"The Vancouver Canucks have played 50 games without veteran forward Pavol Demitra and they will again tonight in Edmonton.

Demitra was not at practice Monday and head coach Alain Vigneault explained that his absence was due to a personal matter. Prior to the Olympic break, Demitra missed three games when his wife was ill.

"He's gone on personal reasons," Vigneault said. "I'm not quite sure when he'll be back. I know for sure he's not playing [against Edmonton] but after that I couldn't tell you. It's personal."

Demitra, 35, missed the first three and a half months of the season due to major shoulder surgery and complications during recovery. He's appeared in 22 games for the Canucks and has 11 points. He's making $4 million and was at his best playing for Slovakia in the Olympics.

With Demitra out, Mason Raymond will take his spot on a line with Ryan Kesler and rookie Michael Grabner. Tanner Glass will skate in Raymond's third-line spot alongside Kyle Wellwood and Jannik Hansen."