The Vancouver Canucks will start the season without Brock Boeser after the right-winger underwent hand surgery.
The team announced the news Monday, saying the 25-year-old forward injured himself at training camp in Whistler, B.C., on Saturday and will be out for three to four weeks.
Boeser had 23 goals and 23 assists for Vancouver last season while dealing with the declining health of his father, Duke, who died at the end of May following an extended battle with cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Boeser told reporters on Thursday that he was looking forward to focusing on hockey and helping the Canucks win.
Originally selected 23rd overall by the Canucks in the NHL entry draft, the six-foot-one, 208-pound forward has 256 points in 324 regular-season NHL games.
The Canucks will continue pre-season play Thursday when they host the Seattle Kraken. Vancouver begins its regular season campaign in Edmonton against the Oilers on Oct. 12.
