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The Vancouver Canucks are off to the best start in the organization's history, but the team is not going to rest as they continue to build a stronger foundation in their club.
Next stop, Ottawa.
With a 9-2-1 record in their back pocket, the Canucks are beginning to find the formula that this team needs to compete for a playoff spot, but this is still a work in progress. Head coach Rick Tocchet wants his group to continue to develop an identity of a team that is hard to play against but also has enough of an offensive punch to outscore the opposition in tightly contested games.
On Thursday, the Canucks will face the Ottawa Senators (4-6-0) on the beginning of a three-game road trip through the Eastern Canadian teams.
The Sens possess a few of the league’s most exciting young talents, with the likes of Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, and their captain, Brady Tkachuk.
Tkachuk and Stützle are joined by veteran Claude Giroux to share a tie for the team lead in points as all three of the forwards have 11 points through the Sens’ first 10 games.
On the back end, the Sens' talented left-side defencemen group features offensive-minded defencemen, Jakob Chychrun and 2020 fifth-overall pick Jake Sanderson. Each of Chychrun and Sanderson have scored nine points through 10 games and it should be noted that Chychrun is second on the team with four goals -- only trailing Tkachuk, who has eight goals through his first 10 games.
Former Canuck Zack MacEwen has found a spot on the Sens’ fourth line and if you remember how he played here in Vancouver, there’s a level of toughness on that fourth line from his presence alone.
We’ve seen high-event hockey from the Senators all season. They are currently fourth in total goals per game and the Canucks will look to be on the right side of those goals as the Canucks currently lead the NHL in goals-for-per-game with 4.5 and sit second in the league for goals-against with an average of two per game.
Elias Pettersson continues to dominate offensively with his 21 points on the season – he is currently sitting second in the league for scoring, trailing only Nikita Kucherov (22).
Quinn Hughes leads all defencemen with 20 points.
Conor Garland has been sturdy defensively and has not been on the ice for an even-strength goal against over his last eight games.
Head coach Rick Tocchet spoke highly of Tyler Myers following Monday’s 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. The coach has been very impressed with Myers’ bounce-back after a couple of tough games and Myers’ stats are backing it up. He has not been on the ice for an even-strength goal against in his last six outings. In those six games, Myers has been on the ice for nine goals scored at even strength.
Thatcher Demko continues to roll this season -- holding a 7-2-0 record while posting a 1.61 goals against average and a 0.948% save percentage.
The Canucks set the table for the road trip with their stop in Ottawa before running into back-to-backs over the weekend with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens.
Gametime is 4:00 pm PT all road trip long. Be sure to hustle home from work!
