Vancouver Canucks prepare for first preseason game in L.A. on Saturday (jake virtanen)

jake virtanen

Vancouver Canucks prepare for first preseason game in L.A. on Saturday

By Carol Schram

Sep 15, 2017 • 2:47 pm

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The Vancouver Canucks are back on the ice at Rogers Arena today for their last full day of workouts before their preseason schedule opens on Saturday in Los Angeles.

The groups have shifted a bit today, with the crew that'll travel to L.A. taking the first shift.

Word is that some of these players will also be on the China trip. That flight leaves Vancouver on Sunday morning.

The team's scrimmage on Thursday ended in a scoreless tie—good news for the goalies!

Just one player earned a positive name-check from coach Travis Green.

Virtanen will get his next chance to show his stuff on Saturday, playing on a feisty fourth line with PTO candidate Ryan White and Utica Comets captain Carter Bancks.

After skating with the Sedins for the first two games, Nikolay Goldobin will take Brock Boeser's spot on the right side of Vancouver's top line against the Kings, playing with Bo Horvat and Scottie Upshall.

Though he has been given good opportunities so far, Goldobin was the subject of some odd speculation on Thursday.

This is a strange analogy, as Tryamkin was a restricted free agent when he decided to return to Russia last spring—a move that's allowed under the agreement between the NHL and the KHL. Goldobin still has two years remaining on his entry-level contract, and has every intention of fulfilling that deal.

Alex Burmistrov is also getting a good opportunity in Saturday's game, centring the second line with wingers Sven Baertschi and Brock Boeser. He'll be able to boost his cause if he can help generate some offense.

On the blue line, we'll see Michael Del Zotto for the first time, paired with Erik Gudbranson. Swedish blueliner Philip Holm and perennial bubble-by Andrey Pedan will also get their chances, paired with reliable partners Alex Biega and Troy Stecher, respectively.

I've heard that Stecher has been a standout in the practices so far. Should he be worried that he's being slotted onto a third pair?

Here's more on Holm, from earlier in the week:

The short version:

As for the power play:

With a big emphasis on trying to generate offense with the man advantage this year, the plan is to deploy both PP units with four forwards and just one defenseman.

I expect the Markstrom/Nilsson goaltending tandem will be part of the group of players from the L.A. group that's also earmarked for China.

Anton Rodin is staying in Vancouver and currently in a rather unglamourous spot on the fourth-line left wing, but a rumour about him also surfaced on Thursday.

Rodin appeared in just three regular-season games last season as he struggled to overcome his knee issues and was eventually shut down for another surgery. He did look good during preseason last year, when he played a lot. Rodin could still play his way into the lineup but is starting from a pretty low spot on the totem pole—today, he's on the left wing of the fourth line, lining up with Michael Chaput and Kole Lind, who's filling in for an injured Michael Carcone.

Rodin's on a one-year contract that will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. If he does go back to Sweden, that could be the end of the NHL dream for the 26-year-old who was named the Swedish Hockey League's MVP before this injury derailed his development.

If Rodin makes the opening-night lineup, obviously he'll stick around for a bit. There's also a conflicting report that he has no intention of going back to Sweden.

On the management side, only Travis Green and Trevor Linden will be going to China. The young players who stay behind should get a shot at plenty of quality ice time, and will have an important group of Canucks execs to impress.

After running the bench at Young Stars, I assume Trent Cull will also be coaching the group that doesn't go to China.

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