Canucks activate veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic from injured reserve

The Vancouver Canucks have officially activated Travis Hamonic from injured reserve, adding him back to the roster for the first time since partway through December.

Hamonic, 31, has played in just nine games this season between the injury and his earlier inability to travel with the Canucks due to vaccination status. His last appearance was on Dec. 8 against the Boston Bruins, meaning he has barely even played for head coach Bruce Boudreau, who took over a few days earlier.

Signed to a two-year contract in the offseason that carries a cap hit of $3 million, Hamonic is going to be needed if the Canucks are going to make any kind of second-half noise in the Pacific Division. The physical stay-at-home defenseman is coming up on 700 games in his NHL career and at his best, he can be a stabilizing force on any blue line. The Canucks haven’t seen much of that best, however, with Hamonic playing just 47 games total since the start of 2020-21.