Vancouver Canucks veteran defenseman to miss the entire 2024-25 season

Just yesterday, the Canucks revealed that forward Dakota Joshua had been diagnosed with cancer (though there was some positive news in that update). Now, they've received more unfortunate health-related news.

According to a recent report, 31-year-old Tucker Poolman will miss the entire 2024/25 season, after also sitting out the entire 2023/24 season due to ongoing concussion problems. These issues have caused him to miss significant playing time in recent years.

Since being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 2013 and making his NHL debut in 2017, Poolman has played in just 168 NHL games. His time with the Canucks, which began in 2021, has been particularly difficult due to his health. After signing a four-year contract in 2021, he has played in only 43 games, missing all of last season and appearing in just three games the year before. His concussions are now a potential threat to his career.

At 31, Poolman has struggled to stay on the ice throughout his career, though he showed promise in 2018 with a career-high 12 goals when he was healthy.

With injuries and health issues affecting Poolman, Joshua, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko, the Canucks are entering training camp with serious depth concerns. However, with the high-end talent they have, there is still optimism that they can build on their strong 2023/24 season.