Vancouver Canucks management and Head Coach Manny Malhotra met with the media Wednesday morning to kick off the new season.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Training camp begins tomorrow, but the group has been skating together over the last two weeks, a decision the players made in July. General Manager Ryan Johnson said the decision was made independently of management, with the players wanting to spend more time together before the season got underway, serving as part of the foundation that will help them through the ebbs and flows of the season. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey informed us that that\u2019s what they were going to do, so there\u2019s obviously a commitment and an excitement,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cI think within that, they\u2019ve developed relationships already. They understand through their communication what the purpose is of what we\u2019re trying to accomplish here.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
The expectations for the group this season are not rooted in wins and losses, but it\u2019s about the process. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to see a team that plays for each other. The fans walk into a building, and they see a group that fights for each other, and you see a foundation. You see a plan in everything they do, and some of them are going to take steps this year,\u201d Henrik said. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be some of them who might not take the step this year, but at least you see that foundation in place. That\u2019s all we\u2019re going to ask for.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Malhotra said it will be important to keep their eye on the foundation, daily improvements, and an environment where guys feel confident and strong and want to come to the rink every day. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a very big difference between losing games, which is inevitable; every team is going to do it and playing losing hockey. The measure of our group will be on playing the right way, doing the things that we\u2019re talking about, having details to your game, which is going to give us an opportunity to win,\u201d Malhotra said. \u00a0<\/p>\n
With a shortened preseason, there\u2019s a lot of information to cover over the next four days, including a trip to Seattle for a preseason game on Saturday. Malhotra\u2019s coaching staff has been preparing for this since they all joined the team, and he\u2019s looking forward to getting things underway. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Malhotra talked about the importance of the process, balancing practice standards and pace, and teaching what their systems look like and how they need to be played. Pleased with how prepared they are coming into training camp. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, the ground-level stuff, the foundational pieces that we need to put in place are going to be prioritized in camp, and obviously structurally building from the back end, wanting to be good defensively, spending less time in our zone are going to be priorities for us,\u201d Malhotra said. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a coach, the plan is we have to take each step as it comes. As RJ said, we\u2019re not cutting corners; we\u2019re not skipping the line. We have to have these foundational pieces in place before we can start to talk about improving and getting the wins and advancing this team to where we want to get to.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Veterans like Brendan Gallagher, Luke Schenn, and Jamie Oleksiak will be relied on for their leadership, guiding the younger players. Malhotra said that players\u2019 play will dictate where they play and that everyone has to earn their spot and their playing time. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe brought in veteran guys to lead the way and show how it\u2019s supposed to be done. But there\u2019s young guys that are knocking on the door and ready to kick down the door that are going to fight and try to earn some spots as well,\u201d Malhotra said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to an ultra-competitive camp.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
While the Canucks will have inherent veteran leadership, management won\u2019t be hasty in handing out captaincy or alternate captain titles until they feel like the right fit has presented themself. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in no rush to hand out letters just for the sake of putting a letter on somebody,\u201d Malhotra said. \u201cWe\u2019ve talked about it earlier in the summer that the leaders of this group will emerge when the time is right. That\u2019s going to play out over the next few weeks to see who takes hold of that type of role, and we see who the guys want to follow.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Thatcher Demko won\u2019t be a full participant with the main groups at training camp but will be on the ice working on his game. Johnson commended the goaltender for staying in Vancouver and putting in the work to get back to where he wants to be. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot by any means is this a setback; it\u2019s a part of our process,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cGreat summer for him. It\u2019s been a great process for him physically and mentally, and we\u2019re just going to continue this journey without a timeline. Just making sure when he does take that last step, that everybody involved feels 100 percent.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Management will continue with daily conversations with Demko about where he\u2019s at and how he\u2019s feeling, reinforcing that they will feel good about the goaltending position once the season starts. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Defenceman Jack Thompson took a puck to the face and will need more time to heal before returning to the ice; aside from a few nicks and bruises among some prospects after the Prospect Showcase, the group is healthy going into camp. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Training camp is taking place at South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, kicking off Thursday morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tickets for Thursday, Friday and Sunday practices will be $10.00. Fans can purchase tickets for Super Saturday\u2019s scrimmage for $20.00. A select number of Full Training Camp Packages, featuring tickets to all four days through the event, will also be available for $30.00.\u00a0<\/p>\n