Report: Canucks' Hamhuis likely to miss 'months' with lower-body injury

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis is likely to be out for the medium- to long-term as a result of a freak lower-body injury sustained Thursday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

From Dhiren Mahiban of Pro Hockey Talk:

For now Hamhuis' injury - which is undisclosed - isn't expected to end the veteran defender's season, though he'll surely miss a good portion of time. 

Officially there's no update on Hamhuis' status from the club at the time of this writing.

Though Hamhuis has struggled in the early going this season, he has been the Canucks' most consistent two-way defenseman since he joined the club in the summer of 2010. Hamhuis hasn't been playing a bona fide top pairing role at 5-on-5 for the Canucks this year, but he remains a key penalty-killer and logs time on the power play.

The absence of Hamhuis' all-around game will likely be keenly felt by a Canucks side that is off to a stellar 13-6-1 start to the year.

Expect Luca Sbisa - who is also banged up - and Ryan Stanton to log more minutes in Hamhuis' absence. It's probable that the Canucks' three remaining credible tough-minutes defensemen - Alex Edler, Chris Tanev and Kevin Bieksa - will also see their minutes burden spike while Hamhuis convalesces.