There have been days this season when walking into the office was a bit like walking into a minefield for Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet.

The Canucks have experienced a string of unexpected absences early in the campaign B次元官网网址� and Tocchet has been greeted with bad news more than once.

B次元官网网址淪ometimes you walk in the morning and itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址楬ey, this guy canB次元官网网址檛 play, this is happening,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� the coach said Wednesday.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 go in there and start like, B次元官网网址極h my god, what am I to do?B次元官网网址� The players need to see that IB次元官网网址檝e got a next-man-up mentality. ThatB次元官网网址檚 really what it comes up to. And then you deal with the other situations as they come.B次元官网网址�

VancouverB次元官网网址檚 all-star goalie Thatcher Demko missed the first two months of the season recovering from a knee injury. Winger Dakota Joshua didnB次元官网网址檛 get into the lineup until mid-November as he worked his way back from treatment following an off-season cancer diagnosis.

Sniper Brock Boeser was sidelined for nearly three weeks and missed seven games with a concussion in November. Star centre J.T. Miller is still on an indefinite leave for personal reasons.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of stuff thatB次元官网网址檚 hit us, with injuries and Demmer out B次元官网网址� you go down the list,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said. B次元官网网址淪ometimes itB次元官网网址檚 a good thing. Builds scar tissue, it builds character, and it builds fight in your team.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver got a key piece back Tuesday night when Demko made his first start of the season in the CanucksB次元官网网址� 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.

Other players appear poised for a return soon, too, including Derek Forbort, who could be back in the lineup Thursday when Vancouver hosts the Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers.

The 32-year-old defenceman has played just four games since signing with the Canucks as a free agent July 1.

He stepped away from the team in mid-October to deal with the death of his father, then returned for a road match against the San Jose Sharks in California on Nov. 2. He was hurt in the next practice and hasnB次元官网网址檛 suited up for a game since.

B次元官网网址淚t sucked. It was just kind of a freak kind of collision kind of thing on a pretty harmless kind of drill,B次元官网网址� Forbort said. B次元官网网址淏ut that stuff happens in hockey. And youB次元官网网址檝e just got to keep grinding.B次元官网网址�

Despite the absences, the Canucks remain above the playoff bar with a 14-8-5 record. The club has points in five of its last six outings.

The teamB次元官网网址檚 tight-knit nature has helped, Forbort said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just a close group in here. WeB次元官网网址檝e had so many call-ups and those kids come up and theyB次元官网网址檝e kind of integrated themselves into the culture pretty well and they played good hockey. And itB次元官网网址檚 been fun to see them,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淗opefully we can kind of get all those pieces back and get everyone accustomed to each other again. And really get rolling.B次元官网网址�

The Canucks may have another vital piece coming soon as Miller nears his return. The 31-year-old forward took morning skate Tuesday and practised with his teammates on Wednesday.

Miller had a career-high 103 points last season and put up six goals and 10 assists in 17 games before taking a leave from the team last month. His last game was Nov. 17.

Getting him back will mean a lot to the Canucks, said winger Conor Garland.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a big presence. And I think heB次元官网网址檚 a big presence on and off the ice. Obviously, heB次元官网网址檚 one of the best players in the league,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e lucky to have him. And any time a guy like him B次元官网网址� Demmer, guys like that, miss time, it hurts. But just to get him back in the fold, thatB次元官网网址檒l be good for us.B次元官网网址�

While a healthier roster gives Tocchet fresh options out on the ice, heB次元官网网址檚 found that patching holes has brought lessons, too.

This seasonB次元官网网址檚 difficulties have taught the coach B次元官网网址� winner of last seasonB次元官网网址檚 Jack Adams Award as the NHLB次元官网网址檚 top bench boss B次元官网网址� to step back and try to look at situations differently. HeB次元官网网址檚 also trying to prioritize relationships and communication to help both his team and individual players weather the adversity.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important that itB次元官网网址檚 not always about x and oB次元官网网址檚 and hockey and where you fit on the team,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really about life sometimes.B次元官网网址�