VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks will be without top forward Daniel Sedin for four to six weeks because of a broken foot.
Sedin, who averaged more than 30 goals for the Canucks over the last three seasons, was hit in the foot by a shot from teammate Alex Edler in a 7-1 win over Montreal on Wednesday. He finished the game and recorded three assists, but X-rays on Friday revealed a fracture.
It's the first serious injury in his nine-year career.
"It's unfortunate, but I've been lucky so far, I played a lot of games over nine years so it was bound to happen," said Sedin, who was wearing a cast and on crutches Sunday. "I've been told four to six weeks so I'm shooting for three."
Sedin has averaged more than 30 goals over the last three seasons for the Canucks, and he and his twin, Henrik, tied for the team lead with 82 points last season.
The Sedin twins have had remarkably similar -- and durable -- careers since being selected second and third overall by the Canucks in the 1999 draft. Both had 466 career points heading into Sunday's game against Dallas.
Daniel has always been the finisher (179 goals to 112) and Henrik the set-up man (354 assists to 287). Henrik had a slight lead in games played, 650 to 646. They signed matching five-year, US$30.5-million contract extensions over the summer.
"I'm hoping I can be very effective 1/8without Daniel 3/8," Henrik said. "I think it's the same thing on any team if you have two good players that play a lot together: if one gets injured the other is affected for sure. Not because we're twins but because Danny is a good player."
Vancouver recalled Guillaume Desbiens from Manitoba of the American Hockey League. The 24-year-old will make his NHL debut on the third line, while Steve Bernier will skate with Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows on the top unit.
"Obviously both Danny and Hank have been playing together for quite some time and have been very successful at it," coach Alain Vigneault said. "I think he ll be fine, we have a lot of good players on this team."