Vancouver Canucks: 3 takeaways from the final preseason game

On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks finished up their preseason with a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Here’s what we learned.

The Vancouver Canucks started well early, and built two leads in Thursday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. But three straight unanswered goals by the Desert Dogs turned out to be the difference, as the Canucks fell 4-2 at Rogers Arena.

That concludes the preseason, and the Canucks will now prepare for their Oct. 2 season opener on the road against the Edmonton Oilers. Let’s take a look at what we learned from the loss to Arizona.

1. Adam Gaudette vs. The world

The Hockey Gaud simply can’t be stopped.

The Canucks’ best player this preseason had nothing to lose coming into Thursday night’s game. Sure, a bad game could have made management’s choice to send him down to the Utica Comets a little easier, but his consistent play this preseason would have left the Canucks with a tough decision either way.

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That decision continued to get more difficult.

Adam Gaudette, who came into Thursday’s game tied for first in NHL preseason goals, continued his dominant play with a beautiful no-look assist on Zack MacEwen’s first period tally.

On top of his highlight reel play, he also showed more chemistry with linemate Sven Baertschi, who if Gaudette does stay with the team, is looking like a strong candidate to play with on a scoring third or fourth line.

Head coach Travis Green also rewarded Gaudette later in the game, with first power play time and deploying the 22 year-old as one of the six attackers in the final minute.

I’m really not sure Gaudette could have done much more to warrant a spot on the roster come opening night. So, look for him to be there.

2. End of the road?

Last night was the final opportunity for any player to make an impression in front of the Canucks — and no players had more on the line than Jake Virtanen and Nikolay Goldobin.

While Virtanen started the preseason strong with a two-goal effort in a split squad win over the  Calgary Flames, his play tailed off over the course of the remaining five games. Thursday’s loss to the Coyotes was no different for him. Playing alongside Tim Schaller and Jay Beagle, he left a lot to be desired. On for a goal against, while receiving a two minute minor penalty.

If anything, he looks primed for the press box.

Goldobin, meanwhile, was given every opportunity to succeed. Green did what he could to see the 23 year-old bring back some sort of scoring mojo, including power play opportunities and as an attacker in the final minute. The return? Nada.

3. Leivo Him Alone

As I looked into on Thursday, Josh Leivo was one player that made the most sense to fill in for an injured Brock Boeser —  if the latter does in fact miss the season opener.

Sure enough Green, paired Leivo, along with Elias Pettersson and the newly returned Micheal Ferland. It took little time for the three to gel.

1:20 into the game, Leivo picked up his third assist of the preseason with some nifty work along the boards with his new linemate in Pettersson, with Ferland driving to the net and scoring his first in a Canucks uniform.

The latter stages of the game also saw Leivo with all kinds of opportunities. He finished the game leading all Canucks forwards in ice time with 19:53, in the process seeing first power play time along with over three minutes of short-handed play.

The Canucks have an extremely underrated player in Leivo, and he did all the right things to prove he can fill in for Boeser if need be.