UPDATE: Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis has announced that Raymond has sustained a vertebrae compression fracture and will be out of the lineup for three to four months, meaning he will miss Wednesday's Game 7.
There has been plenty of physicality between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks through the first six games of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. There have also been plenty of casualties - Nathan Horton, Patrice Bergeron's finger - but now the Canucks can add Mason Raymond to the injured list.
Raymond left Boston's 5-2 Game 6 win Monday just 20 seconds in after Johnny Boychuk drove him backside-first into the boards. Raymond could not get up on his own and was taken off the ice with help from Ryan Kesler and Chris Higgins. Vancouver has not announced anything other than the fact that Raymond was transported to the hospital with an undisclosed injury, but via Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, Raymond could be out for four to six months, which would mean that he would miss the pivotal Game 7 Wednesday.
Told the #NHL will not further review #Boychuk hit on #Canucks Raymond. Early speculation is Raymond out 4-6 months with back/hip injury.
Kypreos also reports the NHL will not review Boychuk's hit, which did not warrant a penalty Monday. Sportsnet's Dan Murphy reported on the specific nature of Raymond's injury Tuesday morning:
Source close to Raymond family saying he suffered a fractured vertebrae from Boychuck hit. Not sure if he can travel with team today.
Raymond has two goals and eight points in 24 games this postseason. Alex Bolduc and Jeff Tambellini are two possible replacements for Raymond in Vancouver's lineup.