With an eight-game winless skid hanging over them, the Vancouver Canucks spent Wednesday morning at Rogers Arena looking for a cleaner version of themselves - and a few of the answers came in the form of fresh line combinations.
The biggest change was Marco Rossi’s return to practice after missing the last two games with an illness. His presence immediately gave Manny Malhotra a little more room to work with, restoring the Canucks to three natural centres and allowing Drew O’Connor to slide back to the wing.
That shuffle showed up throughout the forward group. O’Connor skated alongside Elias Pettersson and Linus Karlsson, while Rossi was centered between Paul Cotter and Brock Boeser.
Filip Chytil worked with Jake DeBrusk and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and Max Sasson remained in the middle of the fourth line with Liam Öhgren and Brendan Gallagher on his wings. Arshdeep Bains rotated in and out with Gallagher, though for most of the session he was the extra forward.
On the back end, Victor Mancini lined up with Zeev Buium, a sign he could be back in the lineup Thursday against Detroit. Luke Schenn and Guillaume Brisebois appeared to be the extras on defence.
The Canucks also stretched their practice time well beyond a quick tune-up. Like they did Monday, they skated for roughly 45 minutes, left the ice to let it flood, then came back for more work. Malhotra is clearly squeezing every bit he can out of practice time during this three-game homestand.
The team was back in black skate gear, and that look will carry into games against the Red Wings and Minnesota Wild. Leevi Meriläinen also showed a different setup, wearing the red and black blocker, catcher and pads he used with the Ottawa Senators. Earlier this season, when he first wore the black skate jersey, he had white pads.
The session was all about five-on-five play. The Canucks didn’t spend any time on special teams, and after a heavy day on the ice, an optional morning skate ahead of Thursday’s game against the Red Wings seems likely.
Malhotra said Rossi’s return helps him sort out the roster and place players where they fit best: “It does a lot in terms of just slotting guys where they need to be and putting guys in the right position. So it definitely helps just being able to change the line-up and change the chemistry of lines and more so putting guys where they should be playing.”
He also laid out what he wants from Rossi after the forward has gone seven games without a point: “Obviously, being in our top six we’d like to see some more offensive production. When it comes down to our game it’s about being harder to play against and being tenacious on pucks and winning puck battles and getting in first on forechecks. Those types of things will give him the opportunity to create more offence as opposed to being on the perimeter and waiting for things to happen.”
In Other News...
Canucks Showed Some Life But Their Slide Just Got Harder To Ignore
The Canucks had some moments of pushback in Carolina, with Linus Karlsson, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Max Sasson all finding the net, but the overall result still followed a familiar pattern in a 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes. Carolinas offense piled up goals in bunches, led by Logan Stankoven and Nikolaj Ehlers, who each scored twice and added an assist, while Nicolas Deslauriers chipped in two of his own.
Leevi Merilainen did what he could to keep Vancouver in it, turning aside 26 shots in a game where the Canucks needed a steadier start and a cleaner response after the Hurricanes kept turning pressure into production. For a team trying to arrest its slide, the encouraging stretches were there, but they were not enough to hide how hard this stretch has become to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Trade Plans May Come Down To Jake DeBrusk's Next Move
Jake DeBrusk has emerged as one of the more interesting names to watch as the Canucks season trends toward the seller side of the ledger. NHL insider Chris Johnston recently placed him on his trade board, a sign that Vancouver may not be far from exploring bigger-picture decisions if the winger is willing to entertain them. For now, his contract is viewed as manageable enough to keep him in the conversation as a realistic trade chip, which is part of why his situation has drawn so much attention.
The wrinkle is DeBrusks leverage. He controls his destination this season, and any move would depend heavily on whether he signals a willingness to cooperate with Vancouver on a trade. If he does, the Canucks could suddenly have a significant piece to work with; if he does not, the path gets far more complicated and the market for him looks a lot different. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Decision On David Reinbacher Says Plenty About His Path
David Reinbachers first taste of NHL action with the Canadiens has already been followed by a quick reset, a reminder that young defensemen often have to wait for the right opening as much as earn it. The No. 5 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft played one game before being held out as a healthy scratch, with Adam Engstrom stepping in as Montreal continues sorting out its blue-line looks while preparing for a busy stretch that includes an outdoor Heritage Classic matchup.
For a player with Reinbachers profile, these early decisions can matter almost as much as the game action itself, because every rep at this stage is part of the larger evaluation. The Canadiens have framed the move as part of that bigger development picture, and with more lineup decisions ahead, the next opportunity for Reinbacher may depend on how Montreal balances its immediate schedule with the need to keep young players in the mix. [Read more 🡒]