Canucks face off against each other in team scrimmage ahead of pre-season opener
Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet says he wants to see consistency and creativity from his players as the National Hockey League team prepares for its first pre-season game Sunday against the Flames in Calgary.
Most of the players dressing for Sunday's game in Alberta will be prospects and younger team members, Tocchet said Saturday following a team scrimmage in Victoria where the team has been in training camp.
“You want to get the young guys in,” he said. “There's some guys that deserve a shot.”
The Canucks have been in Victoria since Thursday and will conclude their training camp Sunday.
Tocchet said the team has been working on five-on-five systems throughout the camp, and consistency and effort are concepts he wants to instil in the players.
“You know me, hard to the bench. The wall work,” he said. “A lot of our concepts, a lot of our staples. I want those things first.”
But Tocchet said he doesn't want to restrict player creativity.
“If you have a chance, do your magic,” he said.
Canucks players squared off against each other Saturday in a full-contact scrimmage ahead of the first pre-season game.
The scrimmage contest saw the Canucks dress two full benches of players, including veterans Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and goalie Thatcher Demko and several rookies trying to crack the line up.
The two-period contest ended in a 3-1 score with team blue defeating the white squad.
Prospects Josh Bloom and Chase Wouters, along with veteran Conor Garland, scored for the blue team, while Teddy Blueger, a former Vegas Golden Knight who signed a free-agent contract with Vancouver in July, replied for team white.
Canucks forward Jack Studnicka said he expects the Canucks, who finished out of the playoffs and in sixth place in the Pacific division, will be a much improved team this season.
“I think we're going to be a good hockey team,” he said. “I think we're going to surprise some people.”
Studnicka, acquired in a trade last season with the Boston Bruins, said he has added more grit to his game this year.
“It's kind of hard to stand out (at camp) because we're working on a lot of systems stuff, but I'm trying to use my legs and throw my weight around a bit and just show that I'm in shape and I'm able to play in the dirty areas,” he said.
Garland also said he also plans to play with more of an edge this year.
“That's how I have to play,” said Garland. “It's nice to kind of get back to my old self.”
He shrugged off a brief shoving incident with Canucks teammate Dakota Joshua during Saturday's scrimmage.
“That stuff is over in a second,” Garland said. “We're actually pretty close off the ice. I'm probably going to have lunch with him.”
The Canucks begin the regular season on Oct. 11 against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian comedian, talk show host Mike Bullard dead at 67
Canadian stand-up comedian and former talk show host Mike Bullard has died.
Thousands of miles from home, Trudeau learns of dissension in his caucus
The free trade agreement with ASEAN is expected to be signed at the end of 2025. If Trudeau is pressured to step down, or if his government falls and loses the next election, Trudeau will not, as prime minister, be there to see the fruits of his labour.
Should men and women eat different breakfasts? Study suggests they should
The study, which uses a mathematical model, indicates that men and women may benefit from different breakfast choices to optimize metabolism and potentially aid weight management.
Here's the dirt on the germiest items in your day-to-day life
Your home – considered to be one of the safest havens from all the external stresses – is filthy.
Man charged after dead body found inside east Toronto apartment
Police have arrested and charged a 52-year-old man who wanted after failing to notify authorities about a dead person inside an apartment in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood.
Emaciated orca calf spotted off Vancouver Island, researchers say
Just a couple of weeks after a new southern resident killer whale calf was first seen, its health appears to have taken a bad turn.
Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna dies in Russian detention, Kyiv says
Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who went missing in an occupied part of her country, died in Russian detention last month, Ukrainian authorities said earlier this week.
Trump suggests a protester may get 'the hell knocked out of her' by her parents
Former U.S. president Donald Trump called for a protester at one of his rallies to 'go back home to Mommy' to 'get the hell knocked out of her,' his latest instance of using violent language when confronted by demonstrators.
Israel says 4 soldiers killed by Hezbollah drone attack while Israeli strike in Gaza leaves 20 dead
A Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central Israel killed four soldiers and severely wounded seven others Sunday, the military said, in the deadliest strike by the militant group since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon nearly two weeks ago.