Vancouver Canucks Scrambling To Shore Up Defense For Nashville Game

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Andrey Pedan, left, grabs Calgary Flames' Paul Byron during NHL pre-season hockey action in Calgary on Sept. 25.
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Andrey Pedan, left, grabs Calgary Flames’ Paul Byron during NHL pre-season hockey action in Calgary on Sept. 25, 2015. Pedan expected to receive call up for remaining two games of road trip.

andrewchernoff By Andrew Chernoff

Jan 9, 2017

Chris Tanev practiced this morning and was re-evaluated today, coach Willie Desjardins told reporters. Tanev said he is day-to-day, and will be going to Nashville.

 

Desjardins also said that Ben Hutton will not make the road trip and will be out for awhile.

 

As for Philip Larsen, Desjardins said he is getting closer but still has not practiced since his injury.

 

Defenseman Andrey Pedan is expected to called up from the Utica Comets and meet the Canucks in Nashville for tomorrow nights game.

 

Luca Sbisa and Nikita Tryamkin were banged up in the Calgary loss on Saturday night, but are expected to be in the lineup.

Even Daniel Sedin was asked who would be better in a pinch if a defenseman went down, him or his brother:

Gudbranson-Hutton pairing will be key for Canucks

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Ben Huttondynamic_resizeErik Gudbranson

By Jason Brough  September 27, 2016

There’s a long list of things that have to go right for the Vancouver Canucks if their playoff hopes are to be realized.

One of the biggest is for new addition Erik Gudbranson to form a cohesive second pairing with sophomore Ben Hutton. If that happens, and if Alex Edler and Chris Tanev can stay healthy, the Canucks should have a reliable top-four defense, and that’s something they rarely, if ever, had last season.

Gudbranson, a big stay-at-home type, and Hutton, a puck-mover, have been skating together at training camp. The Canucks believe the pairing has great potential, with each defenseman’s strengths complementing the other’s.

“I want to get his feet moving and hit him in stride and get him up the ice with the puck as soon as possible,” Gudbranson said, per The Province. “I think we’re going to be a good partnership. We’re both on the same page. We’re both excited to play with each other and grow as a unit.”

Vancouver’s third pairing remains to be seen. Luca Sbisa with Philip Larsen is the most likely at this point, though Nikita Tryamkin and Andrey Pedan on the left side, and Alex Biega and Troy Stecher on the right, could make things interesting. Jordan Subban is another wild card. Olli Juolevi too, though he’s a long shot and will likely end up back in junior.

The Canucks were decimated by injuries to their best defensemen last season. Edler only played 52 games, Dan Hamhuis 58, and Tanev 69. Other teams with more depth could survive that, but Vancouver floundered.

That’s why health is another big thing that has to go right for the Canucks. Another injury-filled season and it’s hard to picture them staying in the playoff race.

Vancouver opens its preseason schedule tonight in San Jose.

Source: Gudbranson-Hutton pairing will be key for Canucks