Photo credit: Vancouver Canucks – X.
An insider said recently that the team believes that a top Vancouver Canucks’ defensive prospect could have a good chance at making their opening night roster.
While there aren’t a ton of open spots on the Vancouver Canucks’ opening night lineup, there are some interesting battles to keep an eye throughout camp, as upwards of six players compete for one or two positions in the bottom-six, while a couple of the team’s top defensive prospects will make a big push to see their name on the roster in early October.
Vancouver Canucks reportedly believe top defensive prospect is ready for the NHL
It feels like just yesterday that the Vancouver Canucks and Tom Willander‘s camp were in a bit of a stalemate in contract negotiations over performance bonuses, but ultimately, a deal got done in mid-May, with the Swedish blueliner set to begin his professional career this fall after spending the last two seasons in the NCAA with Boston University.
Coming into his first training camp with Vancouver, Willander has a lot to prove and while everyone knows how good he can be when he’s at the top of his game, professional hockey is a whole different animal and it might be wise to have him start out playing top-four minutes in the American Hockey League.
Well, it appears that Vancouver thinks otherwise, as according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic, the Canucks organization is of the belief that Tom Willander is ready to step into the National Hockey League right away and think that he will be able to win a job right out of camp.
“The organization believes that Willander is ready to play in the NHL. I sense that the club is planning to amp up the pressure and play a more aggressive defensive system in the D-zone this season, which would play to Willander’s strengths as a smooth-skating defensive defender. The expectation internally is that Willander will win a job in the opening-night lineup.” Drance said.
If Willander is able to do so, that’ll be amazing for the Canucks as it gives them another solid passer from the back end and someone who was quite impressive on the breakout with Boston University last season, with his skating being one of his best attributes.
Willander is really good at taking away opponent’s space in his own zone and while he might not be massive by any means, he can cause his opponents trouble during board battles.
We’ll have to see what the next few weeks have in store for Tom Willander, with Vancouver Canucks fans getting their first look at the Stockholm native on September 13th when they face off in a Prospects Game against the Seattle Kraken in Everett, Washington.
Previously on CanucksDaily
POLL
10 MINUTES AGOÂ Â Â |Â Â Â 15 ANSWERS
Top Defense Prospect Tom Willander’s Fate with the Vancouver Canucks This Season Appears to be Decided
Do you think Tom Willander will make the Vancouver Canucks’ opening night roster?