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Canucks to use preseason to make cuts
Canadian Press
9/18/2006 4:36:41 PM
VERNON, B.C. (CP) - For Vancouver Canucks coach Alain Vigneault, it's sort of like coming home from Ikea with a new purchase and dumping the box of parts on the living rug.
A four-day training camp in the B.C. interior has given the new coach a good look at what he has and a chance to read the directions. He's seen the forwards he has, the defencemen who want a job and already knows who his goaltender will be.
Vigneault will now use eight NHL exhibition games in 11 days to discard some parts and put fasten together the remaining pieces to build a Canucks team capable of returning to the playoffs.
''These next 11 days are very important to a lot of players,'' Vigneault said Monday. ''We're going to evaluate and keep the best players.''
The Canucks first exhibition game is Tuesday night in Calgary. The first home exhibition is Sunday against Anaheim.
Vigneault, who is trying to rebuild the Canucks after they self-destructed last season, reduced his roster to 42 players on Monday. Among the players sent to the AHL Manitoba Moose was former first-round draft pick Nathan Smith.
With 13 forwards and seven defenceman on one-way contracts - and Roberto Luongo in goal - the team's blueprint is pretty much laid out. But Vigneault said nothing is set in stone.
''If somebody comes up and outplays a player on a one-way contract, they put us in a situation where we have some work to do,'' said Vigneault.
''If somebody beats them out, we are going to make the proper decision to keep the best players here. If that means making a trade or moving on with some player, that's what we are going to do.''
Marc Chouinard, a free-agent signing, said it's make-or-break time for many players.
''This is the big test of the camp,'' said Chouinard, who had 14 goals and 30 points in 74 games with Minnesota last year. ''A lot of guys are going to get opportunities. To see how many opportunities each guy gets, it's up to them.''
For players on the bubble like centre Brandon Reid, the exhibition season will be the last chance to make an impression.
''You can only do so much in practice,'' said Reid, who played in Europe last year. ''I feel confident as long as I work hard.''
Captain Markus Naslund likes the energy Vigneault, who replaced the fired Marc Crawford, has brought to training camp.
''There is some real excitement in the group,'' he said. ''The veterans are pushing harder than they have been in prior years. That's great.
''That's going to help the young kids and the guys coming up for spots.''
The forwards right now are expected to be Naslund, Chouinard, Brendan Morrison, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Jan Bulis, Taylor Pyatt, Trevor Linden, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler, Matt Cooke, Tommi Santala and Josh Green.
The defence should consist of Willie Mitchell, Mattias Ohlund, Lukas Krajicek, Sami Salo, Luc Bourdon, Kevin Bieksa and either Rory Fitzpatrick or Yannick Tremblay.
Unless someone better becomes available before the season starts, Wade Flaherty will be the backup goaltender behind Luongo.
Some of the young players who still have a chance are forwards Rick Rypien and Mike Brown.
Naslund hopes to play four or five exhibition games. He wants to use that time to adjust to a new linemate to replace Todd Bertuzzi, who was traded to Florida in the Luongo deal.
''It is nice when you can find a combination that fits well and the chemistry is there,'' said Naslund. ''I am hoping we can find the right combination during training camp and the exhibition season and stick with them.
Both Naslund and Morrison have said they'd like gritty forward Matt Cooke on the line. That means free-agent signing Jan Bulis, a 20-goal scorer last year with Montreal, could play with on the second line with the Sedin twins.
Daniel Sedin said it shouldn't take long to find a winger.
''It doesn't have to be a skill winger, a fancy player,'' he said. ''We will notice right away if it's a good fit.''
Luongo is expected to play between 65 and 70 games. That means the Canucks need a backup goaltender who is content to sit most of the season but be ready to play when needed.
Right now, the job is Flaherty's to loose.
''Depending on how he performs during the exhibition, then we'll have to assess if we need someone else or not,'' said Vigneault. ''If we can improve our club by going to the outside we will. If there is somebody better than in out there, we're going to look to improve at all positions.''
The 38-year-old Flaherty, who spent last season playing for the AHL Manitoba Moose, isn't making long-range plans.
''I'm sure they have options and they will look at their options,'' he said. ''There's no question I can't get comfortable.
''They are looking for someone who will go out every day, battle in practice, and will work with the guys after practice and be ready when called upon.''
Canadian Press
9/18/2006 4:36:41 PM
VERNON, B.C. (CP) - For Vancouver Canucks coach Alain Vigneault, it's sort of like coming home from Ikea with a new purchase and dumping the box of parts on the living rug.
A four-day training camp in the B.C. interior has given the new coach a good look at what he has and a chance to read the directions. He's seen the forwards he has, the defencemen who want a job and already knows who his goaltender will be.
Vigneault will now use eight NHL exhibition games in 11 days to discard some parts and put fasten together the remaining pieces to build a Canucks team capable of returning to the playoffs.
''These next 11 days are very important to a lot of players,'' Vigneault said Monday. ''We're going to evaluate and keep the best players.''
The Canucks first exhibition game is Tuesday night in Calgary. The first home exhibition is Sunday against Anaheim.
Vigneault, who is trying to rebuild the Canucks after they self-destructed last season, reduced his roster to 42 players on Monday. Among the players sent to the AHL Manitoba Moose was former first-round draft pick Nathan Smith.
With 13 forwards and seven defenceman on one-way contracts - and Roberto Luongo in goal - the team's blueprint is pretty much laid out. But Vigneault said nothing is set in stone.
''If somebody comes up and outplays a player on a one-way contract, they put us in a situation where we have some work to do,'' said Vigneault.
''If somebody beats them out, we are going to make the proper decision to keep the best players here. If that means making a trade or moving on with some player, that's what we are going to do.''
Marc Chouinard, a free-agent signing, said it's make-or-break time for many players.
''This is the big test of the camp,'' said Chouinard, who had 14 goals and 30 points in 74 games with Minnesota last year. ''A lot of guys are going to get opportunities. To see how many opportunities each guy gets, it's up to them.''
For players on the bubble like centre Brandon Reid, the exhibition season will be the last chance to make an impression.
''You can only do so much in practice,'' said Reid, who played in Europe last year. ''I feel confident as long as I work hard.''
Captain Markus Naslund likes the energy Vigneault, who replaced the fired Marc Crawford, has brought to training camp.
''There is some real excitement in the group,'' he said. ''The veterans are pushing harder than they have been in prior years. That's great.
''That's going to help the young kids and the guys coming up for spots.''
The forwards right now are expected to be Naslund, Chouinard, Brendan Morrison, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Jan Bulis, Taylor Pyatt, Trevor Linden, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler, Matt Cooke, Tommi Santala and Josh Green.
The defence should consist of Willie Mitchell, Mattias Ohlund, Lukas Krajicek, Sami Salo, Luc Bourdon, Kevin Bieksa and either Rory Fitzpatrick or Yannick Tremblay.
Unless someone better becomes available before the season starts, Wade Flaherty will be the backup goaltender behind Luongo.
Some of the young players who still have a chance are forwards Rick Rypien and Mike Brown.
Naslund hopes to play four or five exhibition games. He wants to use that time to adjust to a new linemate to replace Todd Bertuzzi, who was traded to Florida in the Luongo deal.
''It is nice when you can find a combination that fits well and the chemistry is there,'' said Naslund. ''I am hoping we can find the right combination during training camp and the exhibition season and stick with them.
Both Naslund and Morrison have said they'd like gritty forward Matt Cooke on the line. That means free-agent signing Jan Bulis, a 20-goal scorer last year with Montreal, could play with on the second line with the Sedin twins.
Daniel Sedin said it shouldn't take long to find a winger.
''It doesn't have to be a skill winger, a fancy player,'' he said. ''We will notice right away if it's a good fit.''
Luongo is expected to play between 65 and 70 games. That means the Canucks need a backup goaltender who is content to sit most of the season but be ready to play when needed.
Right now, the job is Flaherty's to loose.
''Depending on how he performs during the exhibition, then we'll have to assess if we need someone else or not,'' said Vigneault. ''If we can improve our club by going to the outside we will. If there is somebody better than in out there, we're going to look to improve at all positions.''
The 38-year-old Flaherty, who spent last season playing for the AHL Manitoba Moose, isn't making long-range plans.
''I'm sure they have options and they will look at their options,'' he said. ''There's no question I can't get comfortable.
''They are looking for someone who will go out every day, battle in practice, and will work with the guys after practice and be ready when called upon.''
