shoulder injuries. After returning, he was hit into the boards by Edmonton Oilers captain Ethan Moreau on 17 December 2008, and suffered a broken rib. He missed 15 games before returning on 20 January 2009. Limited to 60 games, he managed five goals and 25 points in the regular season. In the ensuing playoffs, Salo scored seven points in seven games, including game-winning goals in both game ones of the first and second rounds against the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively. Salo injured himself in game two of the second round, tearing his gluteus medius muscle while taking a slapshot in which he scored. He played through the injury the following game before missing the next two matches. Following his return, the Canucks were eliminated in the sixth game by the Blackhawks. Salo had three goals and seven points in seven games. Early in the 2009–10 season, Salo suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain to his right knee during a game against the Dallas Stars on 11 October 2009. Sidelined for seven games, he returned by the end of the month. Salo missed additional games during the season to various injuries, ending the campaign with nine goals and 28 points in 68 games. Towards the second half of the season, Salo took on a more defensive role, replacing Willie Mitchell, who was sidelined with a concussion, as the team's primary shutdown defenceman. In game five of the second round of the 2010 playoffs, Salo was hit in the groin by a slapshot from Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith. Needing to be helped off the ice, he was taken to hospital with what was falsely believed to be a ruptured testicle. He played through an undisclosed injury the following game, as the Canucks were eliminated by the Blackhawks by a 5–1 score. He completed the playoffs with a goal and six points in 12 post-season games. Playing floorball in the off-season, Salo tore his achilles tendon on 22 July 2010. After undergoing surgery, he was sidelined for the first four months of the 2010–11 season. The injury was so severe that Salo later admitted thinking his career was over during his rehabilitation. Before returning to the Canucks lineup, he was sent to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, for a conditioning assignment. Making his AHL debut on 4 February 2011, he scored two goals