LYLE STAFFORD
The Vancouver Canucks gave their thinning blue-line a boost Friday by recalling defenceman Sami Salo from his conditioning stint with the AHL's Manitoba Moose.
They also reassigned centre Cody Hodgson to the Moose.
Salo has been recuperating from a torn Achilles' tendon suffered while playing floor hockey in his native Finland in July.
The 36-year-old appeared in three games for Manitoba, recording two goals and two penalty minutes during his conditioning assignment.
Vancouver hosts Calgary on Saturday and their blue-line and this week lost defenceman Keith Ballard for at least three weeks.
Fellow rearguard Dan Hamhuis was knocked out of Wednesday night's 4-3 loss to Anaheim when his head hit the end glass following a hit by Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, and his status is unclear.
Alex Edler (back) is also out.
Salo has played in 665 NHL games with Ottawa and Vancouver, scoring 81 goals with 192 assists.
Hodgson, 20, played in five games for the Canucks and scored his first career NHL goal on Feb. 2 at Phoenix. He was Vancouver's first-round pick, 10th overall, in 2008.