Vancouver Canucks training camp gets underway with high expectations
Posted September 19, 2024 7:28 am.
It’s been a long summer for fans of the Vancouver Canucks and we’re one step closer to the action as training camp gets underway in Penticton Thursday.
Missing in action on day one will be netminder Thatcher Demko who continues to deal with a mysterious injury or injuries. Head Coach Rick Tocchet says he has made progress but it’s unclear if Demko will be ready to start the regular season next month.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“There’s really been questions about his status all summer,” explained Sportsnet 650 Host Jamie Dodd. “When you have a player as important to the Canucks as Demko is and you have some uncertainty around his health, that’s always going to be a cause for concern for fans.”
Power-forward Dakota Joshua won’t be attending as he recovers from surgery after revealing his cancer diagnosis. Teddy Blueger and Cole McWard are also recovering from minor operations.
The focus has been intense on Demko, and Dodd thinks it’s fair to be worried about the durability of the goaltender at this point in his career.
“He hasn’t really completed that whole NHL season where he’s the clear-cut number one goalie … and doesn’t eventually get injured. There are going to be questions about his ability to stay healthy through the grind of an NHL season,” he explained.
“The good news for Canucks fans, if they’re panicking about potentially losing Thatcher Demko is at least in the short-term this team defends much, much better under Rick Tocchet than they did earlier in Thatcher Demko’s career.”
Dodd says if he doesn’t start the regular season, it’s acceptable if it will keep him healthy for the post-season next spring.
There are also a lot of eyes on forward Elias Pettersson. He didn’t play well in the back half of the season, even after signing a fresh, eight-year $92 million contract.
“The pressure on Elias Pettersson is going to be immense. He looked like a shell of himself, not close to the player that we’re used to him being, but it’s important to remember that before that point of the season last year, he was one of the best players in the NHL,” Dodd said.
“Anytime you sign a deal like that it’s going to ramp up the pressure even more. So, you combine those two things, the contract that kicks in this year, plus his poor performance down the stretch and into the playoffs, plus again, what we know he’s capable of and what this team needs him to do when he’s at his best, so yes, there is going to be a ton of pressure.”
At the end of the last season, Pettersson revealed he had tendinitis in his knee. It’s said to not be 100 per cent to start training camp.
Compared to last year’s training camp, Dodd thinks this Canucks squad is better. However, the key will be surpassing last season’s accomplishments, including winning the division, getting more than 109 points, and winning 50 games.
“Really, it was one of the most successful regular seasons in franchise history. So, you’re coming off that season, you made some big additions to the team, there are going to be expectations to do something similar,” Dodd said.
“I think the unique thing about this Canucks team, certainly compared to recent years, is it’s not so much what they do in the regular season that people are going to judge them on, it matters what they do in the playoffs. I don’t think they have to win the division again in order to meet people’s expectations, but they went to Game 7 of the second round against a very good Edmonton Oilers team.
“Now the pressure is going to be, can you exceed that?”
Dodd doesn’t doubt both General Manager Patrik Allvin and President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford will continue tweaking the line-up throughout the year.
“I think there may still be one or two key pieces short of being a true Stanley Cup contender.”
Training camp wraps up on Sunday, which will be followed by a handful of exhibition games before the regular season begins on Oct. 9 at Rogers Arena when the Canucks host the Calgary Flames.
