Daniel Sprong can score goals, but is he the right fit for Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk … and other Canucks roster questions
The former duo is obviously still going to be together to start the year, while the latter is on hold while Joshua undergoes treatment for testicular cancer.
But who will those third forwards be? Let’s ponder …
Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk
The Albertan plays smart, has great hands, and is expected to be a fine compliment to Pettersson’s high-end creativity, finishing and two-way dominance.
On Thursday, Tocchet acknowledged that the winger option for DeBrusk and Pettersson remains wide open.
“I’m not going to lie to you, it’s something i think about every day,” he said. “There’s a lot of different options to go.”
Hoglander scored 24 goals last season, many of them with Pettersson. He was a solid performer on Pettersson’s left wing, even after Pettersson’s second-half struggles set in.
But he disappeared in the playoffs. So whether he can sustain himself against the tight checking Pettersson will inevitably draw remains his biggest question mark.
Still, Tocchet is clearly intrigued by the notion, noting on Thursday that if Hoglander were to join the line, DeBrusk would slide over to the right wing.
with Daniel Sprong?
The Flying Dutchman was exactly thus on Wednesday night in Abbotsford, scoring the best pre-season goal scored by a Canuck since Pavel Bure’s stick-to-foot-to-stick tally against the Bruins in 1996. The man can score, he has marvellous hands well-suited to how Pettersson and DeBrusk are inclined to attack.
But his defensive game is why he was still a free agent in August and why he’s not making a lot more money. The Canucks are hopeful they can help him find his way in his own end. If he does, he’s a viable option to play with Pettersson.
with Kiefer Sherwood?
Sherwood is a speedy, right-shooting player who has generally been used as a checker in his career, but Tocchet has mentioned him as a possible option to play with Pettersson and DeBrusk from time to time, most likely in more defensive situations, or when maybe the two need someone who can bash and crash a little.
with Jonathan Lekkerimaki?
The rookie is the most intriguing option in front of us. The kid has zip, the kid has finish, but is the kid ready to do battle with the biggest, strongest, toughest defenders going?
After a difficult post-draft year, Lekkerimaki set Swedish hockey on fire last season, taking enough steps forward and putting some buzz on his name. It’s almost certain he won’t be on the opening night roster, given he is waivers exempt, but you know he’s close, and even if he doesn’t start the season in the NHL, assuming he has a strong start in the AHL, we’re sure to see him at some point this season.
J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser
The dynamic duo were electric last season and there’s little doubt they’re going to be back together this season.
with Danton Heinen?
The veteran winger was brought in with clear purpose — to bring his smart, two-way game to Miller’s left flank.
He’s a big winger, a strong skater. Miller said Thursday that his new teammate has quickly picked up on his new linemates’ instincts. We’ll see how quickly they click.
“I like Heinen where he is with Miller and Boeser. Smart guy,” Tocchet said.
with Hoglander?
Hoglander is probably better suited to the Pettersson line, but there’s little doubt that his forechecking instincts and willingness to play close to the net play well to how Miller likes to play.
Miller is a player who likes to play close to the defence, using his strength and power to control situations. Hoglander is similarly minded.
The main knock on him has been his defensive play, but that greatly improved last season, so you do wonder if perhaps he could play with Miller and Boeser from time to time.
The bruising winger is currently out battling cancer, but when he’s back to full health you could see him as an option with Miller and Boeser.
He’s a ferocious forechecker and plays that physical style that is Miller’s instinct. And he proved last year that he’s got the hands to finish. You know playing with the creative Miller and the shot-happy Boeser that there will be plenty of opportunities in tight to bury.
Conor Garland and Pius Suter
They were such an effective pairing last season, why wouldn’t you put them back together?
with Hoglander?
The feisty winger has the hands to finish the wild chances that Garland creates.
The only real question is: Is that line too small? There’s no doubt the heart such a trio would bring to the table, so it’s probably not a problem, but you know it will be a talking point.
with Sherwood?
This would be a speedy, aggressive line, but would the right-shot Sherwood be lost on the left? Or could Garland swap over?
And does Sherwood have the finishing ability you need when playing with Garland?
Bains showed enough hustle to his game last season that you expect he’ll get another look, but he struggled to find any of the offensive game he’s built over the past half-decade, working his way from the B.C. Major Midget League, into the Western Hockey League and then the American Hockey League.
Blueline questions
Who plays with Hughes?
But if you split them up, you can imagine the Canucks’ puck-possession game being even better than it was — assuming you get the right partners for each.
Can you really run Derek Forbort and Desharnais together?
Both of the newest Canucks defencemen are here for one reason, and it’s not to move the puck.
Neither is the fleetest of foot, either, so can you really run them as a defence pair?
Forbort and Myers makes some sense, but then that means playing Desharnais on a second pair — and he struggled last year in Edmonton when he was asked to do too much.
So status quo, with a big question mark underneath?
Last year, Myers and Soucy were a solid duo. They could be again.
You know Hughes and Hronek would work well together — but that still leaves Forbort and Desharnais.
It’s going to be interesting to see how these defencemen are deployed.