With Filip Hronek expected to be out of the lineup for a good chunk of time, the Vancouver Canucks are going to need other players to step up and help fill the void.
Veteran defenseman and career tweener Mark Friedman was called up from the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL on Thursday, with Arshdeep Bains being sent back the other way to make room for him. The Canucks do not currently have the cap space to facilitate a big trade or carry extra bodies on the roster, so adding Friedman is as much help as they are going to get for the time being.
Mark Friedman a depth option for Canucks
Friedman, of course, played for head coach Rick Tocchet and the Canucks last year, albeit in a limited role. He is going to know what is expected of him if and when his name is called by Tocchet and the coaching staff. A fellow right-hand shot, Friedman is quality insurance in case something happens to the remaining group of Canucks defenders, which includes Tyler Myers, Noah Juulsen, and Vincent Desharnais.
Friedman has played 88 games at the NHL level between the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Canucks. At the age of 28, he is who he is, and at 5-foot-11, Friedman is limited in how much of an impact he will be able to make in his own zone.
The Canucks could do worse while they wait for another defenseman, Derek Forbort, to return from his own injury. Look for Friedman to serve as a depth option and nothing more.