Vancouver Canucks defenceman Mattias Ohlund has bone chips in his left knee, will remain out of the lineup for at least a week and could miss the rest of the regular season, the NHL team said Thursday.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said the team will allow four to six days to pass for the swelling to reduce before re-evaluating Ohlund's condition

Mattias Ohlund (2) checks a fallen Peter Forsberg in Tuesday's 2-1 Canucks setback.
(David Zalubowski/Associated Press)

If the pain persists, and the bone chips prove to be a problem, Ohlund will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove the fragments and will sit out the rest of the regular season, the club said.

However, the club said if the swelling and pain reduce within the week, it would allow Ohlund to continue playing in lieu of slight discomfort and he would then undergo surgery in the off-season.

"For the regular season at least, but we'll wait and see, Ohlund said Thursday. "But hopefully when it settles down I'll be able to finish the year and get into the playoffs and play a long time."

Rookie Luc Bourdon, recalled from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Wednesday, will take Ohlund's place in the lineup Thursday against Nashville, which leads the Canucks by two points for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Ohlund wasn't bothered by the bone chips until the last couple of minutes of Tuesday night's 2-1 loss in Colorado. If he does play through it, Ohlund would have the chips removed in the off-season.

Ohlund, 31, experienced bone chips during the 2002-03 season and ended up missing a total of 22 games. He eventually returned to play 13 playoff games that year, scoring three goals and adding four assists.

The native of Pitea, Sweden, also missed 11 games earlier this season after suffering a concussion in late December. 

Ohlund, who suffered this latest injury during Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Colorado, has eight goals and 22 points in 50 games for the Canucks this season.