For the past few years, when the Vancouver Canucks faced off against the Edmonton Oilers, you knew what you were getting. The Canucks would be the team of the past, all stale core, aging veterans who remember the 80s, and little youth to speak of. The Oilers would be the team of the future, with few reliable veterans and no defence, but more young forwards than they know what to do with. (Literally. You'd think they would have traded one for a defenceman by now. But they don't seem to know how.)
On Thursday night, however, we may have witnessed a sea change. Sure, the Oilers arrived, as usual, with an impressive collection of pedigreed youngsters, including the shiny new one everybody wanted, that dude from Bright Eyes, but it was the Canucks who, for one night at least, boasted the superior collection of young forwards. The line of Jake Virtanen, Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi ran roughshod over the Oilers, combining for 10 points in a 5-2 Canucks win.
It was an exclamation point on what's become the story of this Canucks preseason: suddenly, they have prospects. It's been a real delight for fans, injecting a ton of life into what would have otherwise been another sleepy September, and assuaging the fears of many that the Canucks' poor drafting in recent years has them headed for a fall.
But it hasn't been great for everyone. It never is when you disrupt the status quo. And while it's been a treat for us on the couch, there are a handful of people in the Canucks organization who probably wouldn't have minded if Canucks training camp was adults-only.
LINDEN VEY
This is the obvious one. Vey arrived at training camp with a job, albeit one for which he wasn't particularly suited: he was to centre the fourth line, probably skating between Derek Dorsett and Brandon Prust, like the Bash Brothers and Kenny Wu. But Vey bulked up for the role, hoping to sport a body a little more in tune with the crashy, bangy ways of his linemates. (Sidenote: the Bash Brothers took two completely needless misconducts in that clip. Selfish hockey players, the both of them.)
It hasn't worked out. Vey's looked slow and ineffectual throughout training camp, and been completely overshadowed by the prospects. Suddenly, his spot looks as up for grabs as Chris Higgins's, and Vey is healthy.
It's a completely different situation than last year's training camp, when Vey was practically the shiniest, newest thing the Canucks could trot out. Hell, at that time, with the Canucks' lack of centre depth, Vey looked as suitable as a second-line pivot as anybody. But no longer, as other options have arrived and immediately block his shine. Rappers hate that.
It's just bad luck for Vey. Thinking about it, has he really been that much worse than at last year's training camp? I don't think so. It's just that, with all these kids around to provide a contrast, we're no longer as impressed.
ALEXANDRE GRENIER
Grenier, the most recent cut at the time of this writing, had a real shot to make this team, especially with the lost size of Shawn Matthias and Zack Kassian. Grenier's not really a rough-and-tumble character, admittedly, but he's 6'5, so he brings size by default. You need guys like that for when someone tries to calculate your average team height.
In recent years, Grenier's size, coupled with the solid, two-way play he's grown into, would have been enough for him to make this team. But that was before the Canucks got good at drafting overnight, allowing Grenier to be overshadowed by the likes of McCann, Virtanen, and Gaunce, and cut before the final two games of the preseason. He may still get a look with the big club later on, as injuries and slumps occur, but, like Paula Cole, he probably doesn't wanna wait. He has to, though, because of those meddling kids.
RADIM VRBATA
No one's really talking about Radim Vrbata, because he's not a teenager, but the old man has some concerns about the way this preseason has gone: namely, with all these continuining tryouts, he still doesn't know who the heck he's supposed to be playing with. For a longtime pro who recognizes the value of building chemistry right away and wants to be just as effective as last season it's a contract year, remember -- twisting in the wind like this is a real pain in the ass. From the Vancouver Sun:
“I would like to know what is going on,” Vrbata said. “I am guessing we are at the point where we have to put the lines together and build some chemistry going into next week.
[...] “For me it is important to know who I am playing with and if it’s not Danny or Hank, learn their tendencies and build chemistry. That extra second can be the difference if you score a goal or you don’t. As I said, everyone is working hard, the league is that good you can’t afford not to work hard. But the difference is the little things and chemistry and stuff can really help.”
My word, do I love a grumpy veteran. They're old pros with no time for your shenanigans. These guys don't get excited about the future -- there's hockey to be played right now, so just cut the cuts, start the music, light the lights, and let's get going.
Vrbata has a point, too. Chemistry is invaluable -- knowing where your linemates are going to be, where they like to receive the puck, what they prefer to do with it. And for a catch-and-release sniper like Vrbata, it's even more important. But as the Canucks continue to audition teenagers like they're casting a new vampire drama, Vrbata's needs have been forgotten.
His wants, too. Vrbata said early in training camp that he would prefer to play with Bo Horvat. Makes sense. Horvat's on the rise; now he just need a running mate. He's a Bart without a Milhouse.
After Thursday night's outing, however, one wonders if Horvat's already found a crew. Now there's no telling who Vrbata will be playing with to start the season. The Sedins? Brandon Sutter? Suffice it to say, those are two very different experiences, and if it's going to be the latter, I'm sure Vrbata would like to know now, so he can begin trying to make the best of it.
CANUCKS TEAM MANAGEMENT
The suits keep saying this is a good problem to have, all these young guys challenging for jobs, but it's still a problem. Willie Desjardins was hesitant to give Bo Horvat more responsibility last year, and he admitted Horvat's teenageness played a role.
Horvat did eventually earn Desjardins' trust, softening him up to accept more teenagers later. But one hypermature 19-year-old is one thing. Two at a time, on the other hand? With Horvat still 20, and Baertschi and Frank Corrado (and maybe Ben Hutton) just 22? That's a lot of youth. That's a youth group. Willie Desjardins is 58 years old. He just underwent hip surgery. Is he even in a position to be running a daycare? How young do the Canucks actually want to get? Do they really want to turn this season into an episode of Jon & Kate plus 8? ("Jim and Willie Plus a Milli?" Just spitballin' here.)
My guess is they don't want to go quite as young as you might like. Sure, all these kids have great wristers. Of course they do. Wrist strength is a staple of teenage boyhood. But as unfair as it sounds, I can see Canucks management deciding two teenagers is too many, especially when they already have a handful of young twenty-somethings. One teenage boy is easy enough to manage. Two in the same room? That's a college dorm, son. Heck, someone has probably already hung up that poster of John Belushi.
If Canucks management winds up sending one of McCann and Virtanen back to junior, people are going to be upset. But try to understand: teenagers are unpredictable. They say and do strange and mysterious things. They listen to Fetty Wap. They say words like "swagfidence". They know what a Snapchat is, but they won't tell us. I don't trust them either.
