HOCKEY NOTEBOOK

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks have hired Doug Lidster as an assistant coach.

Lidster most recently worked under new Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins in the AHL where the pair led the Texas Stars to the Calder Cup championship.

The 52-year-old Kamloops, B.C., native has experience at every level of hockey.

He was drafted 133rd overall by the Canucks in 1980 and went on to play defence through 16 NHL seasons for Vancouver, the New York Rangers, St. Louis and Dallas. His won two Stanley Cups with the Rangers in 1994 and the Stars in 1999.

Lidster represented Canada as a player at the 1984 Sarajevo Games and at three IIHF world championships.

Lidster’s resume also includes assistant coaching jobs with Canada’s men’s team, the women’s squad, with whom he won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit.

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WINNIPEG – Hockey and high fashion aren’t exactly kissing cousins so it’s probably no surprise Nikolaj Ehlers isn’t trying to lose weight to make the Winnipeg Jets.

“I want to put on some pounds, eat a lot,” their No. 1 2014 draft pick said as the team’s development camp opened Monday, with close to 40 of the team’s young prospects in town for a week.

Fluent in English as well as a couple of other languages besides his native Danish, Ehlers is just 18 and may be a little small at five foot 11 and 163 pounds, but he’s coming off an impressive rookie year in North America.

The left-winger scored 49 goals and added 55 assists for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. His 104 points ranked him fourth in league scoring and he was also part of Denmark’s under-20 team.

A packed practice arena Monday gave him a good idea of what to expect if he makes the NHL, a marked change from Denmark where he says hockey has been in a funk, although he suggests it may be getting a little more attention lately.

“When I practise at home, there’s nobody there,” he said. “Coming out here and seeing all these people, it’s pretty amazing.”

Some players couldn’t come because of U.S. college rules. Others are being given a pass because they’ve already had a hectic spring and summer, like defenceman Josh Morrissey, who got called up from the WHL to help the St. John’s IceCaps during their AHL Calder Cup run and is now getting ready for Canada’s junior camp.

The Jets have half a dozen of their 2014 draft picks in camp, including California native Chase De Leo, who is joining friend and fellow Californian Eric Comrie. Comrie also got called up briefly by the Jets’ AHL farm team last season.

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NASHVILLE – Nashville Predators forward Mike Fisher has a ruptured Achilles tendon that likely will cause him to miss at least the start of the upcoming season.

In a statement released by the team Monday, Predators general manager David Poile said Fisher underwent surgery Thursday after rupturing the tendon during a training session.

“We expect Mike to make a full recovery in four to six months, and look forward to his return to the ice,” Poile said.

The Predators open the season Oct. 9 against Ottawa.

Fisher, 34, served as Nashville’s alternate captain last season and had 20 goals and 29 assists in 75 games. He has 226 goals and 255 assists in 887 career regular-season games.

Fisher tweeted, “Setbacks are opportunities for growth,” on Monday and included a picture of his bandaged lower leg in a walking boot.

(With files from the Canadian Press)