VANCOUVER -- Andrew Ebbett can relate to Ryan Keslers plight as he attempts to take over his job temporarily. Ebbett, a candidate to fill in the hole created by Keslers absence from the centre spot on the Vancouver Canucks second line, is attempting to overcome adversity of his own. A journeyman forward, Ebbett was limited to 18 games in the 2011-12 NHL season because of a broken collarbone and foot injuries. "It was tough," said Ebbett. "Id never been through something like that. ... It was definitely a learning situation. The key for me was just setting goals. Both times, I set a deadline of when I wanted to get back playing, and I got to it both times." After signing with the Canucks as a free agent, Ebbett missed 12 weeks with his collarbone injury and, shortly after recovering, another six weeks for the feet. Now, he hopes to have good timing in an offensive role, something he has not always had in a six-year journeyman NHL career. "Ive come in this year hungry," said Ebbett, who excelled during the lockout playing for Vancouvers top farm team, the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. "Ive worked out a lot. It helped me with my strength having that second half off last year. I did a lot of work in the gym, and then to have a full summer, I started working out, probably, a month earlier than I usually do." Ebbett, a 30-year-old Calgary native who was never drafted, is with his fifth NHL club. After four seasons at the University of Michigan, he signed with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and then moved on to Chicago, Minnesota and Phoenix while also seeing duty with the Ducks and Coyotes AHL affiliates in Portland and San Antonio. "Ive bounced around a little bit all over the place," said Ebbett. "But, I think, in the last couple years, Ive shown my versatility, and Ive shown that I can be a useful guy to have. I can play different positions and different situations." He is battling for Keslers playing minutes with Jordan Schroeder, Vancouvers top draft pick (22nd overall) in 2009, who has yet to impress enough for duty with the Canucks, and also spent the lockout with the Wolves. The stakes are much higher this season, because at the outset of the 2011-12 campaign, Ebbett was just trying to earn a roster spot. The second-line centre spot has also become more significant in the lockout-shortened 48-game season. Coach Alain Vigneault said Monday he plans to manage Daniel and Henrik Sedins minutes more and give more playing time to the other three lines. But Ebbett, who toiled mainly on the third and fourth lines when he was healthy last season, is not taking Vigneaults consideration of him for promotion for granted. "Im still trying to make the team," said Ebbett. "We have a bunch of guys here still. So its the same. Im a little more comfortable this year. I know my surroundings, and I know what the coaches want, especially with a little more chemistry with the guys on the team. I know the guys (Mason Raymond and David Booth, among others) who have been playing (with Kesler.) "So for me just to come in here and work hard this week and step up, take that step up into that second-line centre spot, it would be huge for me." Ebbett is confident that he can excel in an offensive role, because he played for a while alongside Anaheim snipers Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. He produced a career-high 32 points with help from the talented duo in 2008-09. Also, this season, Ebbett has played primarily on the first line with the Wolves, compiling seven goals and 14 assists and ranking second on the team in points. "In Chicago, he was (coach Scott Arniels) most consistent player at the centre position," said Vigneault. "Obviously, were gonna keep that in mind a" Any plans for Ebbett on the second line are subject to change. Vigneault noted he could change his mind about playing time for each line, and goaltender Roberto Luongos expected trade could bring another centre who could fill the spot. But, so far, Vigneault likes what he has seen of Ebbett. "I think both him and (Schroeder) have looked very good," said Vigneault. "Today, I liked (Ebbetts) practice. I liked (Schroeders) practice. Were going to continue with this and see what happens in the next couple of days." Notes--Kesler skated on his own Monday, but the team is not indicating when he might return. a The Canucks signed journeyman defenceman Jim Vandermeer, 32, to a one-year contract. He split last season with San Jose and Edmonton. The signing came after he worked out regularly with Canucks players in Vancouver during the lockout. a Booth sat out for the second straight day with a sore groin. a Defenceman Dan Hamhuis (groin) and winger Zack Kassian (back) skated after missing Mondays first workout with minor injuries. cheap jerseys . Nitoto scored 23 points for the Highlanders (12-19) who are seeded seventh in the tournament but have won three of their last four games. Theyll face top- seeded Long Beach State in Fridays semifinals. Javon Borum scored 15 points for the Highlander. Phil Martin added 12, while Kevin Bradshaw pulled down 14 rebounds. cheap nfl jerseys . Rakell, has played in four games with the Ducks this season, posting no points. The 30th selection of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, had been a scratch for the Ducks last seven games. http://www.cheapjerseyssafe.com/ . -- The New England Patriots have signed free agent offensive tackle Will Svitek. cheap jerseys from china . Forget the remarkable finish, the one that kept the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoff picture until the final minutes of the regular season. wholesale jerseys . Ryan Hamilton scored midway through the third to lift the Toronto Marlies over the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in their final home game of the regular season at Ricoh Coliseum.CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- South Africa must have six clubs in Super Rugby from 2016 or it will "look north," South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins says, a clear threat the country will approach European competition if the southern hemisphere cant accommodate its terms. "If we dont have six teams, we might as well shut doors," Hoskins was quoted as saying by the South African Press Association and the Pretoria News in probably the strongest comments yet that SARU is willing to break up the 17-year-old southern hemisphere agreement that has been in place since rugby became openly professional. South Africa was forced to relegate one of its teams in favour of another in 2012 after SANZAR, which sanctions international rugby in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, refused to expand the three-nation, 15-team Super Rugby competition. All three countries have five clubs in Super Rugby. That opened up SARU to fierce criticism at home when it dropped the Johannesburg-based Lions at the last minute after promising the new Port Elizabeth-based Southern Kings a Super Rugby place for 2013 without any guarantee of an expansion from SANZAR. The Kings lost a promotion-relegation playoff with the Lions at the end of this season, with the teams changing places again for next year. Hoskins said South Africa wont accept anything less than six teams when a new deal and a restructured format is expected after the 2015 season. "As far as I am concerned, it is not even an issue for us, it is six or nothing when the new broadcast deal comes into effect," Hoskins told SAPA and the Pretoria newspaper on Monday. The comments were carried by the Pretoria News on Tuesday. "People didnt believe us when wwe said how serious it was until we had to forsake one of our provinces out of the Super Rugby," the SARU president said.dddddddddddd "We have to do everything it takes to ensure our teams play in whatever competition. If it is not SANZAR then we have to look north." South Africa hinted at breaking away from New Zealand and Australia in 2009, when negotiations began on the current five-year TV rights deal starting in 2011. For the new 15th club, an arbitrator was needed to choose the Melbourne Rebels to satisfy Australian TV rights over a stronger bid from the Southern Kings. Hoskins threat could carry more impact this time with developments in the northern hemisphere, where English and French clubs are leading efforts to leave the European Heineken Cup competition and form another tournament. Welsh clubs last week backed the move. Hoskins also said South Africa brought more money to Super Rugby than its southern hemisphere partners, therefore enforcing its worth. "South Africa is the partner and the brand which is the biggest in the southern hemisphere in terms of commercial value, brand value, bums on seats, television viewership, the number of players we have, et cetera," Hoskins said. "So I am hoping that we are being accommodated within SANZAR. We are being told that we are being accommodated." SANZAR hasnt indicated how it might incorporate a sixth team from South Africa with the tournament currently separated into three national conferences of five teams, but Hoskins said he favoured going to 18 clubs, with six each from South Africa and New Zealand, five still from Australia and the inclusion of a team from Argentina, which joined SANZARs Rugby Championship last year. cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '