After a few weeks of mulling, the Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Ethan Bear have made a decision on how to move forward from a shoulder injury sustained while playing at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships. Bear underwent successful surgery and is expected to miss six months, the Canucks said today.
Bear is now on track to make his 2023-24 season debut before the Christmas break in the NHL schedule and could miss around the first 30 games of the season based on a six-month timeline from today. The 25-year-old right-shot defender is a pending restricted free agent and remains without a contract for next year.
In his first year with the Canucks, Bear totaled 16 points in 61 games and posted excellent possession numbers while seeing his ice time increase to its highest level in three seasons. He’s expected to challenge for a top-four role next season, with his competitor, Tyler Myers, potentially on his way out of town if Vancouver can find a taker for the last season of his $6MM average annual value contract.
Bear was one of Vancouver’s highest upside options at right defense before the team unexpectedly acquired Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings near the trade deadline. While a healthy Hronek next year will add some much-needed top-four caliber depth to the Canucks blueline, Bear is still an important defensive cog for a team that struggles to keep the puck out of their own net. He’ll be missed to start the 2023-24 campaign.
They should sign him and have the LTIR relief for the start of the season….A 2 yr deal at $2.3M, he then would be more valuable at the TDL if need be.
Un-Bear-Able!
It didn’t work out for him in Carolina for whatever reason but I think Bear will settle into a solid 2nd line Dman role. There’s still some potential to unlock
Gotta feel for every player who is out for 6 months. Hope he is able to be back soon.