"Pavol Demitra will soon be 35 years old and although he may have replaced Markus Naslund on Vancouver's whipping post, he isn't ready to follow the former Canucks captain into retirement.

"I feel I have a lot of hockey left in me -- I feel great," Demitra said. "Everywhere is great. Everywhere but my shoulder."

It's the shoulder he ripped apart while trying to prove something to someone back in the second round of the playoffs when, out of character, he took a long run and exploded at full speed into Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brian Campbell.

The injury hasn't exactly anguished Canucks fans and followers, even after Demitra revealed Tuesday he will miss the start of the NHL season and is at least six weeks away from playing.

Instead of sweating the loss of his point production, people started counting up the cap room the Canucks can theoretically save if Demitra is placed on the long-term injured reserve list. And it's true, the Canucks should get some cap relief out of this and it's something they desperately need right now.

They can also use Demitra. And they need him more than many people realize.

It's easy to condemn Demitra for not giving enough. He just doesn't have that fire, edge or the willingness to forage in corners which can make it so easy for fans to love a player. He doesn't play the type of game that makes you pound your fist, or buy a jersey. It's just not in his makeup, which should have become clear the minute he finally did what people wanted and hit someone.

"I saw it all the way and I tried to hit Campbell so hard and he moved just as I hit him at full speed," Demitra said. "It was awkward. My shoulder just gave out. I felt it pop out.

"I finished the game. But I tried to take a shot and my shoulder popped out again. I knew then there was something wrong."

At first, the team was hopeful some rest would be enough. But on May 20, nine days after the season ended, Demitra had surgery and it was worse than first thought."