The Vancouver Canucks believe making the playoffs isnB次元官网网址檛 simply possible this season B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 imperative.
The club finished five points shy of a playoff spot with a 40-30-12 record last season.
This year needs to be different, said captain Bo Horvat.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to go do it now. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no more excuses,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚t was promising what we did last year, having so many meaningful games and winning a lot of them. It was a step in the right direction.
B次元官网网址淏ut, at the same time, us not making the playoffs isnB次元官网网址檛 good enough. And we canB次元官网网址檛 just be satisfied with almost.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks have reasons for optimism heading into the 2022-23 campaign.
Head coach Bruce Boudreau is set to lead the team for a full season after signing a one-year contract in May.
The veteran NHL bench boss took over in December last year when Vancouver languished at the bottom of the Pacific Division. The Canucks went 32-15-10 under his guidance.
Boudreau B次元官网网址渇irmly believesB次元官网网址� in his team.
B次元官网网址淚 know itB次元官网网址檚 a new season but IB次元官网网址檝e got to believe weB次元官网网址檙e capable of taking off where we left off,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd I think if you look at it on paper, weB次元官网网址檙e a better team now than we were at the end of the year. B次元官网网址� ThereB次元官网网址檚 no reason for me to think weB次元官网网址檙e not capable of doing some pretty good things here.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks didnB次元官网网址檛 make major moves in the off-season, but tinkered with their forward group in free agency.
Vancouver added former Kontinental Hockey League star Andrei Kuzmenko, ex-Toronto Maple Leaf Illya Mikheyev and former Boston Bruin Curtis Lazar.
The Canucks also locked up some of their top talents in inking right-winger Brock Boeser to a three-year, US$4.475-million deal and centre J.T. Miller to a seven-year, $56-million extension that kicks in next season.
Areas of concern remain in the CanucksB次元官网网址� lineup, however.
After struggling at times on the blue-line last season, Vancouver will ice virtually the same defensive core to start this year.
Boudreau toyed in training camp with moving defenceman Quinn Hughes to the right side, but the switch simply moves a problem rather than solving one.
A spate of injuries also hit the CanucksB次元官网网址� locker room during training camp.
Boeser (hand) is questionable to start the regular season. His fellow right-winger Mikheyev (lower-body), and defencemen Travis Dermott (concussion) and Tyler Myers (lower-body) are all likely to miss games.
The injuries provided other players with opportunities at training camp, said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin.
B次元官网网址淭he good thing is weB次元官网网址檝e seen a lot of our depth players,B次元官网网址� he said B次元官网网址淎nd IB次元官网网址檓 really happy to see a lot of our younger players pushing the older guys in practice and giving us some hard discussions about the opening-night roster.B次元官网网址�
Vancouver opens the season on a five-game road swing starting with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
The Canucks then head to Philadelphia, Washington, Columbus and Minnesota before coming home to the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 22.
The Canucks are eager to get started, Boudreau said.
B次元官网网址淥ur team, EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 team, everyoneB次元官网网址檚 team, canB次元官网网址檛 wait to get everything going,B次元官网网址� he said.
CHARISMATIC KUZMENKO
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 fan base has been quick to embrace Kuzmenko, a Russian forward with a lethal shot and a wide smile.
The 26-year-old put up 53 points for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL last season. HeB次元官网网址檚 been open about the fact that heB次元官网网址檚 still trying to find his game on NHL ice.
Coming to North America has been difficult, Kuzmenko said, but heB次元官网网址檚 learning from his new coaches every day and believes thereB次元官网网址檚 room to grow.
B次元官网网址淣ow is not my maximum,B次元官网网址� he said.
Kuzmenko scored in a 4-0 win over the Arizona Coyotes in the pre-season finale, which is something Boudreau expects to see a lot of this season.
B次元官网网址淕ive him a chance and he can score. HeB次元官网网址檚 going to be good,B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 still learning this game. HeB次元官网网址檚 played his whole life overseas and heB次元官网网址檚 still learning this game.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt about his release and his shot. ItB次元官网网址檚 as good as anybodyB次元官网网址檚. And thatB次元官网网址檚 a pretty good weapon when you have it.B次元官网网址�
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Goalie Thatcher Demko impressed in his first season as an NHL starter, going 33-22-7 with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage last season.
B次元官网网址淟ast year for me, I just wanted to become an NHL starting goalie full-time and I was able to do that,B次元官网网址� Demko said. B次元官网网址淎nd for me, the expectation now is to become a top goalie in the league.
B次元官网网址淏eing a starting goalie isnB次元官网网址檛 good enough anymore. ItB次元官网网址檚 about taking that next step and continuing to prove myself to my teammates and the league as well.B次元官网网址�
Demko will have a new backup this season in Spencer Martin.
The 27-year-old goalie was called up from the American Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Abbotsford Canucks last season and saw action in six games, going 3-0-3 with a 1.74 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage.
The performance earned Martin a two-year, $1.525-million contract and the No. 2 spot this season.
SCHEDULE WATCH
The Canucks face a tough mid-winter homestand starting with a matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 18. That test is followed by back-to-back games against the Stanley Cup-champion Colorado Avalanche and McDavidB次元官网网址檚 Oilers. Vancouver closes out the four-game stretch Jan. 24 against an opponent with substantially less firepower B次元官网网址� the Chicago Blackhawks.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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