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Travis Green sticks with his lineup as Vancouver Canucks face Burrows, Sens
October 10, 2017, 2:56 PM ET [507 Comments]
Carol Schram
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Tuesday October 10 - Vancouver Canucks vs. Ottawa Senators - 7 p.m. - Sportsnet Vancouver, Sportsnet 650

Vancouver Canucks: 1 GP, 1-0-0, 2 pts, fifth in Pacific Division
Ottawa Senators: 2 GP, 0-0-2, 2 pts, sixth in Atlantic Division

The Vancouver Canucks will look to prove that Saturday's big win over the Edmonton Oilers was no fluke when they host Alex Burrows and the Ottawa Senators tonight at Rogers Arena.

The team is taking an optional skate this morning.




The Boeser-lovers are going to have to wait a little longer to see their boy get on the ice. In the tradition of not messing with a winning lineup, Travis Green is sticking with the group that played so well against Edmonton on Saturday.




Green addressed the Boeser situation head-on after Monday's practice.




I wonder if this is an indication that Brock will make his 2017-18 debut against Winnipeg on Thursday?




The rest of the story today is the return of Alex Burrows to Rogers Arena, wearing a different uniform for the first time in his career.




Like many other longtime former Canucks, Burrows will be saluted during tonight's game—and knows that can go a couple of different ways.

“Kes got booed, Kevin got applauded,” Burrows said with a smile to Josh Clipperton of the Canadian Press. “The fans have been really good with me throughout my years here."

I'm sure the initial reception will be warm. Around these parts, Burrows will always be the dragon slayer.



I wonder if we'll see him differently as we watch him work his irritating style on behalf of the opposition tonight?

According to Sportsnet, Burrows plans to choose his targets carefully tonight.

“I’ve had so many good teammates in Vancouver throughout the years, even all of the guys that are there right now are a great bunch of guys,” said Burrows. “I don’t think I’m going to be chirping any one of them, but it would probably by a new guy like maybe (Alex) Burmistrov or (Thomas) Vanek or guys that I don’t really know or haven’t played with.”


With Vanek playing in Burrows' old spot beside the Sedins, he would be an easy target, wouldn't he?

It's also unlikely that Burrows will get booed because, unlike Ryan Kesler, he didn't force a trade. Just the opposite—he agreed to waive his no-trade clause last February in order to help the Canucks out by allowing them to trade him to the Senators.

As for the asset that the Canucks received in return? We finally have some clarity on Jonathan Dahlen's immediate future.




Last season, Dahlen was the leading scorer for Timra, in Sweden's second-tier league, with 44 points in 45 games. It's nice to see that this is designed as a short-term move—presumably intended to help him get healthy and back into game shape after his bout of mono, as much as anything else. If he plays well over the next three months, he could move up to a top-tier Swedish Hockey League team, or come back to North America and rejoin the Utica Comets.

Back to the Sens. I have been fussing all summer about the fact that Ottawa's visit for this year comes so early in the season—too early, after Erik Karlsson's offseason ankle surgery.

Karlsson's skating, but he's not ready to get back into game action after what sounds like it was a gnarly procedure.




I feel like we haven't seen enough of Karlsson's otherworldly abilities here in Vancouver—and after this surgery, I'm fearful that he won't come back as the same game-changer that we saw in last year's playoffs—especially when his skating is such a huge part of his game.

He amazed us all with his recovery from that sliced Achilles tendon a few years back. I'm hoping he'll eventually do the same this time around, but it's disappointing that we won't get to see him play tonight.




On the other hand, a Senators team without Karlsson should be easier for the Canucks to match up against. With defenseman Ben Harpur also sidelined with a shoulder injury, the Sens have recalled rookie defensemen Thomas Chabot and Christian Jaros to help fill the ranks. Chabot, a World Juniors star for Canada, played one NHL game last season; if Jaros suits up, he'll be making his NHL debut.

Forward Mike Hoffman has been ill, but is on the ice for this morning's skate, so he could play. Expect to see Craig Anderson in goal—you might remember that he made 22 saves to shut out the Canucks at Rogers Arena on October 25, 2016 in the second game of Vancouver's soul-crushing nine-game early-season losing streak.

Here's a look at Ottawa's lines. We could see Burrows skating tonight with towering rookie Logan Brown and Nate Thompson.




I guess I'm the only one around these parts who saw Thompson make an appearance on last season's Real Housewives of New York as a potential suitor for Bethenny Frankel, aren't I?




I wonder if Burrows has chirped him for that?

Let's end today with this highlight. Yes, that's former Canucks prospect Gustav Forsling getting destroyed by Auston Matthews in OT last night.




And one more thing—I'm very pleased to announce that I've joined the team at Forbes' SportsMoney blog as a contributor. My first story went live this morning—please head over and read up on the New Jersey Devils' innovative new partnership with the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League.


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