While Quinn Hughes is looking forward to his rookie season, the young Vancouver Canucks defenceman isnB次元官网网址檛 relishing his first assignment of the year B次元官网网址� defending Oilers juggernaut Connor McDavid.
B次元官网网址淚 think youB次元官网网址檝e got to be careful what you ask for,B次元官网网址� Hughes said Tuesday. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a really good player. IB次元官网网址檓 sure heB次元官网网址檚 going to be really good (on Wednesday) and weB次元官网网址檙e just going to have to defend against that.B次元官网网址�
The 19-year-old blue liner got a taste the NHL at the end of last season, playing five games with the Canucks where he delighted fans with his speedy skating and uncanny play making.
Hughes knows, however, that playing a full 82 games will be a much different monster.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think anyone has higher expectations for me than myself,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址滻 put a lot of pressure on myself to do well and succeed. So IB次元官网网址檓 just excited for (Wednesday). Going to take it one day at a time.B次元官网网址�
Wednesday will see the Canucks kick off their season in Edmonton, icing a team that includes several faces who werenB次元官网网址檛 in the lineup at the same time last year.
Mid-season trades added forwards Tanner Pearson and Josh Leivo to the lineup. Hughes joined the squad after wrapping his college hockey career at the University of Michigan. And Canucks general manager Jim Benning was busy over the summer, bringing forward J.T. Miller in from Tampa Bay on a swap for picks, then signing veteran defencemen Tyler Myers and Jordie Benn, and forward Micheal Ferland in free agency.
All of the roster juggling is expected to bring new depth to the Canucks while bolstering the skills of young stars like Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat.
B次元官网网址淚 feel like we have an older team, a team built to handle certain situations,B次元官网网址� said coach Travis Green. B次元官网网址淚 feel like the maturity level of our group has gone up, not just with the guys weB次元官网网址檝e signed, but with the younger guys coming into their own a little bit more.B次元官网网址�
Vancouver finished last season 12th in the Western Conference with a 35-26-11 record, but the off-season additions and belief in the up-and-coming core have fans excitedly discussing playoff ambitions.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 similar talk in the locker room, too.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e a super excited group. We have great hockey players and if everybodyB次元官网网址檚 showing up and doing a good job, weB次元官网网址檙e going to be successful,B次元官网网址� said goalie Jacob Markstrom.
Defenceman Chris Tanev is heading into his 10th season with the Canucks and said this is the best team heB次元官网网址檚 been part of B次元官网网址渋n a while.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e have high expectations in here,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址漌eB次元官网网址檙e ready for the year and weB次元官网网址檙e going to put pressure on ourselves to have a really good year.B次元官网网址�
Green fully expects his team to be better this year and isnB次元官网网址檛 shy about saying that their goal is securing a post-season berth.
B次元官网网址淲here the organization is going is exciting,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址漈his year for me is the start of something that you hope goes on for awhile. And IB次元官网网址檝e said that. We donB次元官网网址檛 want to be a team that creeps into the playoffs and then isnB次元官网网址檛 there for a couple years. B次元官网网址� You want to give yourself as many chances as you can.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks will start the year on the road with visits to Edmonton and Calgary, but the team also has plans to celebrate the season with fans during the home opener on Oct. 9.
After going captain-less last year, the club will be handing out the B次元官网网址楥B次元官网网址� at the first game in Vancouver, Green announced Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e put a lot of thought into it. We donB次元官网网址檛 take it lightly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e think itB次元官网网址檚 the right time for our organization and the right time for the person weB次元官网网址檙e going to name. We think itB次元官网网址檚 a special moment and something that our fans should be able to witness firsthand.B次元官网网址�
Horvat, Tanev, Alex Edler and Brandon Sutter will rotate the assistant captain position through the first two games of the year.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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