Canucks come back for win against Avs in Horvat's debut

It only happens once.
Forward Bo Horvat of the Vancouver Canucks suffered a shoulder injury after getting hit by Edmonton Oilers forward Tyler Pitlick in a pre-season game on Oct. 2.
The Canucks, led by president of hockey operations Trevor Linden and general manager Jim Benning, had been open about giving Horvat every chance to make the NHL team.
His debut would have to wait, though.
The injury was worse than just a day-to-day one.
But then, On Oct. 15, two games into the regular season, Horvat took part in a entire practice session with the team.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I was getting a little stressed being off the ice for so long and stuff like that. After a good pre-season, it was awesome to get back out there with the guys and start practising again and start getting my speed back and my timing. I was really happy to be out on the ice.”
It wasn't only the first time Horvat had practised with the team; it was also the first time he disclosed his thoughts on Pitlick's hit to the media.
He wasn't bitter.
“It was just a hockey play,” Horvat said. “There was nothing dirty about the hit. I saw him coming in the last second and just tried to brace myself and, unfortunately, he hit me a little awkwardly. I kind of injured myself there. It’s definitely not a a dirty hit by any means, it was just unfortunate that it hurt me.
“It was definitely tough. You definitely want to stay healthy. This is the first time I've been hurt . . . It was a little frustrating, but it's going to happen in hockey. I just have to move forward and start thinking positive and just take it day by day.”
Horvat skating with the team led many observers to believe that he was going to make his debut, and soon.
That wouldn't be the case, as he was sent down to the Utica Comets, the Canucks' AHL affiliate, on Oct. 19 for a conditioning stint.
After that was completed, Horvat was officially recalled to the Canucks. In five games with the Comets, he was pointless.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I was actually really happy  to go down there and to get my legs back under me, and to start playing some hockey games before I stepped into my first NHL game. I definitely need to get my speed back and stuff like that, and my timing. My time there was really good.
“(I played in) my regular role, playing that 200-foot game. I had some power-play time, some penalty-killing time. (Comets' head coach Travis Green played me) in every situation. I couldn't complain about my ice time and stuff like that. I think in playing in all those key roles and playing in my regular position is really going to benefit me. I was jumped around in the lineup a little bit. I was pretty much playing with everybody. It was good to play with all different types of players with (different skills).”
This time around, it was only a matter of time until he wore a Vancouver sweater for his debut.
“It's going to be awesome,” Horvat said. “I can't wait to finally play a NHL game in the regular season. Hopefully, it's going to come soon and I'm going to have to make the most of it.”
It came on Tuesday, when the Canucks made a visit to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche. It marked the beginning of a four-game road trip.
“I'm just really excited,” he said. “I had trouble sleeping last night, actually. I was thinking about the game pretty much all night. Now that today's come, I'm really excited and I can't wait to step out there on the ice.
Horvat's brother, along with his parents, were slated to be attendance.
“It's definitely going to be emotional,” he confessed. "It's going to be really exciting and stuff like that. I'm definitely going to be a little bit nervous. But I think I'm more excited than anything. I just can't wait to finally play in my first NHL game, it's something I've dreamed about since I was a little kid, and it's finally going to come true today. I think it's going to be lots of fun.”
His parents and brother weren’t the only ones excited for him. Willie Desjardins, the Canucks' head coach, was, too.
“(To) enjoy it,” he said when asked what he said to Horvat prior to the game. “You only get to do that once. I think that it's a big accomplishment. So many players set out to do that and not many make it. So, it's a big accomplishment. Just make sure you're having fun and go hard.”
However, where Desjardins was going to put him, remained unconfirmed.
“Playing centre is definitely my most comfortable position,” Horvat stated. “We'll see what happens tonight, (to see) who I'm playing with and where I'm playing. If I do get (a) centre spot, it's going to be more comfortable for me and hopefully I have a good game there.”
It turned out that he would get what he wanted, as he was placed on the fourth line, flanked by forwards Derek Dorsett and Jannik Hansen.
That being said, Desjardins started the game with Horvat at centre with Henrik Sedin and right-winger Radim Vrbata. Sedin, who usually takes the opening faceoff, gave Horvat the honour of doing so.
He won it.
“Oh gawd, no,” Horvat said with a laugh when asked if he was expecting to start the game. “That was probably the last thing I thought I was going to be doing. Then, when they announced that I was going to be starting with (Vrbata and Henrik) there, it was pretty special. I was nervous, but I was glad to get the first draw and the first shift out of my way.”
The freshman almost scored his first goal, as well.
Vancouver was trailing 2-1, when the Canucks scored at 2:27 of the second period to tie the game. It looked like it may have been Horvat who put the puck in the net.
 But after further review, it was Dorsett who scored.
“It was pretty close,” Horvat said. “I was trying to get to the net there. They made a great play putting it on net and I just wanted to go to the net and cause havoc. Unfortunately, it just went by me. I was just happy that we scored.”
His debut would come in a victory, as Vancouver went on to defeat the Avalanche, 5-2.
“It was unbelievable,” Horvat said. “It's hard to describe. It's a moment that I been dreaming about ever since I've been a little kid. I always wanted to play in the NHL, and to finally make that dream come true today was definitely something special
“I'll never forget this.”
NOTES: Horvat was a plus-1 and led the team in faceoff percentage. . . . Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa, who suffered an eye injury against the visiting Nashville Predators on Sunday, dressed against Colorado and was a plus-2. . . . Canucks D Ryan Stanton returned to the lineup for the first time this season. . . . Vancouver will travel to San Jose to face the Sharks on Thursday.

(Dickson Liong is Taking Note’s Vancouver correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @DLLiong.)

Competition for Canucks' bottom six spots continues as season opens

VANCOUVER -- The 2014-15 NHL season may have started for the Vancouver Canucks, but there still are decisions to be made.
At the conclusion of last season, many observers believed the team needed to get younger. The Canucks' management also had been open about doing so.
So, signs pointed to the Canucks giving London Knights forward Bo Horvat, whom they had taken with the ninth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, every chance to make the roster. (Let's not forget that they traded goaltender Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils for that ninth selection.)
But with Vancouver being arguably the most active team in the off-season, it was apparent that the 19-year-old was in tough to earn a spot.
Especially when the Canucks acquired forward Linden Vey from the Los Angeles Kings for the 50th pick in the 2014 draft.
Vey is listed as a right-winger, but can play at centre, the same position as Horvat.
Things didn't look like they were headed in the right direction for Horvat, as he finished without a single point at the Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C.
Despite that, the Canucks' management wanted to see more of Horvat, and listed him on the pre-season roster.
 Canucks' head coach Willie Desjardins was impressed, even though he only had one goal in five games.
However, they needed to be down to 23 players for their opening night roster. A  decision needed to made on Horvat -- either he was going to stick with the team or be re-assigned to the Knights.
Wait, not so fast.
 When the Canucks visited the Edmonton Oilers for a pre-season game on Oct. 2, Horvat suffered a shoulder injury when he was hit by Oilers' forward Tyler Pitlick at 18:18 of the first period.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, junior-aged players who are injured don't take up a roster spot, meaning Vancouver doesn't have to make a decision on Horvat just yet.
 With Horvat out, that gave someone else the spotlight.
The Canucks were also happy with the play of  Shawn Matthias at centre.
“Maybe the light came on for the coaching staff to put him in the middle,” a joking Desjardins said after Monday's practice. “I don't know. He played pretty well in the middle, he played better when (he was) in the middle. You've got to like that. Like, if you get him excited and confident, I think he can add to us. When he played in the middle, he played better.”
Yes, even more competition for Horvat.
“I think (Horvat) has played real well,” Desjardins said. “I do, I think he's played well. He's proven that he is sound defensively, he's a heavier-body guy. This injury is not what he needed at this time, though. That's a move for him because now the other guys have a step ahead and now he's got to come back. How he comes back from that, we'll wait to see. But what he did before, yeah, I thought he was pretty good.”
Horvat may have played well, but Desjardins is only worried about the players who are in the line-up.
“I've always said with the team, it's not who is out, but the ones who are in that counts,” he said. said. “The guys who are in are the guys that have to win it for you. So, whoever it is, that group has to find a way to win.”
As well, players may exceed expectations in the pre-season, but that doesn't mean the assessments are accurate.
“You can't tell,” Desjardins stated. “Because if their minds aren't in it, then you can't judge from the pre-season because of that. It's so competitive and so close that you have to be 100 per cent in it for us to see. We'll see right at the start, though.
“This will be the group that we start with, We're excited about the group. The guys have worked hard, and they're looking ahead to the regular season. We'll see what we've got. The group has worked hard.”
He got his first shot to see what the Canucks have when they visited the Calgary Flames for their season-opener on Wednesday.
The hard work paid off as Vancouver defeated the Flames, 4-2, which marked the first time it got a victory on opening night after five straight losses.
“Well, I think it's great,” Desjardins said after the game. “Calgary plays hard like a real tough game. To come on the road and get a win, it's always important.”
Vey was on the third line, flanked by forwards Zack Kassian and Brad Richardson. Vey finished with an assist on a goal scored by Kassian at 5:16 of the second period.
Matthias, on the other hand, failed to get on the scoresheet, and finished with a minus-2.
“I felt what was really important was that we were able to use our whole team,” Desjardins said. “Everybody played, and everybody contributed . . . and that was important.”
Horvat couldn't contribute, and will have to prove himself again once he returns to the lineup.
NOTES: Canucks' D Kevin Bieksa (shoulder) was a game-time decision and dressed in place of D Yannik Weber. . . . Flames F Sean Monahan (ill) also was a game-time decision and ended up playing. He finished with an assist and was plus-1. . . . Canucks' D Alexander Edler had a minus-2 rating. . . . Vancouver forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin combined for three points. . . . Desjardins got his first NHL coaching victory. . . . The Canucks will play host to the Edmonton Oilers in their home-opener on Saturday.

(Dickson Liong is Taking Note’s Vancouver correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @DLLiong.)

Trade rumours just that to healthy Shinkaruk

There hasn't been any stopping for Vancouver Canucks prospect Hunter Shinkaruk, a first-round selection in the NHL’s 2013 draft who has even been mentioned in recent trade talks.
Shinkaruk, who was in his fourth season with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers, suffered a hip injury when they played host to the Portland Winterhawks on Oct. 23.
Although he had to fight through excruciating pain, he refused to come out of the lineup, in hopes of making Canada's world junior team. At 19 years of age, it was his last year of eligibility.
Shinkaruk finished with five goals and 11 assists in 18 games with the Tigers,
earning himself the opportunity to crack Canada's roster. But it was just too much, as it was apparent his game was affected significantly by the injury. Team Canada released him on Dec. 19 following a 4-2 victory over Finland.
Despite being disappointed after having done everything in his power to make the team, he didn’t have time to dwell on it.
The Tigers announced on Dec. 27 that Shinkaruk would undergo hip surgery to repair a slightly torn labrum and that he was done for the season.
This was the first time Shinkaruk had experienced something like hip surgery, but he was able to find one guy who would support him through the process -- Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack.
While Lack was playing for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in 2012-13, he was dealing with what was believed to be a groin injury, but what turned out to be a hip flexor problem that required surgery and ended his season.
Dr. Marc Phillipon did Lack’s procedure, and would work on Shinkaruk as well.
“I talked to (Eddie) kind of more leading up to the surgery,” Shinkaruk said. “(I talked to him about) what it was going to feel like and what the time was going to be like after. I haven't talked to him in a little bit, but I talked to him a lot leading up to the surgery.”
The surgery was successful, and then it was time to get back to work. There was no time to waste if he wanted to be ready for training camp in September.
“Rehab was pretty crazy,” Shinkaruk recalled. “From the time I had surgery, the only day I had off was Sunday. I trained hard, and I was in the pool a lot. I was doing things that rehab staff I had working around me told me to do, and it worked out. It's been a lot of hard work, it definitely hasn't been easy at all, but it's been worth it.”
After spending long hours in the gym, he finally was allowed to skate on March 11.
“I try not to focus too much (on worrying about my hip),” he stated. “Obviously, when you (have) hip surgery, there's always that little worry in the back of your mind, but I have the best doctors in the world looking after me and the best rehab people looking after me. I knew that I was going to be OK.
“It was definitely nice when I got back on the ice for the first time and I felt just like I have for the first 19 years of my life. I feel great right now, and I'm very blessed the surgery went well.”
However, he hasn't yet been cleared for contact.
“Doctors haven't really given me too much of a timeline,” Shinkaruk said. “They've just told me to keep working hard and to keep staying focused. I think that when I get down to Vancouver, they’re going to tell me when I can get hit. That's kind of the last timeline that I have left because I've passed everything else.
“I haven't seen a doctor in a little bit so I don't have clearance to get hit yet. I'm sure that if it doesn't come at training camp, it'll come shortly after. I feel great, I feel 100 per cent, and obviously from the medical side the doctors will be able to tell me what I can and can't do. (That being said), I don't think there's anything I can't do.”
Aside from the gym and the rink, the offseason is an opportunity for players to take some time to spend with their families and friends.
But because Shinkaruk has been busy and focused on rehabbing his hip so that he'd ready for the Canucks' training camp, he hasn't been able to do much of that. But there was one event that only happens once a year that he wasn't going to miss.
“I've been training for about six months now,” he explained. “So I figured if I could get away for a week and a little bit, it would be really nice. It was my parents, Roger and Patrisha's, 25th anniversary so they went on a cruise for two weeks but I only joined them for just a week. We were down in Italy and Greece, and it was great. As a hockey player at this level you don't get to travel and
see the world this much anymore so it was a lot of fun that I got to go down there.”
Shinkaruk returned home on June 15. Soon afterward, he was in the middle of trade rumours.
The 2014 NHL draft is scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia.
The Florida Panthers have the No. 1 pick and have been open about the fact that they're looking to trade it. Vancouver, which has the No. 6 selection, has said it would like to move up.
Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported on Monday that the Canucks have offered the No. 6 pick and Shinkaruk for the Florida's first selection.
“It's something that I guess is part of the game,” Shinkaruk said, with a laugh. “It's the first time my name has ever popped up in any rumour. You know what, it is what it is. You get a lot of tweets about it on Twitter and sometimes you kind of get worried. But you know, at the end of the day, all it is, right now anyways, is a rumour.
“I've really enjoyed being a prospect of the Canucks this far and worked hard to make sure that I'll be a key player in that lineup this coming season. We'll see what happens, but it's part of the game and part of the life that I've chosen to live so I can't really complain.”
Despite having his name in the rumour mill, Shinkaruk remains focused.
“It's completely out of my control,” he said. “It's up to Vancouver and the other team. All I can control is making sure that when I'm in the gym and when I'm on the ice I'm improving my game. That's where my head is at right now, I just want to make sure that I'm ready to go and ready to have a great season in the NHL this coming season.”
Last year, the Canucks made a splash at the draft as they traded goaltender Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils for the ninth-overall pick, which they used to select London Knights forward Bo Horvat. Shinkaruk and Horvat just happen to be good friends.
“I've haven't talked to Bo too much about this new rumour,” Shinkaruk said. “I think it's more something that, at this point, is just a rumour and I'm trying to not spend too much time thinking about it and talking to people about it because I can't really do too much about it.
“If something happens, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.”

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