The Canucks roster needs to take a page out of Hoglander’s playbook
The Vancouver Canucks knew they had a special player in Nils Hoglander, but I don’t think anyone expected him to be this good this quickly. Through the first 15 games of the 2021 NHL campaign, the Bocktrask native of Sweden has been one of the most — if not the most — competitive and complete players on the Vancouver roster.
He already has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) and is right in the middle of the mix for the rookie scoring lead. Not only that, but Hoglander has turned heads with his compete level defensively. Clearly, he wants to be successful inside the world’s most difficult hockey league, but with the way the Canucks have been playing lately, it’s hard for him to reach his full potential as a rookie.
He’s got a motor that doesn’t quit — it’s what’s got him here — but he needs his teammates to match that engine’s output. Every time he hits the ice he’s giving 100 percent on every shift. His legs are always moving, and when he doesn’t have the puck he’s like a dog on a bone.
Not to say that Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson haven’t been playing to the best of their ability (because they have been), but the rest of this team is lacking serious confidence in every aspect of hockey and if they don’t get things figured out in a hurry, everything will turn from bad to worse.
Who knew that Hoglander would be the guy on the Canucks roster who would be showing the Canucks what it takes to win games? That might be a bit of a stretch, but you get what I’m trying to say. If the rest of the Canucks’ roster could put in the same amount of effort every night that Hoglander does, it’s quite possible that they’d be in a better position in the standings.
The Canucks practiced yesterday in hopes of getting everyone on the same page. Tonight, they play the Toronto Maple Leafs for the third straight game before a four-game series against the Calgary Flames.
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One more win on the road could be a big momentum shift for the Canucks before they head back to Vancouver. Now more than ever, the Canucks need to bring it, and they need to bring all that they have and all that they’ve got. Just ask Hoglander.