PENTICTON, B.C. — Three days into training camp, it feels like the Vancouver Canucks are about three months ahead of where they were last season.
The biggest win for the Canucks this week was not Team White beating Team Blue 4-1 Saturday in the only full scrimmage of camp, but the positivity the players have built simply by being healthy, prepared, and fully engaged in what head coach Adam Foote and his new staff have been teaching.
This time last year, the typhoon that would eventually wipe out the season was already forming its vortex at training camp here.
Think about it: star goalie Thatcher Demko was mired in the bleakness of a confounding knee injury that would keep him out until December. J.T. Miller was already hurt, and Elias Pettersson had reported in disappointing condition, unable due to a sore knee to train as he would have liked in the summer. Popular winger Dakota Joshua was out indefinitely after undergoing cancer surgery.
No wonder the team, after a hectic pre-season, faltered at the start of the National Hockey League campaign — and then got worse.
The health and tone around the team have been starkly different this training camp.
Not only are Demko, Pettersson and just about everyone healthy, but the Canucks’ best players have looked excellent while setting a tone.
The speed and intensity with which Foote wants the team to play — more attacking support from defenceman, more net drive, more aggressiveness generally — were as evident in Saturday’s scrimmage as they were in the first two days of practices.
“I felt it today in the scrimmage,” winger Jake DeBrusk said. “I’d forgotten what it was like to be pinched by the D 17 times in a game; (Fil) Hronek was all over me. The whole league wants to be faster, but the way we want to play, we definitely want our D to be more aggressive, and I felt that today. It was a little annoying.”
Hronek jostled with DeBrusk at the blue line before a penalty shot, then antagonized Brock Boeser by crunching him on a pinch.
“Especially for being the third day of camp — I’m sure guys are a little fatigued (from the first two days) — the pace has been high,” veteran defenceman Tyler Myers said. “That’s what we wanted coming in, that’s what we want part of our team identity to be this year — a team that plays with pace. Guys are pushing hard.
“I haven’t compared to last year at all. I just know what our group has done the last few days and I’ve really liked our execution. You can tell guys have come in ready, and it’s been a really good first few days of camp. We capped it off with a good scrimmage today. You can tell there’s just a lot of focus.”
The Canucks’ leadership group has emphasized internally the need to move beyond the disappointment and upheaval of last season. Part of the strategy is to no longer talk about it.
DeBrusk admitted he was chided by teammates for mentioning too much of last season during an interview.
It’s obvious there is a uniform effort among players to build positivity and cohesiveness for the start of this season.
“We have a lot of guys back from last year; there wasn’t a lot of change,” winger Kiefer Sherwood said. “Definitely guys are coming together. There’s a breath of fresh air. Guys are really excited.”
Boeser said players have been successful in putting last year behind them and establishing a new tone.
“I think we’ve done a good job of that; it’s been an emphasis,” he told reporters after the scrimmage. “Last year is the past and we can’t really sit here and talk about it and make excuses. It’s a new year, we have some new guys and we have to have a new mindset. I think we’ve done a great job so far.
“To see Demmer out there … is huge. I just feel our last few days have been great. The drills and the pace up and down the ice, I think it’s been great so far and I’m excited to build on it.”
The Canucks open their six-game pre-season schedule Sunday in Seattle with a non-televised game against the Kraken.
After training camp, it already feels like there is momentum.
“That’s probably the biggest difference in this camp, is health,” DeBrusk said. “Everyone’s around. We had five or seven skates together in Vancouver, and now three days here at training camp. More positives as the whole group gets together.”
• After his breakthrough 40-point season last year, Sherwood continued his strong camp by scoring in the scrimmage and setting up linemate Arshdeep Bains for another goal. Sherwood looks like a candidate to be moved up the lineup, potentially as a second-line option beside Filip Chytil and Evander Kane, as the pre-season roster shrinks.
• Six-foot-six prospect Vilmer Alriksson also scored for the Whites and continues to make himself noticeable. Teddy Blueger and Boeser had the other goals on Saturday.
• Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was dominant and looks highly motivated. After one shift of extended offensive-zone pressure ended with a scoring chance and a faceoff, Hughes waved off a line change so he and partner Filip Hronek could stay out. More puck possession and zone pressure followed.
• Foote, who had assistant coaches Kevin Dean and Brett McLean handle media availabilities Saturday and Friday, cited Hronek at the start of camp as a player who leads by example. With his feisty, physical play, Hronek set the tone for the scrimmage… Dean praised the mobility and passing of top prospect Tom Willander, who has looked comfortable in a blue-line pairing with Derek Forbort.
• After minor-league prospect Max Sasson zipped past Forbort with the puck, the veteran defenceman responded later in the shift by stapling the centre against the boards.
• First-round pick Braeden Cootes continues to impress with his speed and willingness to compete. He’s probably not making the Canucks as an 18-year-old, but given the team’s needs at centre, Cootes could earn some NHL games with a strong pre-season.
Scrimmage lineups Saturday
Jake DeBrusk-Elias Pettersson-Brock Boeser
Arshdeep Bains-Braeden Cootes-Kiefer Sherwood
Vitali Kravtsov-Aatu Raty-Linus Karlsson
Mackenzie MacEachern-Riley Patterson-Vilmer Alriksson
Marcus Pettersson-Tyler Myers
Pierre-Olivier Joseph-Kirill Kudryavtsev
Derek Forbort-Tom Willander
Evander Kane-Filip Chytil-Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Nils Hoglander-Teddy Blueger-Conor Garland
Drew O’Connor-Max Sasson-Danila Klimovich
Joe LaBate-Nils Aman-Chase Stillman
Quinn Hughes-Filip Hronek
Elias Pettersson (Junior)-Victor Mancini
Sawyer Mynio-Jimmy Schuldt
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