Canucks PRESEASON
Game 1:
Montreal 7 @
Vancouver 1
Ty Ronning G
Chris Tanev A, 5 BS, 2 Hits
Bo Horvat A, 56.3 FO%
Ashton Sautner -3, 38 DGR, 3 Hits
Will Butcher 3 BS, Hit, Tak, 84 DGR
Brandon Tanev 5 Hits, -2
Rasmus Andersson -3, 6 SOG, 2 Hits
Notes: Will Butcher starts his preseason out well, looking like the best player on the ice for Vancouver. Ashton Sautner didn't look ready but he was physical, throwing three hits. Tyler Bertuzzi was the best forward out there by the eye test. Filip Chlapik was -3 but of the three centers looking to earn a fourth line role he had the best faceoff percentage at 55.6%. Blake Lizotte had the best Defensive Game Rating of those three with a mediocre 55. Thatcher Demko's first NHL action was rough, giving up seven goals on 25 shots for a .720 save percentage before being replaced by Nathan Lieuwen near the end of the game.
Game 2:
San Jose 4 @
Vancouver 5
Casey DeSmith 35 saves, 4 goals allowed, .897 sv%
Mikhail Sergachev G, BS, Tak, 23:19 TOI, 82 DGR
Dan Hamhuis A, +1, 3 SOG, BS
Dylan DeMelo 4 BS, 2 Hits, Tak
Charlie McAvoy G, +1, 3 BS, 2 Hits, Tak
Alex Iafallo A, 2 Hits
Danton Heinen 72 GR, A, +1, 4 Hits, Tak
Filip Chlapik 68 OGR, A, BS, Hit, 66.7 FO%
Nikita Filatov G, +1, 2 BS, 5 Hits
Andre Burakovsky 2 G, A, 3 SOG, 2 Tak
Notes: Burakovsky's first game in a Canucks sweater didn't disappoint, he was probably their best forward and picked up three points, including the eventual game winning goal. Erik Cernak looked fairly out of place with a 45 Game Rating and 38 Defensive Game Rating, but he did throw two hits and come up with a takeaway. Dylan DeMelo looked sound out there and should get another look. Dustin Jeffrey failed to impress at all. For a second straight pre-season neither Stefan Noesen nor Josh Anderson are really laying claim to any of the spots available to them as they were both mediocre again and Noesen didn't even register a hit.
Game 3:
Vancouver 2 @
St. Louis 5
Will Butcher +1, 2 SOG, 2 BS, 3 Hits
Vince Dunn -1, 3 BS
Dylan DeMelo 37 DGR, -2, BS
Erik Cernak 74 DGR, +1, 3 BS
Alex Iafallo 32 DGR, -3, 3 SOG
Danton Heinen 44 DGR, -2, 2 BS, 71.4 FO%
Filip Chlapik A, 46.2 FO%
Teemu Hartikainen -2, 3 SOG, BS, Hit
Brandon Tanev 2 BS, 4 Hits
Jared McCann G, +1, 2 SOG, Hit
Ty Ronning G, 2 SOG, BS, Hit
Notes: Ashton Sautner looked much better than in his debut, finishing with a 69 DGR. Erik Cernak bounced back from his poor first game and was possibly the best defenseman on the ice. Dylan DeMelo looked much less steady than he did in his first game. Stefan Noesen was +1 with a hit but didn't stand out much either. Alex Iafallo looked lost in his own end. He'll probably need at least another year in the minors if this game is any indication. Ty Ronning impressed. Nathan Lieuwen got the start and faced 51 shots, saving 46 for a .902 save percentage.
Game 4:
Vancouver 2 @
Washington 1
Gustav Forsling 70 GR, G, +1, 3 SOG, BS, Hit
Will Butcher 82 DGR, Hit, Tak
Dylan DeMelo 68 DGR, +1, 2 BS, Hit
Alex Iafallo 60 GR, A, 5 SOG, Hit
Jared McCann G, 4 SOG, Hit
Bo Horvat 75 GR, A, 2 BS, 2 Hit, 80 FO%
Blake Lizotte 70 GR, 2 SOG, 4 Hits
Josh Anderson 72 OGR, 5 Hits
Notes: The defense looked good except Erik Cernak who finished with a 50 Game Rating and a minor penalty on his stat sheet in 14 minutes of icetime. We'd like to keep one of him or DeMelo around a bit longer but it'll be hard deciding which one. Alex Iafallo might've earned a longer look, he was buzzing tonight. Dustin Jeffrey had an assist but didn't look impressive at all, he's likely on the cut list. Lizotte struggled in the circle with a 38.5% win rate but otherwise he looked good and played his best game of the pre-season. Filatov and Ronning both looked sloppy in their own end and failed to bring anything offensively. Casey DeSmith saved 18 of 19 for a .947 save percentage.
Round 1 of CUTS:
G Nathan Lieuwen -> UTICA
D Ashton Sautner -> UTICA
D Dylan DeMelo -> UTICA
F Dustin Jeffrey -> UTICA
Game 5:
Colorado 1 @
Vancouver 3
Mikhail Sergachev 97 DGR, A, +1, 3 Hits, Tak
Will Butcher 89 DGR, A, +2, 2 BS, 2 Hits
Rasmus Andersson +2, 2 SOG, 5 Hits
Chris Tanev G, 9 BS, 2 Hits, Tak
Evgeny Svechnikov 65 GR, G, +1, 3 SOG, Tak
Alex Iafallo 47 DGR, 3 Hits
Danton Heinen A, +1, 66.7 FO%
Filip Chlapik 49 OGR, 45.5 FO%
Blake Lizotte +1, 70 FO%
Josh Anderson 2 SOG, BS, 4 Hits
Stefan Noesen G, +1, 2 SOG, BS, Hit
Ty Ronning A, +1, Hit
Notes: The left side of the defense was stellar. At least one of Vince Dunn and Will Butcher will be cut before the end of the pre-season and right now that's looking to be a very difficult decision. Neither Rasmus Andersson nor Erik Cernak looked amazing out there but Andersson is going to win that third RD spot by default if Cernak can't prove he's better there. Svechnikov had his best game of the pre-season. Alex Iafallo's physicality was good this game but he didn't make much of a positive impact anywhere else. That three way race for fourth line center hasn't seen anybody emerge as a clear frontrunner yet. Ty Ronning was the best right winger out there tonight but unless he can be that consistently it's unlikely we find a roster spot for him on opening day. Josh Anderson was physical which we like. Stefan Noesen had a goal and a solid game overall but was not as physical as we'd like. Thatcher Demko was stellar in his first start since being run out of the building in the first preseason game. He stopped 35 of 36 for a .972 save percentage.
Game 6:
Vancouver 2 @
Boston 4
Gustav Forsling 71 GR, 79 DGR, A, 3 BS, Hit
Will Butcher 73 DGR, -1, 4 BS, 2 Hits, Tak
Vince Dunn 61 DGR, -1, BS, 2 Hits
Rasmus Andersson 63 DGR, A, -1, 3 BS
Erik Cernak 44 DGR, -1, BS
Evgeny Svechnikov 4 SOG, BS, 2 Hits
Alex Iafallo -1, Hit
Danton Heinen 65 DGR, 70 FO%
Filip Chlapik SOG, BS, 83.3 FO%
Blake Lizotte 71 OGR, 39 DGR, G, -1, 3 SOG, BS, Hit
Josh Anderson 47 DGR, -1, SOG, BS, 2 Hits
Stefan Noesen 67 OGR, A, 2 SOG, BS, 2 Hits
Ty Ronning 41 DGR, G, 2 SOG, Hit
Notes: Demko wasn't great this game, allowing four goals on 33 shots for an .879 save percentage. It's pretty clear after this game that a couple players need more seasoning in the minors for sure, namely Cernak and Iafallo. The jury is still somewhat out on the fourth line center battle but it's likely that the job is Heinen's to lose at this point. Blake Lizotte will be tough to send down after picking up a goal in this game so he may survive the next round of cuts but he's almost out of time to earn the 4C job with only one preseason game after this. Stefan Noesen separated himself from Josh Anderson with his performance in this game and Anderson may be sent down to Utica or he may get one more game. Ty Ronning wasn't great defensively but he scored a goal and may continue to get consideration up until final cuts. Teemu Hartikainen had an assist but struggled defensively and it's possible he's lost a step and can't keep up to the NHL pace anymore.
Round 2 of CUTS:
D Vince Dunn -> UTICA
D Erik Cernak -> UTICA
F Alex Iafallo -> UTICA
F Filip Chlapik -> UTICA
Game 7:
Boston 4 @
Vancouver 1
Gustav Forsling 79 GR, A, +1, 6 SOG, BS, 7 Hits
Will Butcher 72 DGR, 2 BS, 5 Hits
Brandon Tanev G, +1, 3 SOG, BS, 2 Hits
Evgeny Svechnikov 45 DGR, -1, Hit
Blake Lizotte 45 DGR, -1, Tak, 42.9 FO%
Nikita Filatov A, +1, 3 SOG
Stefan Noesen 46 DGR, -1, SOG
Ty Ronning 56 DGR, SOG
Notes: DeSmith was the prospective day one starter but this was an even game for shots we just got outgoaltended as DeSmith allowed four goals on 34 shots for an .882 save percentage. Lizotte had one last chance to show out and he was mediocre at best. Stefan Noesen had a rough game. Ty Ronning didn't do anything to prove he belongs but nobody else on the right side did either. The last couple cuts could be tough but for all the wrong reasons as nobody has really seized an opportunity and run away with it.
Final CUTS:
F Blake Lizotte -> UTICA
F Ty Ronning -> UTICA
F Teemu Hartikainen -> Waivers (UTICA)
Trade:
VAN acquires RW Evan Rodrigues (25yo, 16-27-43);
MIN acquires RW Josh Anderson (24yo, 23gp, 2-1-3), 2020 VAN 5th, 2020 VAN 6th, 2021 VAN 2nd.
Waiver Claims:
F Vladislav Namestnikov
F William Carrier