Music: {allcanada} Canucks' Hansen expected to play Monday: report

Sunday, December 21, 2014

{allcanada} Canucks' Hansen expected to play Monday: report

It's a Wonderful Life / The Polar Express

Vancouver Canucks forward Jannik Hansen was held out of practice Sunday as a precautionary measure one day after briefly collapsing on the bench during a game against the Calgary Flames but is expected to play Monday against the Arizona Coyotes.

"Everything is good. He spent the night at the hospital – and it was just precautionary," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins told the Vancouver Sun. "But at the time on the bench, you really didn't know what it was. And that's a problem. He just took a real hard hit and he was having trouble getting his breath and it wasn't more than that. I think Jannik is good to go [Monday]. I don't see any problem with him."

Hansen was hit by Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman at 1:27 of the second period Saturday, and skated to the Canucks bench under his own power before slumping forward. Play was halted while the Canucks doctor rushed to attend to Hansen, who moments later was conscious and on his feet, and walked to the locker room with help from the medical staff.

"It's probably your biggest fear as a coach," Desjardins said. "The one fear you really have is that somebody gets really hurt while you're coaching because you see lots of things that are close. So that's the one big fear you have and it's always good when something like that happens and it turns out well."

Hansen has eight goals and 13 points in 32 games.

A Charlie Brown Christmas / All I Want for Christmas