from Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province,

Ryan Kesler's return from offseason shoulder and wrist surgeries has been pushed back several months, according to his agent. The Vancouver Canucks beg to differ on the extent of that timeline provided by Kurt Overhardt, but it's not a stretch for anyone to suggest that the centre won't be back next month as forecasted earlier this fall.

When Kesler was re-evaluated two weeks ago at the Cleveland Clinic to assess progress from a May 8 procedure on his left shoulder and June 27 surgery on his left wrist, it was determined the rehab load placed on one side of his body was taking a toll and that progress has been slow.

"The re-evaluation was positive in that the surgeries were successful," said Overhardt. "However, the compounding nature of both of those surgeries being on the same side of the body, it's been very hard to properly rehab either one of the them — particularly the shoulder — because that's obviously a big deal.

"I don't think it's fair to have any sort of time frame when he's going to be 100 per cent and cleared to play. I don't have a crystal ball and it's certainly months away, it's not weeks away. It's several months away."

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