Prepared or not, the Vancouver Canucks will play their first recreation since March 24 on Sunday evening at house.
Once they tackle the Toronto Maple Leafs, nevertheless, the Canucks — who noticed their season stalled by a prolonged COVID-19-related pause — will hardly have the kind of lineup that Vancouver followers are used to.
“I used to be simply taking a look at our board. I believe we’ve eight or 9 guys out of the lineup tonight that might have had a superb probability of taking part in,” coach Travis Inexperienced stated Sunday throughout his pregame media availability.
Inexperienced appeared sullen and stone-faced as he answered questions whereas sipping a cup of espresso. The coach — in addition to his membership — has been challenged by the pandemic, maybe greater than some other staff.
That stated, Vancouver had sufficient of a roster to discipline some practices main as much as the sport. The Canucks started preparations Thursday.
“We should always have some enthusiasm in our gamers for certain,” Inexperienced stated. “Our staff can be excited to play. [There] can be some rust, although. There is not any method you may mimic recreation motion. And we have been out for awhile.”
Canucks veteran defenseman Tyler Myers can be one of many gamers within the lineup when Vancouver takes on the No. 1 staff within the North Division. However his kind of expertise on the blue line can be missing total towards the high-octane Maple Leafs.
“We had a reasonably good previous couple of skates. You might inform guys had been actually pushing by way of a few of the fatigue to get again at it, sufficient that may put us in place to win video games,” Myers stated. “We anticipate to come back out laborious.”
The return of the Canucks has been debated for weeks throughout the league, and one of many staff’s veteran forwards, J.T. Miller, who will play Sunday, was outspoken concerning the league doubtlessly dashing their return to play.
Canucks basic supervisor Jim Benning defended the message final week.
“We’re coping with a unique type of COVID; the P.1 variant is completely different. We did not know what to anticipate,” Benning stated Friday. “As our gamers began coming again and figuring out, then the fixed communication — they had been having some signs that had been completely different than common COVID, and it took them a bit of longer to rise up and going. I believe that was relayed in J.T.’s message.”
Myers, too, echoed the sentiment, however extra for what the Canucks have at house than on the ice.
“The toughest half was when all of the households bought it,” he stated. “However seems to be like a lot of the youngsters dealt with it higher than the adults did.”
The Canucks have off Monday however will face the Maple Leafs once more on Tuesday in Vancouver.
“I am wanting for lots of issues,” Inexperienced stated about this week. “Initially, how we’re skating, after which how we’re dealing with the puck. I really feel like these go hand in hand with our group.
“And I am anxious to see the rust stage on this staff.”