Article content
Another day and another pairing of Quinn Hughes with Cole McWard.
‘One thing is you can’t be scared to do things and I’m not scared.’ — Canucks coach Rick Tocchet on pairing rookie Cole McWard with Quinn Hughes
Published Oct 02, 2023 • Last updated 57 minutes ago • 4 minute read
Another day and another pairing of Quinn Hughes with Cole McWard.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
REGISTER TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Article content
This union of superstar captain and intriguing newbie has gone well past the curiosity stage. Could the Vancouver Canucks actually open their regular season on Oct. 11 at Rogers Arena with a marriage of the proven and the untested?
Article content
“We’re trying McWard. It’s part of the process and I don’t know yet because I want to see a little bit more,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said following a Monday practice at the University of B.C. “One thing is you can’t be scared to do things and I’m not scared.”
Tocchet obviously wants whoever pairs with Hughes to possess the crucial attributes of reading and reacting, retrieving and advancing pucks, defending and having an offensive-zone presence.
“I feel like all our ‘D’ have those attributes,” stressed Tocchet. “I know you guys want who’s the guy (to play with Hughes)? Right now, we don’t have it per se. But to me we do. We have a bunch of guys that can do it. It’s like baseball, you’ve got to have a lot of great relievers.”
Canucks Report
Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Canucks Report will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Article content
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
McWard, 22, has teased to be part of the mix, but the Ohio State product also took three penalties Saturday to prove the NHL learning curve is steep for any college free agent.
“Talking to the coaches, they don’t want me to focus too much on those penalties and just move forward,” said McWard. “It’s just small details going into the corner. My body placement and not wrapping the guy up and staying more on his hip while still being aggressive and trying to get the puck back.
“That will come with time and adjustments.”
The roster experimenting included aligning Carson Soucy with Filip Hronek on Monday, while Ian Cole skated with Tyler Myers and Guillaume Brisebois with Noah Juulsen. Those left- and right-shot pairings are often preferred because of positioning and passing, but even that isn’t written in stone.
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“You can have a lefty-lefty look and still be successful,” added Tocchet. “There are times when we will have a lefty with Huggy (Hughes) for sure. We’re a committee. I don’t think we’re going to have true partners all year, so they might as well get used to playing with other guys.
“Some teams are built different where they have three guys who play 20-plus minutes. I like how we spread it out.”
For a competitive balance, it’s not a stretch to suggest that Tocchet — and defensive coaches Adam Foote and Sergei Gonchar — prefer a veteran to anchor each pairing. Deploy Hughes, Hronek and Cole in each alignment so one doesn’t get overwhelmed.
“That’s a pretty good theory, but you know Huggy and Hronek are going to get their minutes, other guys can sporadically play heavy minutes and others who can fill in,” reasoned Tocchet.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Where does all this leave Soucy?
Acquired through free agency, the 6-foot-5 former Seattle Kraken defender agreed to a three-year, US$9.75 million contract to provide size, depth and versatility. He was third among Kraken defenders in hits and blocked shots. His 52.1 per cent Corsi-For rating for puck control when deployed in 16:18 of average ice time was fourth among team blueliners.
Soucy’s game doesn’t scream offence with 16 points (3-13) last season, but he did have 10 goals in 2021-22 after being claimed in the expansion draft from the Minnesota Wild. That’s where he operated in a third pairing with Cole.
Soucy, 29, looked like he had a leg up to pair with Hughes, especially when Cole and Hronek meshed well from the outset, but Foote wants to experiment.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
He knows Soucy played with an edge in the 2022-23 post-season. He was a solid third pairing with the right-shot Justin Schultz to help the Kraken upset the defending Stanley Cup-champion Colorado Avalanche in the first playoff round.
Soucy also played the right side with Mark Giordano, so that’s going to help give the coaching staff deployment options.
“I think it can be fluid here, but with every coach and even players, it’s a little easier to play the strong side,” noted Soucy. “And players know that. They can get comfortable on the off-side, but it’s always easier on the strong side.”
Soucy was paired with Hughes in a camp scrimmage and quickly learned to appreciate the defenceman’s multi-faceted game.
“He doesn’t pose many challenges because he’s done a good job of improving defensively — even though the offence takes care of itself,” said Soucy. “He’s one of those special players in the league with the puck, but what he doesn’t get enough credit for is how quickly he can close on plays and break the puck out.”
Advertisement 7
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
What Soucy is getting is a master class of instruction from Foote and Gonchar.
“They’re so smart and knowledgeable and bring out a really good way of communicating with us,” he said. “They’re good at keeping all of us even-keeled through all these (pre-season) games to get more comfortable. A lot of it is just stick on puck and being good defensively and being aggressive when we can.”
OVERTIME: Elias Pettersson was at UBC on Monday, but was excused with a cold, and nothing is concerning, according to Tocchet.
bkuzma@postmedia.com
Recommended from Editorial
Canucks: So, Cole McWard could be a thing
Canucks: How presence powers Quinn Hughes’ captaincy
Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add VancouverSun.com and TheProvince.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.
You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber: For just $14 a month, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.
Article content
Share this article in your social network
Advertisement 1
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.