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There's been a lot of discussion about who the Vancouver Canucks bottom-6 centres will be this season.
From Bo Horvat to Brad Richardson, to Brendan Gaunce, we've heard a lot of names mentioned.
One player that hasn't been brought up near as much as he should be is Mike Santorelli.
The 27-year-old centreman signed a two-way contract with the Canucks earlier this summer and is making a strong case for a spot on the team.
He's reportedly looked quite good in camp and is in excellent shape. He recently ran 3KM faster than every player on the Canucks roster which is pretty impressive.
Santorelli is a very good skater who can be effective at both ends of the rink. He can play on the penalty kill and if utilized properly can create offense and put up points as well.
A few seasons ago he scored 20 goals and recorded 41 points with the Florida Panthers so it's not as if he hasn't produced in the NHL before.
Is he a top-6 player? No. But he can be an effective bottom-6 player. With a strong preseason he could earn himself a spot on the roster and at this point I wouldn't bet against him.
I absolutely love Bo Horvat, but if Horvat has a mediocre preseason and Santorelli plays well, it'd probably make sense to put Horvat back in junior. That would give Horvat another year to develop and hone his craft in the OHL with the London Knights, who will host the Memorial Cup this season.
Horvat has impressed in camp, too, so I wouldn't bet against him making the team, either.
It'll be fun to see how these battles play out as preseason goes along as this could go a lot of different ways.
Preseason begins for the Canucks Monday night when they take on the San Jose Sharks.
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