Ohlund

"The doctors have felt all along that the ideal situation would be that Matty's own healing process would solve this problem and it hasn't, so he's going in for surgery," Canucks general manager Brian Burke said before Tuesday night's game against the San Jose Sharks.

While hopeful, Burke wouldn't speculate on the seriousness of Ohlund's condition except to say doctors have told him that it's "a remote possibility" that Ohlund's vision may not recover enough for him to play.

What's clear, he said, is that without the surgery Ohlund would not be able to play hockey again.

Burke said the surgery will help relieve the blood and fluid that continues to build up in his eye.

Ohlund was hit in the eye with a puck Sept. 21 during an exhibition game in Ottawa, when a shot deflected off Vancouver teammate Dave Scatchard's stick and hit Ohlund across the eye.

There has been no improvement in the right eye's vision since Ohlund met with reporters Oct. 28. At the time, he held his hand about 6 inches from his right eye -- still puffy and bloodshot -- to indicate the limit of his vision.

Ohlund was the one who elected to have the surgery, Burke said.

Burke said a team of specialists will perform the operation, and should know almost immediately whether the surgery is successful.