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Vancouver Canucks top TSN prospect list as they prepare to face Panthers |
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Tuesday February 6 - Vancouver Canucks at Florida Panthers - 4:30 p.m. - Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet 650
Vancouver Canucks: 52 GP, 21-25-6, 48 pts, seventh in Pacific Division
Florida Panthers: 50 GP, 22-22-6, 50 pts, fourth in Atlantic Division
Less than two weeks to go until the trade deadline, and it's still crickets—not just for the Canucks, but all around the National Hockey League. Nothing really to report on the trade front beyond idle speculation. The crew on Hockey Night in Canada suggested last Saturday that asking prices around the league remain high, and it'll take more time before players start shaking loose.
Nothing says hockey like beaches and palm trees.
Sam Gagner was back on the ice when the Canucks practiced on Monday at the BB&T Center.
The Canucks didn't skate this morning, so there's no definitive word on whether or not Gagner will be back in the lineup tonight.
Brendan Batchelor also reported on Monday that Chris Tanev has ditched his cage and is back to a regular visor. For a good look at the current state of his mouth, check out his appearance on Hockey Night in Canada's After Hours from last Saturday night.
Travis Green spoke on Monday about how he's looking for more commitment from Ben Hutton and Derrick Pouliot, who have been the scratches now that the defense is healthy.
Hutton says he's getting the messge.
Tonight's game will be a return to their old stomping ground for former Panthers Jacob Markstrom and Erik Gudbranson. Thomas Vanek also played 20 games in Florida after last season's trade deadline.
The Panthers have moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Division after three straight wins coming out of the All-Star Break. They're still a distant eight points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot, with four teams to pass. With both Roberto Luongo and James Reimer currently sidelined with injuries, 28-year-old journeyman Harri Sateri was named the NHL's second star last week after earning his first three career NHL wins in games against the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings, giving up just five goals along the way.
Sateri is confirmed as the Panthers' starter tonight. He'll be backed up by 21-year-old Samuel Montembeault, who's in his first pro season and has yet to see any NHL action.
The Panthers are led offensively by the trio of Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov, who are scattered through the team's top six. Former Canuck Radim Vrbata, who was signed as a free agent after putting up 55 points in Arizona last year, has just five goals and 13 points in 35 games this year. He has been healthy-scratched four times in Florida's last five games and isn't expected to dress tonight.
Meanwhile, former Canuck Jared McCann has settled into a third-line centre role, behind Barkov and Trocheck. Also with five goals and 13 points—in his case, in 37 games—he was healthy scratched for two games about a month ago but has played in the last seven, where he has two assists and is a plus-one. For the year, McCann is averaging 13:08 of ice time. The 21-year-old continues to struggle in the faceoff circle, with a success rate of 39.6 percent.
Jeff Paterson has a closer look at McCann, who says he doesn't keep in touch with any of his former teammates in Vancouver.
He does praise the work ethic of Michael Del Zotto, who was one of his offseason training partners at BioSteel in Toronto last summer.
“Jared’s a work in progress and a young guy who’s still learning to be a good pro every day and every night,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner told Paterson. “Consistency in his game is what we concentrate with him. We’re asking a lot of him as a third line centre. He’s been used on the penalty kill, 4-on4 situations and he’s been spotted in on the power-play. I think he’s still learning how to get into the face-off circle and compete against some pretty good players on the draw. That’s one of the things we’re working on with him.”
The Canucks should get a chance to work with their power play tonight—and could be in for a gritty game. The Panthers are second in the league in average penalty time per game, but that's primarily because they lead the league by a long shot with 29 majors. Vancouver is tied for 16th with 11—and Derek Dorsett had four of those. Micheal Haley, who you might remember as the former tough guy from the San Jose Sharks, is now with Florida and is leading the league with 13 majors. He's expected to skate on the fourth line tonight with Derek MacKenzie and Colton Sceviour.
Though he played just 20 games this season, Dorsett's 74 penalty minutes still have him in the top 10 in the league—tied for seventh with Kevin Bieksa.
Though the Canucks chose to part with their prospect McCann, their cupboard is now overflowing at an unprecedented level. Did you ever think you'd see the day when Vancouver topped TSN's list of NHL-affiliated prospects??
Here's how Craig Button ranks the five Canucks on the list:
Elias Pettersson - #1
Olli Juolevi - #24
Adam Gaudette - #26
Jonathan Dahlen - #31
Thatcher Demko - #42
As I type this, Pettersson's Vaxjo Lakers are trailing Finland's JYP Jyvaskyla 1-0 after 40 minutes in the Champions Hockey League final. Time for a clutch goal!
Now with 45 points in 35 Swedish Hockey League games, Pettersson is in third place in league scoring, three points back, despite having missed the better part of a month for World Juniors.
As for Adam Gaudette, he's now leading the entire NCAA in scoring with 20 goals and 42 points in 28 games.
Gaudette picked up a goal and two assists on Monday as his Northeastern Huskies shut out Boston College 3-0 to advance to next Monday's final of the annual Beanpot tournament against Boston University. Northeastern hasn't won since 1988—the longest title drought among any of the competing schools.
Gaudette is a testament to the power of minor trade-deadline deals. He was selected by the Canucks with a 2015 fifth-round draft pick that the Gillis regime acquired when they sent Raphael Diaz to the New York Rangers at the 2014 trade deadline.
Finally—the Utica Comets are now 8-0-2 in their last 10 games, which has helped them climb ahead of the Syracuse Crunch into third place in the AHL's North Division. Thatcher Demko is one off the league lead with 17 wins to go along with his .929 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average.
To wrap up today, a shoutout to Dan Hamhuis, who played his 1,00th-career NHL game on Monday night. Hammer still has love for the Canucks as he recalls the top moments of his career.
Enjoy the game!
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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