Hockey

With his injured ankle protected by a walking cast, Ryan Getzlaf was hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.

The Anaheim Ducks star - and projected second-line centre on Canada's 2010 Olympic men's hockey team - sprained his left ankle during last Monday's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Whether he will be healthy enough to don the Maple Leaf in Vancouver is still unknown.

In an e-mail last night, Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman listed Getzlaf's status as "day-to-day," adding: "We don't make a [roster] decision one way or the other for the next day or two at the least. We'll see how he's doing in a couple of days."

X-rays on Getzlaf's ankle, taken immediately after Monday's game, showed no break, but the Ducks followed up with a magnetic resonance imaging exam yesterday morning. According to the NHL team, the test showed no significant ligament or muscle tears, leaving Getzlaf cautiously optimistic that all will be well.

"My ankle feels much better today, and I'm relieved the test showed no significant damage," the 24-year-old said. "My goal is to return to the ice this week for the Ducks, and I look forward to joining Team Canada for the Olympics on Monday."

Canada has until 24 hours prior to its first game of the Olympic tournament - Feb. 16 against Norway - to alter the roster it submitted to the International Ice Hockey Federation last Dec. 30.

Getzlaf, who has 55 points (15 goals) in 57 NHL games this season, is slated to play on a line with fellow Ducks forward Corey Perry and Columbus Blue Jackets winger Rick Nash. Getzlaf and Nash have prior experience playing as a unit at the world championships - and their line could arguably be the best in the tournament.

"The Canadian Olympic team would love to have Getzlaf in the lineup," Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle said, "but if he's not healthy, he won't play. It's as simple as that."

If Getzlaf cannot go, it is expected Canada would turn to Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers as his replacement. Carter was the final forward under consideration for the 2010 Olympic team, but ultimately lost out to teammate Mike Richards.

Carter, who can play both centre and wing, was one of a handful of NHL players Yzerman put on standby in case of injury. They have been following the same Olympic anti-doping protocols as the players selected to the Canadian team and thus could be easily integrated into the group if necessary.

Another option, should Getzlaf have to withdraw, would be to put Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal in his spot. Staal is another big man (6 foot 3, 200 pounds), who is more comfortable playing centre, but he made the Canadian team as a left winger and is projected to play with Sidney Crosby on the No. 1 line.

Getzlaf also missed the national team's August orientation camp, recovering from an off-season sports hernia operation. But after a slow start to the season, was rounding into form.

Four years ago, Getzlaf's Anaheim teammate, defenceman Scott Niedermayer, withdrew from Canadian Olympic consideration at the 11th hour for injury reasons.

Niedermayer's absence was greatly missed as Canada finished out of the medals. He is the captain of the 2010 team.

"Hopefully, he won't be out too long," Niedermayer said late Monday night. "I don't have to say what he means to this team and what he does for us, so, hopefully, it's not bad."