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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.