APP ONLY: What Timonen injury would mean

VANCOUVER -- Kimmo Timonen is hurt.

That is all the Flyers would confirm late Tuesday night after their 6-2 thumping by the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. There is no word how much time, if any, Timonen will miss, or how it will impact the rest of the Flyers' road trip. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

This much we know: losing Timonen, for any length of time, would hurt the Flyers dearly - especially with Chris Pronger out until at least late January.

Timonen skated just 3 shifts in the third period on Tuesday, not playing at all in the final 12 minutes. His 18:10 of ice time was more than 4 minutes off his season average of 22:39.

Although Timonen was a minus-3 against Vancouver, where we didn't witness any remarkable hit or shot blocked, the Flyers can ill afford to lose Timonen. Not only does he play in all situations for Peter Laviolette, but he is a steadying presence on the Flyers' blue line.

Against Vancouver, with Sean O'Donnell, Braydon Coburn and Timonen all spending time at various points in the box, you could tell how weak the Flyers were defensively using Oskars Bartulis for more minutes.

Bartulis played more than 2 minutes his season average and the Flyers were visibly weaker because of it.

The Flyers lost their top four defensemen - Pronger, Matt Carle, Timonen and Coburn - for a combined three man games due to injury last season. Pronger has already missed four games this year because of his knee and foot surgeries. Now, this.

This would hurt.

We will pass along more information when we get it.