The Vancouver Canucks officially kicked off training camp in Penticton on Thursday with their first on-ice practice. We got to see the initial line combinations of the season, with the most exciting one being Elias Pettersson aligning with newcomer Jake DeBrusk and rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki. However, that’s not set in stone for opening night against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 9. Head coach Rick Tocchet will be trying several combinations with his now highest-paid forward, making it the most anticipated battle to follow during training camp and the preseason.
Jake DeBrusk Starts With Pettersson in Training Camp
Speaking with the media in his first presser of the season, Tocchet revealed that he was going to have Pettersson and DeBrusk as one of his duos to start training camp. That’s not really a surprise since general manager Patrik Allvin signed DeBrusk with Pettersson in mind. He said as much on the day he inked him to a seven-year contract worth $5.5 million average annual value (AAV). “What I’ve seen over the years, I think Jake has consistently been able to elevate his game in the playoffs. He is a responsible two-way guy, and I envision, unless [Rick Tocchet] finds different line combinations, but I envision him starting with [Elias Pettersson].”
DeBrusk has shown over his seasons in the NHL that he can play with elite talent. He’s played with the likes of David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, and David Krejci and already has three 20-goal seasons under his belt. With an elite passer like Pettersson, he could hit career highs and inflate the Swedish superstar’s stats as well. Unlike Ilya Mikheyev, he goes to the net with regularity and seems to know how to finish plays in tight. He also brings a lot more physicality to the table, eclipsing the 100-hit mark last season, which should open up the ice more for Pettersson to work his magic.
Who Will Line Up Alongside Pettersson & DeBrusk on Opening Night?
Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Jonathan Lekkerimaki seems poised to get the first crack at joining the (hopefully) dynamic duo this season as he was paired with Pettersson and DeBrusk on the opening day of training camp. Pettersson was impressed with what he saw out of the youngster, saying, “I’ve seen his highlights, but this was our first practice together and I really like what I see. He’s got skill, and he’s got a good shot.”
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DeBrusk echoed the same sentiments, even though he didn’t know how to pronounce his name. During a tableside interview for Canucks Central, he highlighted one of Lekkerimaki’s biggest strengths, his shot, which he compared to a young Pastrnak. That’s high praise, considering Pastrnak has 348 goals in the NHL already and is widely considered one of the top goalscorers in the league.
Lekkerimaki was one of the Canucks’ standouts at the recently completed Young Stars Classic, catching the eyes of coaches Manny Malhotra and Rick Tocchet. Both of them had good things to say about the 2022 first-round pick, with Tocchet dropping his name in his opening-season press conference and Malhotra discussing his talents after almost every game. Tocchet is rewarding his play in the tournament with a massive opportunity in training camp, and now it’s up to him to perform and show everyone that he’s ready to play in the NHL. For what it’s worth, he looked good in his first practice with them, finishing on 75 percent of his looks during the various drills.
It should be exciting to see what Lekkerimaki can do in the preseason with Pettersson and DeBrusk. Not to mention the power play where he usually sets up shop at the left faceoff dot and rips one-timers or perfectly places his lethal wrist shot. Expectations should be tempered, but he could be Pettersson’s first real sniper since Tyler Toffoli was on his line briefly in 2020.
Daniel Sprong
Daniel Sprong could turn out to be the best winger Pettersson has ever had – unless Lekkerimaki is ready for the NHL this season, that is. While he’s nowhere near the skill level of an Alex Ovechkin or Pastrnak, he knows how to find the back of the net with regularity – not to mention very little ice time. He takes advantage of his opportunities, which is exactly what Pettersson needs by his side. If Mikheyev would have finished half the chances he got last season, he would probably still be in Canucks colours and Pettersson would be riding the high of a second straight 100-point campaign.
Sprong has scored 39 goals over the last two seasons with the Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings, averaging less than 12 minutes a night. He also has 307 shots on goal. Basically, he doesn’t waste any minute he gets out there. He either gets a shot on goal or scores. Now imagine what he could do with more ice time alongside a center with elite vision and playmaking abilities.
Danton Heinen
Danton Heinen was slotted next to JT Miller and Brock Boeser on Day 1 of camp, but he will also likely get a look with DeBrusk and Pettersson in the preseason. He played 153:24 at five-on-five last season with DeBrusk in Boston, so he would be familiar with how he operates. He would be a different winger than Lekkerimaki or Sprong, however, as he’s not a high-volume shooter or prolific scorer. He makes his living on the boards with his high-energy playstyle and hockey IQ. He’s a smart player, that’s why he can play with players like Pastrnak, DeBrusk and Brad Marchand, and thrive.
Heinen had 17 goals last season, so he can finish when the opportunity presents itself, but it’s his versatility that will win him a job on either the Miller/Boeser or Pettersson/DeBrusk line. Who he lines up with on opening night will all depend on which duo he generates the most chemistry with during the preseason.
Nils Hoglander
We finish with Nils Hoglander, the winger who spent 363:25 of five-on-five ice time with Pettersson last season. He didn’t start with his most common linemate on Thursday, instead lining up with Aatu Raty and Conor Garland. It will be interesting to see where he slots in this season. Will it be in the top-six, where he spent the majority of last season, or on an energy line like what’s happened so far in camp?
Hoglander was one of the Canucks’ most effective forwards at even strength in 2023-24, scoring all of his 24 goals in that situation. He also showed marked improvement in his defensive game, making it likely that he could begin 2024-25 in the bottom-six. But looking at his ice time with Pettersson last season, I find it hard to believe that Tocchet won’t at least try him out with his new duo at some point in the preseason. Who knows, he might be the best linemate for them.
Tocchet Will Experiment in the Preseason, But Hopefully Lekkerimaki Wins the Job
Preseason is the time to experiment, that’s why Tocchet said during his presser that we shouldn’t look too closely at the line combos at the beginning of training camp. He will try a plethora of wingers out with Pettersson, probably even straying away from DeBrusk at times. With so many new forwards on the team, it’s only natural to want to see what you have with them. It should be exciting to watch as everything unfolds, but in the end, I would love to see Lekkerimaki take the ball and run with it, as he’s the only natural goalscorer of the bunch.
The action continues later today (Sept. 20) as Day 2 gets going with more on-ice activities. Training camp will run until Sunday, finishing with a Blue-White scrimmage. After that, one of those teams will get ready to suit up for the first preseason game on Tuesday (Sept. 24) against the Seattle Kraken.
