ABBOTSFORD — Victor Mancini was in the opening-night lineup for the New York Rangers last season.
The hulking defenceman had a strong training camp, and even though he got the call because of an injury to Ryan Lindgren, he was already gaining leaguewide attention as a player who may be on the cusp of becoming an NHL mainstay.
Mancini, 23, is driven to turn that hope into reality when the Vancouver Canucks commence a crucial season opener Oct. 9 against the Calgary Flames. He’s certainly trending in the right direction as a third-pairing, right side consideration for rookie NHL head coach Adam Foote, who knows how the 6-foot-3, 229 pound Mancini can make an impact.
Big defenders who can move, play physical and intimidate are hard to find. It’s why Mancini is in the mix with veteran Derek Forbort and promising prospect Tom Willander for that third-line spot. Mancini’s goal Sunday in Seattle was a glimpse of a growing game that has a high ceiling. Foote may want to start the season with a veteran presence, but Mancini is making it interesting,
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Victor Mancini is congratulated after a power-play goal against the Stars on April 8 in Dallas.
On Wednesday, Mancini had quite the opening period in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames.
In his first shift, he didn’t rim the puck under pressure, but wheeled to get out of the zone. He then stepped up from the blue-line in the offensive zone for a heavy sideboards hit to negate an exit. He was also the quarterback on PP1 and did a deke for a scoring chance. He then moved down from the point high slot to bury a Linus Karlsson corner feed to make it 2-0. He then delivered another corner boards cruncher hit in second period.
“I thought I played to my strengths today and I consider myself a hard grader and there are a few things I want back,” he said post game.
Foote concurred. “He’s working hard and has that explosiveness, but there are things to help him with.”
Canucks’ assistant coach Scott Young has been impressed. He logged 1,181 games as a right-winger with six NHL teams, had a 40-goal season and knew how hard it was to evade dominant defencemen. It’s why he’s so high on Mancini, who’s making the J.T. Miller trade, that also landed Filip Chytil, look better than expected.
“He’s an excellent skater,” Young said Wednesday before the Canucks faced the Flames. “He’s a big boy. You don’t usually see guys with that size being able to skate as well as he can. He’s aggressive and not shy to take ice, which is great.
“We always want to wheel the net when we can and he goes back with speed and comes up the ice quickly. We really like that about him.”
It’s a testimony to Mancini’s mantra of being all-in every day. He didn’t have a traditional ah-ha moment because he became a 2022 fifth-round draft choice of the Rangers after being passed over the previous two years. And just as he looked to be getting a leg up last season with 15 NHL games and 23 in the AHL, came the trade.
“I went through all the emotions,” Mancini admitted after the game-day skate Wednesday. “In first hearing about it, it was a bit of a shock. I was really happy how I was doing in the Rangers organization and there was a sadness and uncertainty.
“I had some great friends there and knew very little about Vancouver. I knew it was a great city and great hockey town. But you get here and meet the guys, who have been so welcoming, it was easy to get acclimated right away.
“It just made me feel better. Learning about the culture that is still being built here, it was easy to buy into that and I really want to be a part of it.”
Mancini parlayed 16 NHL games into helping the AHL affiliate in Abbotsford claim its first Calder Cup on June 23. He had eight points (3-5) in 24 games and the unpredictability and pressure of post-season hockey was of paramount importance.
Victor Mancini of the Abbotsford Canucks moves the puck against the Charlotte Checkers on June 6 in Cedar Park, Tex.
“Confidence is big for me,” said Mancini. “It was just how meaningful those (Calder Cup) games were and you can’t take a game or a shift off. It helped me establish a base and re-establishing my confidence and I just want it to transfer to the next level.”
And not forget the Abbotsford title experience because it was rare.
“Maybe I won a state championship when I was a kid,” he recalled. “Nothing in junior or college, so that was the first big trophy and it was very special. I felt pretty calm in myself and very confident in our team. Knowing the type of people and players we had, I really thought we could make a run and go far.
“Awesome to see it all come together.”
Mancini was born in tiny Hancock, Mich., and with a dad who coached at several colleges, including Michigan Tech, his love of the game was cemented early. He idolized the game’s greats, including legendary Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings and Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“With Lidstrom, it was how mistake-free he was in every game,” stressed Mancini.
However, Mancini didn’t instantly take to the ice when he first strapped on the blades at age three.
“I came off the ice crying my first time,” he said with a chuckle. “I wanted to get off so bad, and when my mom took me off, I cried even harder because I wanted to go back on. I’m glad she put me back on the ice.”
Fast-forward and opportunity awaits Mancini. Can he be an NHL roster regular this season?
“It’s all up to me,” he said. “I just have to enjoy the process and I feel like there’s an offensive upside. I want to build the foundation in my game in the defensive zone and start from there. I want to be that dependable player, who can play in all situations.
“Sunday, I forced a couple of chances when I didn’t need to and it’s just keeping my head up and make the other team pay.”