Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks Reassign F Mike Zalewski to Utica Comets

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Vancouver Canucks are starting to return to full health ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

When the Vancouver Canucks head to Montreal to take on the Canadiens, they won’t have forward Mike Zalewski with them. The Canucks announced this morning that they have assigned the 24-year-old forward back to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League.

#Canucks have reassigned forward @zalews73 to the @UticaComets. pic.twitter.com/BEcHEoLtcV

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 31, 2016

Zalewski was recalled to be the extra forward when Alex Burrows and Derek Dorsett went down with injuries. He played in one game against the Washington Capitals and finished as a minus-one in 8:03 of ice time on Saturday night.

With Zalewski gone to Utica and other call-up Jayson Megna injured, it appears that Burrows and Dorsett are likely well enough to play in Wednesday’s game. The two forwards have been out since the game against the Anaheim Ducks. They both participated in a full practice along with Chris Tanev, who is also injured.

Tanev, Burrows and Dorsett back for a fully attended #Canucks practice. pic.twitter.com/COE8wsUD2L

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 31, 2016

Head coach Willie Desjardins has confirmed that Burrows will be good to go on Wednesday while Tanev and Dorsett will be re-evaluated after practice tomorrrow.

If Dorsett can’t go, that would mean that forward Jack Skille would get at least one game in the Canucks lineup. If Tanev can’t go, defenseman Troy Stecher will suit up and try to continue to impress and earn himself a spot on the roster.

When Tanev returns, the Canucks will have to make some decisions on the blue line and Stecher will be aiming to make those decisions as hard as possible for Desjardins and GM Jim Benning.

The Canucks finished October with a 4-4-1 record, good enough for 15th in the league and third in the Pacific Divison. They will start November with a six-game road trip with stops in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, New York and Detroit before returning home to start a four-game homestand against the Dallas Stars.