There could be a positive to the Canucks' failure to make a deal before the trade deadline.

Mattias Ohlund is anxiously watching to see if bone chips in his knee will spell the end to his season.

Photograph by : Jeff Vinnick file photo - Getty Images

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They still have Luc Bourdon who has an opportunity now to be a factor -- if the coach allows him -- in the team's drive for the playoffs with news Mattias Ohlund may be lost for the rest of the regular season and beyond.

An MRI has revealed Ohlund has bone chips in his left knee and needs arthroscopic surgery. The team will decide within days whether Ohlund will have the surgical procedure in the summer or next week, which, if it happens, would mean he'd be out for the remainder of the regular season, possibly longer.

Ohlund is going to rest the knee and take anti-inflammatory medication for four to six days, hoping the swelling and pain can subside enough to allow him to play through the injury.

"Hopefully I can play through the regular season and playoffs and feel fine and get it done in the summer," Ohlund said. "That's what we're hoping for. But it has to get better. If it doesn't improve, I can't wait two or three weeks. I have to make a decision."

The Canucks don't have a lot of time to make a call on Ohlund's potential surgery if they want him ready for the postseason. Ohlund had the same injury in 2003. In that year, he had his knee scoped to clean out the bone chips on March 3. It took more than five weeks to recover. He missed the final 18 regular season games and wasn't ready to play again until April 12, the Canucks' second game of the playoffs.

The injury is another in a long list to the Canucks' blueline. Vancouver had just three games with a defence that analysts called "in-tact," despite the fact Lukas Krajicek was out with a shoulder injury.

Bourdon, 21, was the biggest chip the Canucks were dangling in an attempt to get some scoring. He is not yet ready to replace Ohlund in terms of minutes but the rookie has the potential to make an impact if the Canucks finally loosen their reins on him.

jbotchford@png.canwest.com