Rick Tocchet has already warned his Vancouver Canucks players B次元官网网址� the looming NHL season wonB次元官网网址檛 be easy.

The team made strides last year, the head coach said Wednesday ahead of training camp. The bar has been raised for this yearB次元官网网址檚 campaign.

B次元官网网址淭o get to the next plateau, there are higher expectations and itB次元官网网址檚 going to be hard. We know that,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said in Penticton, B.C., where the team will open its camp on Thursday.

B次元官网网址淪o thatB次元官网网址檚 the next level. It starts day one (on Thursday). My thing is donB次元官网网址檛 waste a rep out there.B次元官网网址�

The Canucks finished atop the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record last season, then ousted the Nashville Predators from the playoffs in a gritty, six-game first-round series. Vancouver then fell to the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game second-round set.

Last fall, Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations, said everything would have to go right for the team to make a playoff push. That doesnB次元官网网址檛 change this season, he said, despite last yearB次元官网网址檚 success.

B次元官网网址淭he challenges will be greater, certainly. But I believe the team that we started with last year, we have just as good a team to start the season this year and probably better,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎s long as the team builds off what they did last year, stick to what the coaches tell them, stick to the system, stick together in good times and bad times, this team has a chance to do pretty well.B次元官网网址�

Some key players will be missing as VancouverB次元官网网址檚 training camp begins, however.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced Wednesday that star goalie Thatcher Demko will not be on the ice when the team begins itB次元官网网址檚 pre-season preparation.

Allvin did not disclose the reason for DemkoB次元官网网址檚 absence, but said the 28-year-old American has been making progress.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 been in working extremely hard and he seems to be in a great mindset,B次元官网网址� the GM said.

Demko missed several weeks of the regular season and much of VancouverB次元官网网址檚 playoff run last spring with a knee injury.

The six-foot-four, 192-pound goalie has a career 213-116-81 regular-season record with a .912 save percentage, a 2.79 goals-against average and eight shutouts across seven seasons with the Canucks.

Allvin also announced that veteran centre Teddy Blueger and defensive prospect Cole McWard will also miss the start of training camp after each had B次元官网网址渕inor lower-body surgery.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver previously announced winger Dakota Joshua wonB次元官网网址檛 be present for the start of camp as he recovers from surgery for testicular cancer.

Tocchet said heB次元官网网址檒l have no problem filling the holes, and plans to switch his lines up a lot in Penticton.

B次元官网网址淣othingB次元官网网址檚 set in stone,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 important that you have different puzzles at different times.B次元官网网址�

The coach added that he expects standout centre Elias Pettersson to begin on a line with Canucks newcomer Jake DeBrusk.

Vancouver inked DeBrusk, a former Boston Bruins forward, to a seven-year, US$38.5 million deal when the NHLB次元官网网址檚 free agent market opened on July 1.

The glare on Pettersson is expected to be bright once again as he enters the first year of a new eight-year, $92.8 million contract. The 25-year-old Swede struggled at times last season and put 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games.

Rutherford said he was impressed with how Pettersson looked when he returned to Vancouver ahead of camp.

B次元官网网址淗e seems to be a guy thatB次元官网网址檚 more relaxed and more comfortable. And for obvious reasons,B次元官网网址� said the president of hockey ops. B次元官网网址淭his is a guy that I believe has worked really hard this summer. HeB次元官网网址檚 done everything he can to play as a top-line player. B次元官网网址� The expectation for him is to be one of the top players on our team.B次元官网网址�

A number of Canucks hit milestones last season, including Quinn Hughes, who led all NHL defencemen in scoring with 92 points and won the Norris Trophy as the leagueB次元官网网址檚 top blue liner.

Several players could once again have career-best years for Vancouver, Tocchet said, but theyB次元官网网址檒l need to be consistent and not allow frustration to creep in when things go wrong.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e just got to drive yourself every day when you have a great year,B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got to keep creating that environment where they can achieve those goals, whatever they are. And the main goal is winning. ThatB次元官网网址檚 really what it comes down to.B次元官网网址�