Vancouver Canucks: No Room for Training Camp Competition

Everyone is excited for the Vancouver Canucks’ newest additions. But when will we actually see them in the NHL?

There are several players in the Vancouver Canucks organisation that have fans excited, and some of them are even said to have a chance to crack the NHL roster this year. However, the number of the former is far higher than that of the latter — why is that?

When talking about exciting prospects, the frequently mentioned names include Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, Olli Juolevi and Troy Stecher among others. But once we start talking about players that could earn a roster spot this year, Juolevi and perhaps Stecher are the only ones mentioned.

That makes sense, since Boeser is committed to the University of North Dakota for another year and Demko will need time to adjust to the pro game. But why is nobody even talking about AHL players that seem more NHL-ready, and even have some NHL experience?

Former The Canuck Way writer Steve Boddy asked about one prospect on Twitter:

I was happy to refer him to my list of three potential surprises to crack the roster, which included Borna Rendulic as the No. 1. But still, he’s got a point.

This summer, the Canucks signed Rendulic as well as Michael Chaput and Jayson Megna, who have all seen significant time in the NHL. They were added to a group that includes Mike Zalewski and Alex Grenier, who are also looking to make the NHL roster for good.

Juolevi is talked about because he was this year’s first-round selection and said he feels ready for the NHL. Stecher is talked about mostly because he is coming out of the NCAA at 22 years old — like Ben Hutton last year.

But does anyone really expect them to have a chance?

Even more importantly, did you remember guys like Rendulic, Chaput and Megna?

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The Vancouver Canucks are in a very tough position. For one, they really sucked last season and might do so again this time around. Plus, their roster is completely filled out with one-way contracts, leaving no room for training-camp surprises without making difficult moves.

Even if we leave the aforementioned players off the list, one of Alex Burrows, Emerson Etem, Derek Dorsett, Brendan Gaunce and Jake Virtanen will have to be a healthy scratch every game. Or, in Gaunce and Virtanen’s case, be sent back to the American Hockey League.

If we assume Anton Rodin makes the roster, that will force either Rodin or another one of the players above to take a seat in the press box as well.

Now, if we just assume Rendulic outplays Etem and the Canucks would like Chaput over Markus Granlund in the lineup, that would complicate things even more.

To make room for Rendulic, the Canucks could send Virtanen to the Utica Comets. But they like Virtanen’s physicality and want to keep him, so they send Gaunce back down instead.

If Chaput comes in, they can just send Granlund down. Well, except they can’t. Granlund has played three seasons in the NHL and is therefore waiver-eligible.

Waive Burrows, Etem or Dorsett to make room for a bottom-line free-agent signing? No, that’s not going to happen.

On defense, if Stecher plays well enough to earn a spot in the NHL, what can they do? The top-two pairings are set and Luca Sbisa has an expensive one-way contract, so there is really only room for one more player.

Philip Larsen and Alex Biega are on one-way contracts, but Biega might have to go down anyway. Nikita Tryamkin has a European assignment clause and isn’t going to the AHL although he easily could.

So, the Canucks have seven players virtually locked in and would add Stecher as a No. 8. Does that make sense?

Next: 5 Players to Watch at the Young Stars Classic

To earn a roster spot this summer, the Vancouver Canucks’ prospects would have to prove they can play in the top six or top four, respectively. The roster is full with bottom-six forwards and third-pairing defensemen already, so there is no way to bring prospects in for small roles.

Borna Rendulic isn’t forgotten, he just won’t have the greatest chance to crack the roster out of camp.