To start today, Elliott Pap has a good article in the Vancouver Sun, talking more about Bo Horvat's chances of sticking with the Canucks this year.
Pap reports that, while Horvat is still technically obligated to the OHL's London Knights, team bosses Mark and Dale Hunter gave him permission to leave their training camp last week so that he could take advantage of the Canucks' informal workouts at Britannia Rink.
Maybe Jim Benning is serious about giving him a chance to make the team?
The Canucks, he noted, were the ones pushing for Horvat to join the group skating at Britannia. Their reasoning was obvious: doing drills and scrimmaging daily with the Sedin twins, Alex Burrows, Chris Higgins and other members of the big club would likely benefit Horvat more than any junior exhibition game.
Horvat says he's had a great summer and feels better than he ever has in his career, so it sounds like he's ready to take his best shot at making the team.
According to our poll yesterday, less than 25 percent of you think he'll break through and become a full-time NHL player this season. Starting Thursday, he'll get his chance to show whether or not he's ready.
Pap also has a second piece, on the prospects, briefly touching on the status of the Canucks' next five players on the depth chart—Dane Fox, Brendan Gaunce, Hunter Shinkaruk, Jared McCann and Cole Cassels.
Beyond that group, I'm looking forward to getting a look at defensemen Anton Cederholm, Mackenze Stewart and Jordan Subban, as well as college player Mike Zalewski, who joined the Canucks for two games late last year.
Unlike Horvat, rehabbing forward Jake Virtanen is currently with his junior team, the Calgary Hitmen. There's good news, from Laurence Heinen of the Calgary Herald:
“I’m ahead of schedule right now,… said Virtanen, who has been skating with the Hitmen, although he’s not yet cleared for contact. “It feels good to be out playing already, but I don’t want to rush stuff. I’ll see what the doctors in Vancouver are saying and what they want. I’ll figure it out there and find out when I’ll be able to come back and play.…
We likely won't see Virtanen in action at YoungStars, but it's nice to hear that the surgery shouldn't cause him to miss too much time with the Hitmen this season.
Bieksa Reps Canucks in New York
The NHL is holding its season-kickoff media tour in New York this week, with 34 players from around the league gathering for interviews, photo shoots and other promotional duties.
The Canucks have sent the eternally witty Kevin Bieksa as their rep for this season. A good choice—he has the personality to deliver a good soundbite while remaining fiercely loyal to his team.
Here's Bieksa chatting with new Hockey Night in Canada host George Stroumboulopolous yesterday (I still can't spell Strombo's last name without having to double check it!)
“@VanCanucks: .@kbieksa3 joined @strombo this morning in New York to talk about the upcoming #NHL season. pic.twitter.com/T1TDl6hWAZ… pleasure
— Kevin Bieksa (@kbieksa3) September 9, 2014And here are a couple of quotes from ESPN's Katie Strang, from today's sessions:
Canucks D Kevin Bieksa on playing in stacked Pacific division: "If you're asking if I love the division, the answer is no."
— Katie Strang (@KatieStrangESPN) September 9, 2014Bieksa on new-look Canucks: "We're still on the verge of being one of the top teams. That's how we feel internally."
— Katie Strang (@KatieStrangESPN) September 9, 2014I just came across this in-depth interview with Bieksa from August 29th, in the Richmond Review. It's a good read.
Bieksa talks about his offseason work with skating coach Derek Popke, alongside former Canuck Jason Garrison, as well as his involvement with the MindCheck program to honour the legacy of his friend Rick Rypien and how it's the love of the game that drives most successful players to reach NHL levels.
Quick Hits
To conclude today, a couple more tidbits from Twitter, because inquiring minds want to know.
First—it appears there's no truth to the rumour that circulated earlier this summer about Alex Burrows being asked to waive his no-trade clause:
Alex Burrows, back in VAN to skate, said Canucks never asked him to waive NTC. Confirms what GM Jim Benning said.
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacVanSun) September 8, 2014And the biggest news of all:
Breaking Canucks news...Chris Higgins has shaved off the beard.
— JAY JANOWER (@DOUBLEJGLOBALBC) September 8, 2014No photographic evidence yet, but I wonder if I'll recognize Higgins without the beard. I saw a picture of the clean-shaven Kings' playoff superhero Jason Williams yesterday and he looked so much less—fearsome? Will Higgins be the same?