Canucks: 2 players who have been impressive at training camp this year

Fighting hard for roster spots within the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup, here are two players that have been impressive through the first week of training camp.

With little time to prepare and zero preseason games being played prior to the regular season, prospects are doing anything they can to get a leg up on the competition and land a roster spot with the Vancouver Canucks.

In particular, two young guns come to mind when looking back at the first six days of camp. For starters, Nils Hoglander has been the talk of the town, and how could he not be? Since the opening day of camp, he’s been stapled on line two next to Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson.

Coming to camp fresh off a loan with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League, Hoglander has looked good as he is already in mid-season form and in game-shape. That could mean his progression might slow down as other professionals get up to speed, but so far he’s been lights out. Here’s what TSN’s Farhan Lalji had to say:

“He’s taken advantage of an opportunity. The Canucks clearly needed one more addition in their top-six after they let Tyler Toffoli go. Many believed that Jake Virtanen was going to get that opportunity on the second line playing alongside Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson. Instead, from the very first shift of training camp, Travis Green gave Hoglander that opportunity and he’s shown that he’s got the pace, the hands and really the confidence to play at this level. He’s impressed everyone around him so far.”

To back up all the hype surrounding the Canucks’ big prospect, here’s a clip from scrimmage night. Hoglander shows off his ability to find the puck and make a good pass in traffic before positioning himself in the perfect place for a backdoor tap-in.

This next clip shows Hoglander pounce on a golden opportunity off a bad giveaway so that he can set up Horvat for a cross-crease feed that leaves the goalie feeling hopeless. Chemistry forming rapidly between the young Swede and the Canucks’ captain, exactly what you want to see.

Other clips have Hoglander dancing around Jake Virtanen in style, stripping the puck from Elias Pettersson — he’s even been spotted coaching other players after practice on how to pull off the ‘Michigan’ goal. The kid is obviously making a good impression through camp and the fact that he has yet to leave Horvat’s wing speaks volumes.

The one thing still in question is his game in the defensive end. He’s not exactly known for being a two-way player, and when Travis Green was questioned about it, he was honest and open in sharing his concerns.

His skills as a two-way forward on line two could become a problem down the road, at least if he can’t keep up with the stiff competition that Horvat and Pearson are matched up against every night. Time will reveal what this kid can do defensively, but as of right now, he’s a lock to make the Canucks’ top-six on opening night.