Canucks' Bertuzzi Out For Year

Vancouver Canucks left wing Todd Bertuzzi is hurt again.

Bertuzzi tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Friday night against the Calgary Flames and is lost for the rest of the season.

Bertuzzi, 24, played 32 games this season and missed 31 with a fractured left tibia suffered Nov. 1 against Washington.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder started his first full season with Vancouver impressively, recording four goals and two assists in nine games. He has eight goals and eight assists, posting a minus-6 rating and 44 penalty minutes for the season.

Bertuzzi was acquired in February 1998 in the blockbuster deal that sent long-time Canucks captain Trevor Linden to the New York Islanders for defenseman Bryan McCabe and a draft pick.

Selected by the Islanders in the first round in 1993, Bertuzzi was considered a major disappointment in New York, recording 62 points over his first 140 NHL games.

Vancouver is last in the Northwest Division with 48 points -- 12 behind the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers for the final playoff berth in the Western Conference. The Canucks have been plagued by injuries to Mark Messier, Dave Gagner, Alexander Mogilny, Ed Jovanovski, Peter Zezel and Mattias Ohlund. They also endured a long holdout by Pavel Bure before trading him to Florida in January.

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