The first Canucks media availability of the 2017-18 season was done in a press conference format, with groups of players sitting behind a table with half-a-dozen cameras pointed at them and a line of reporters waiting to ask questions.
Some of the Canucks were clearly more comfortable with the format than others — poor Anton Rodin, Markus Granlund, and Chris Tanev were the most awkward group of the day — and there were few big surprises. Still, we learned a few things, like how Daniel and Henrik Sedin aren't planning a "farewell tour" anytime soon and how Ben Hutton is keenly aware of the battle for ice time on the power play.
Here are a few more things we learned:
Loui Eriksson is bringing back the moustache
It’s faint, but the beginnings of a new moustache are growing in for Loui Eriksson. I, for one, welcome its return. There are not enough moustaches in hockey, except for Movember.
Eriksson is also hoping to return to a line with the Sedins and Daniel and Henrik seem keen on rekindling that chemistry. The trio seemed to feel they got broken up as a line just when the chemistry was kicking in last season.
There are plenty of indications that they’re right: while the goals were slow in coming, the Sedins posted their best underlying possession numbers when Eriksson was on their line.
Eriksson also feels that settling in for a second year will help: “Everything is easier now. I have a big family, everyone is settled in, we have the house and the kids starting school already and that makes it easier for me as well, knowing that.”
With my oldest son starting kindergarten this past week, I feel you, Loui.
Jeff Paterson wants Alex Edler to feel included
During the first group, the Sedins and Loui Eriksson were taking all the questions, while Alex Edler sat quietly in the middle. Edler isn’t the most loquacious Canuck, so tends to get fewer questions from media members looking for a good quote.
But Jeff Paterson was having none of it and it provoked one of the first good laughs of the day. “Alex!” he said and Edler smiled and said, “Yes! I’m right here,” as if we had all forgotten where he was.
It was one of my favourite moments of the presser.
Anders Nilsson is seriously big
Jacob Markstrom is 6’6” and 196 lbs. He’s a big guy. Somehow, despite being the same height, Nilsson makes Markstrom look like a shrimp.
A Pokemon evolution pic.twitter.com/6JtNTwHMn4
— Gráinne (@wholegrainne) September 12, 2017
Nilsson is listed at 229 lbs, so that explains some of it, as he’s practically bursting out of his polo shirt, but Nilsson’s head also looks much larger. Maybe it’s the higher hairstyle or maybe blond hair just looks bigger than brunette hair?
Michael Del Zotto and Brandon Sutter have already talked music tastes
Off the ice, new Canuck Michael Del Zotto is a DJ and he likes to bring his love for music and making playlists to the dressing room. Here’s the thing: he hates country music. And that could be an issue for at least one of his new teammates, Brandon Sutter, who had “Callin’ Baton Rouge” by Garth Brooks as his goal song.
“We’ve been through this already,” interjected Sutter as Del Zotto was about to answer how that was going to work, provoking some laughter in the room.
“We’ve discussed this already,” agreed Del Zotto with a smile. “We’ll see what happens, I’ve been trying to feel out the music preferences of each guy. Coming into a new team, trying to feel things out a little bit. I’m a pretty outgoing guy, don’t like to be too serious, but I'm waiting a couple weeks here before I take over the iPod.”
Green has been thinking all summer about line combinations
“I think I have a wall chart in every room in my house,” joked Green, when asked about planning out line combinations. At least, I think it was a joke.
“There’s probably not a day that goes by that I don’t think of different line combinations,” he said. “That’s what coaches do, especially when you’re coming into a new team.”
It’s clear that Green has spent a lot of time experimenting with the lineup, experiments that would have needed to change quite a bit when Benning signed Thomas Vanek late in the summer. But none of those line combinations are set in stone heading into camp.
“The players are going to show where they play well, where they play their best,” he said. “I’ve got some different ideas in my head, but it will play itself out.”
When I asked about the specific combination of Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi, Green replied, “It’s definitely on my board a lot of days...I’m sure we’ll see them together for part of the season or at least try it in exhibition.”
“Where’s Gagner on your board?” interjected Ben Kuzma, and Green and Benning both laughed. “Depends what hour,” Green replied.
So, expect some experimentation in the preseason; no line combinations are safe at this point.
Benning: “When we do have injures, we’re going to be calling up real players.”
Benning was willing to admit that injuries played a factor in Troy Stecher getting a chance with the Canucks last season.
“He had an excellent camp for us. He ended up playing — what, did he play four games for you last year?” he said, turning to Green. “He ended up playing four games in Utica. Through injuries, he got an opportunity to come up, he played well and we kept him all year.”
That’s certainly a less revisionist look at what happened last season and it also gave Benning an opportunity to talk about how that process will work for young players this season.
“With all of our young players this year,” he said, “just because they might get sent down at the start of the year, they’ve gotta go down there and play well. We’re going to have injuries and if they get their opportunity to get called up, they’re gonna have to play good and we’ll figure out a way to keep them.”
There definitely will be young players who are, perhaps, NHL ready that will start the season in the AHL. That could include Nikolay Goldobin, Reid Boucher, Jonathan Dahlen, Jalen Chatfield, Evan McEneny, and perhaps even Brock Boeser. On the plus side, those are more exciting call-up options than we saw last year in Michael Chaput and Jayson Megna.
“I think this year,” said Benning, “when we do have injuries, we’re going to be calling up real players that we want to develop into long-term players. We’re at that point now.”
You could interpret that as some shade being thrown at Chaput and Megna for not being “real players,” but it’s clear what he means: this year there will be multiple players in Utica that have a long-term future with the Canucks.
