In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, head coach Rick Tocchet comments on the team’s play over the past few weeks. Additionally, Andrei Kuzmenko is set to return to the lineup on Nov. 28. Also, an update on Pius Suter and his injury.
Tocchet Frustrated with Canucks Game
After the Canucks lost 4-3 to the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 25. Tocchet said the team wasn’t ready to go early on, and the Sharks played hard while the Canucks didn’t. He added the loss was a learning lesson and playoff teams don’t do what Vancouver did. After the team’s practice on Monday, the head coach added to his thoughts.
“For us, the last five or six games, it’s been a good period, bad game, good game, two good periods, one bad — it’s more about consistency. I think the San Jose game, they’ve been playing well — I don’t care what anybody says — was kind of a little wake-up call. I thought the guys practiced hard today. We haven’t had many practices, but it was a good practice. So I like that. The energy.”
Since their five-game win streak ended, the Canucks have lost five of their last nine games. The head coach is delivering the right message to the group and is attempting to get rid of any bad habits this team has built over the past few years. However, the good news is, thanks to their great start, they still sit in the top five of the NHL and are third in the Pacific Division.
Kuzmenko Drawing Back Into the Lineup
Kuzmenko is set to return to the lineup on Nov. 28 against the Anaheim Ducks. Tocchet scratched the forward for the team’s last two games against the Seattle Kraken and the San Jose Sharks. Phil Di Giuseppe was the odd man out at practice, but the player Kuzmenko will replace hasn’t been confirmed. Tocchet said Kuzmenko sat out as he needed his game to be a little sharper.
“When you’re not scoring, you’ve gotta make sure of your details in your own end. He’s thinking too much. There are some systems stuff that we need to be able to count on in these positions.”
The Russian forward has struggled to score goals this season, as he has three through 19 games. Tocchet said Kuzmenko needed a reset, and the team worked on a few things with him. He added the forward had a good practice on Nov. 27. Kuzmenko can keep himself in the lineup by doing the small things, and that could get him going offensively. The forward is due for a goal, and it may not be long until he scores his fourth.
Update on Suter’s Injury
Tocchet also provided an update on Suter, saying he is out with a lower-body injury. He was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 24 and last played against the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 12. Suter had a setback last week and will have to return to skating before getting back into the lineup.
Suter signed a two-year contract with the club with an annual average value of $1.6 million. He proved to be a serviceable third-line center as he scored four goals in 15 games, all coming in the last six games before his injury.
Canucks Defenceman Makes History
Quinn Hughes extended his point streak to 11 games against the Sharks, which matched the longest streak by a Canucks defenceman, set by Filip Hronek earlier this season. The two blueliners also made the Canucks the first team in the NHL to have two different d-men each record a point streak of at least 11 games in a single season.
The duo also combined for the most points from any two defencemen in the NHL. Hughes has 33 points, while Hronek has 22, giving the two a combined total of 55. The two are a dynamic pairing and are a big reason the Canucks have been successful early this season.