Vancouver Canucks lose defenders Anton Rodin, Ben Hutton

The Vancouver Canucks got some bad news Tuesday regarding the health status of two defensemen.

First the Canucks announced they will shut down Anton Rodin for an indefinite period after he reinjured his knee.

Later in the day, the team announced defenseman Ben Hutton, who had signed a two-year contract extension in November, will miss the next three to six weeks with a broken hand.

On Jan. 6, Rodin injured the same knee that he injured a year ago while playing in Sweden. In the next game, Rodin was on the bench in uniform but did not play a single shift.

"Our Canucks' medical team and Anton have determined it is in his best interest to undergo a period of rest, followed by rehab, until his knee strength and function return," said general manager Jim Benning in a release. "Anton will undergo an MRI and orthopedic consult this week."

Rodin has played in just three games for the Canucks, and his ice time was limited in all three. He started the season on injured reserve after re-aggravating his knee injury in the preseason.

Meanwhile, Hutton has not dressed since Jan. 6, when he played nearly 22 minutes in a win over Calgary. The team's report confirmed that the fracture is small, and surgery is not needed, but Hutton will still be out for about a month.

Hutton, 23, has four goals and seven assists in 41 games this season while averaging 20:59 of ice time. Last season, Hutton finished tied for second among rookie defensemen in assists, with 24.

He was named to Team Canada's gold-medal winning team at the 2016 World Hockey Championships.

Vancouver started Tuesday's action with a 20-19-6 record that put the Canucks in sixth place in the Pacific Division. The absence of Hutton and Rodin puts additional pressure on their defense.