’s play.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault spoke about the incident and said that Hamhuis has no one to blame for the hit but himself.

“I thought it was a good hit by a big player,” Vigneault said. "(Hamhuis) was watching his pass and he should have been trying to protect himself a little bit.

“Some guys finish hits, some guys don’t. If Hank or Danny are coming at you, maybe you can watch your pass.

“If Getzlaf is coming at you, you’ve got to have your head up.”


Tough words from the head coach there, but they’re true. It’s looking more and more like it’s a good thing that Sami Salo is making his return to Vancouver soon now with Hamhuis out for an unknown amount of time. As always with concussions you just never know how bad the damage is and how long it’ll keep Hamhuis out of the lineup.

Salo’s return will help soften the blow of losing Hamhuis, but Hamhuis’ dependable defensive play will be missed on the back end. Salo isn’t as good of a defender as Hamhuis so how they hold up without him should be worth watching. Vancouver doesn’t have many flaws this year, but if the defense breaks down in front of Roberto Luongo we’ve seen that lead to problems all around in the past.