The Vancouver Canucks started their preseason schedule this week with back-to-back wins on back-to-back nights, first beating the Seattle Kraken 3-1 at Rogers Area after which dispatching the Calgary Flames 3-2 in time beyond regulation after some late-game heroics by newcomer Daniel Sprong. They’re 2-0 to begin the preseason and can now journey to Seattle and Calgary to finish their home-and-home set tonight and Saturday.
Whereas the wins are nice, the preseason is all about storylines and seeing how the younger guys, newcomers and veterans take care of a protracted offseason. Listed below are a few of my ideas and musings from coaching camp and the preseason as far as I empty the pocket book for the primary time this season.
Who Ought to Sprong Play With on Opening Evening?
With Danton Heinen and Jonathan Lekkerimaki taking the open winger spots within the top-six throughout coaching camp, Sprong hasn’t been a significant participant within the headlines. That modified on Wednesday when he was one of many Canucks’ most harmful forwards and tied the sport with an end-to-end rush paying homage to Nathan MacKinnon. Whereas he isn’t and can by no means be that caliber of participant, he showcased what he may carry to the lineup frequently.
Associated: Daniel Sprong: The Canucks’ Subsequent Scoring Risk?
Sprong’s scouting report all through his profession has been centered round his skating, shot, and hockey IQ. During the last two seasons, his MO has been shocking manufacturing with little or no ice time as he’s averaged lower than 12 minutes an evening and scored 39 objectives. If he performs like he did in Abbotsford within the common season, that ice time will skyrocket and presumably his stats together with it. The one challenge that has plagued him, and is probably going why he’s on his third group in three seasons, is his play away from the puck. Thankfully, he is aware of this is a matter and on a group with veteran coaches and former gamers Rick Tocchet, Adam Foote, Sergei Gonchar, and Daniel and Henrik Sedin, he ought to have all of the sources he wants to enhance that a part of his sport.
As for who Sprong will play with on opening evening, that’s nonetheless very a lot up within the air. He performed on a line with Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Raty in opposition to the Flames, a duo that’s seemingly destined for the American Hockey League (AHL). Together with his ending means, he looks as if a pure match with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. However that can depend upon whether or not he can present sufficient improvement in his defensive sport to warrant extra ice time and a coveted top-six function.
Hoglander Has Returned Hungry
Nils Hoglander had arguably his finest season within the NHL in 2023-24. He scored a career-high 24 objectives (all at even energy) and spent most of his time within the top-six. He additionally drastically improved his two-way sport and have become a trusted ahead for head coach Rick Tocchet. He was invisible within the playoffs although, which was shocking since his playstyle must be tailored for the depth of that point of yr. Fortunately, he didn’t relaxation on his laurels and success of the common season and went to work within the offseason bettering his energy and conditioning.
Throughout health testing firstly of coaching camp, Tocchet praised Hoglander after he completed first within the skating take a look at. He was additionally one of many Canucks’ finest gamers within the blue-white scrimmage and the primary preseason sport in opposition to the Kraken skating on a line with Raty and Conor Garland. He desires to be higher this season and is poised to satisfy the larger expectations Tocchet has set for him.
“This yr, I feel it’s one other stage of upper expectations. We count on him to not make a few of the errors he made final yr. Now pay attention, he’s going to make errors however he got here in nice form and him, Garland and Raty have been pushing the tempo. They’re in all probability considered one of finest traces out right here within the sense of sustainability, so I’ve to offer him quite a lot of credit score.”
With Dakota Joshua sidelined proper now, Hoglander’s tenacity, motor and general work ethic may very well be a match on the third line with Garland and Pius Suter (or perhaps even Raty) to begin the season. Regardless, wherever he performs, he might need an excellent higher season than final season, presumably pushing 30 objectives.
Raty Pushing Exhausting to Make the Crew
Talking of Raty, he has additionally come into camp hungry. Out of all the highest prospects not named Jonathan Lekkerimaki, he has stood out as somebody that would push his approach into the lineup on opening evening. Via the Younger Stars, scrimmages, and the preseason to date, he has seemed like an NHL participant able to making a distinction within the backside six. Centering Garland and Hoglander in opposition to the Kraken and Bains and Sprong in opposition to the Flames, he has proven large development in his skating, energy and faceoff means. Tocchet has been considered one of his greatest cheerleaders all through coaching camp, praising his work after the Canucks 3-1 win over the Kraken.
“I feel he performs a heavy sport, he’s not afraid to get in there, I feel he likes the heavy sport. He simply retains engaged on his skating and he simply retains taking part in sooner… I don’t assume there’s been a day that he hasn’t labored his ass off, like he all the time bought his motor operating. He’s making an attempt to make the group, and that’s what I’m in search of. He’s simply making an attempt to raise himself. He’s going to make rookie errors however we will stay with that if he retains working.”
Whereas Raty has solely confronted lesser expertise, the truth that he appears to be like higher than final season ought to excite followers for what he may do in Abbotsford and presumably Vancouver this season. He may even begin the season on the third line as an alternative of Suter or Blueger.
Silovs Needs the Crease to Begin 2024-25
With Thatcher Demko nonetheless rehabbing the distinctive popliteus muscle harm he suffered final season, Arturs Silovs and Kevin Lankinen would be the tandem on Oct. 9 when the Canucks tackle the Flames. Whereas Lankinen has but to swimsuit up for his new group (which can seemingly come tonight or tomorrow), Silovs has taken an early lead within the race for who will begin in that sport. He was robust within the blue-white scrimmage in opposition to his teammates and adopted that efficiency up with an equally spectacular outing in opposition to the Kraken.
ARTY 🎉 PARTY 🎉 pic.twitter.com/pS7FNcjIhx
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 25, 2024
Silovs performed the complete 60 minutes on Tuesday (Sept. 24), making just a few show-stopping saves when his defence was making dangerous choices in entrance of him. He made two cross-crease denials within the third that had Kraken forwards seeking to the heavens, one on Jaden Schwartz and one other on Andre Burakovsky. He seemed each bit the goaltender that began all however two video games of the Canucks’ 2024 Playoff run that noticed him play 10 video games and push the membership to 1 win of the Western Convention Ultimate. As of proper now, it doesn’t seem he’s going to surrender the crease to the veteran Lankinen that simply.
Extra Notes
- Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk are displaying some early chemistry collectively, combining for the time beyond regulation winner in opposition to the Flames. DeBrusk had two objectives within the sport and can carry a special dynamic to the ice than what we’ve seen previously. Pettersson ought to have much more room on the market this season with DeBrusk drawing defenders away from him together with his velocity and propensity to drive the online.
- Lekkerimaki has had a powerful coaching camp and preseason to date, however I really feel he will probably be higher served taking part in within the AHL at this level. He has an help in two preseason video games, however he hasn’t actually stood out as a dominant participant in opposition to predominantly AHL competitors. It’s going to be attention-grabbing to see how he performs in opposition to extra NHL-caliber lineups transferring ahead, however as of proper now, I feel he’s beginning the season in Abbotsford.
- Raty, Lekkerimaki and Bains have taken the highlight with regards to Abbotsford Canucks that would make the roster, however Max Sasson has additionally impressed. After a powerful first full season within the AHL the place he put up 18 objectives and 42 factors, he has emerged as a attainable top-three call-up if the Canucks want a middle.
Kraken, Flames & Oilers On Deck As Preseason Continues
The Canucks tackle the Kraken tonight, adopted by the Flames on Saturday. The primary will probably be streamed on Canucks.com, whereas the second will probably be featured on Sportsnet. After that, they are going to play the Oilers on Monday earlier than taking a three-day break forward of their last tuneup in opposition to the Oilers on Oct. 4. That sport will seemingly see a lot of the opening evening roster with line combos that can play in opposition to the Flames on Oct. 9 at Rogers Area.
