The Vancouver Canucks placed Curtis Sanford on injury reserve Tuesday and listed the goaltender as week-to-week.
With star netminder Roberto Luongo (groin) still on the mend until at least the All-Star break, the Canucks acquired Jason LaBarbera from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 7th round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry draft.
Sanford suffered a groin injury in Tuesday's morning skate but had hoped the injury would loosen up prior to the evening contest against the Philadelphia Flyers.
He played one period of Tuesday's 3-2 loss, stopping seven of nine shots, before giving way to rookie Cory Schneider.
Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault said it was after Sanford injured himself that the Canucks started actively perusing the trade for Labarbra.
"When Curtis said he tweaked his groin, Mike (Gillis) and Lorne (Henning) got on the phone and our depth in goaltending was obviously something that we needed to improve," Vigneault said following Tuesday's loss. "Today's issue enforced the note."
LaBarbera will join the team in Nashville and will get the start in one of the two games on the road trip. The Canucks face the Predators on Thursday before heading to Atlanta for Friday's contest against the Thrashers.
"The goaltender that we picked up, he's played some really good games against us in the past," Vigneault said. "He's an NHL goaltender that is going to get an opportunity to play."
The 28-year old LaBarbera has a 5-8-4 record with an .893 save percentage and a 2.83 goals against average in 19 games with the Kings this season.
The Burnaby, BC native has a 34-42-8 record in 98 career games split between the New York Rangers and the Kings.
