Hughes reveals off dominance as Canucks proceed D-partner auditions

VANCOUVER — As October arrives, it’s time once more on the West Coast to ask that annual, all-consuming, autumnal query. And it’s not: When will the rain cease? 

It’s: Who will play with Quinn Hughes?

The reply on Saturday: Anybody, as a result of anybody would look good with Hughes.

With out a long-term, on a regular basis defence companion since Chris Tanev was allowed to depart the Vancouver Canucks in free company three years in the past, Hughes, one of the best defenceman in franchise historical past, has continued to enhance and develop extra dominant whatever the turnstyle spinning defencemen on to his proper facet.

Within the Canucks’ 5-2 pre-season victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Area, the partner-of-the-day was Cole McWard, an undrafted rookie out of Ohio State College who has caught the attention of the Vancouver teaching employees partly as a result of he can skate and shoots proper.

It helps McWard that the Canucks would fairly deploy Filip Hronek, their ace righty, on a unique pairing than their ace lefty in order that both Hronek or Hughes is on the ice for many of the recreation.

However this was truly the second time in two Nationwide Hockey League exhibition video games towards the Oilers that McWard obtained the prized deployment beside Hughes, so the 22-year-old from St. Louis shouldn’t be dismissed. Nonetheless, any teammate in Hughes’ orbit would have regarded good on Saturday because the Canucks’ new captain skated circles across the Oilers — and we imply that actually in some circumstances — whereas asserting himself offensively.

A 76-point scorer final season when he completed ninth in Norris Trophy balloting, Hughes scored twice by accelerating previous opponents, assisted on Andrei Kuzmenko’s power-play objective and registered eight pictures on internet, which might have been a career-high have been it not a pre-season recreation.

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“I feel I’m smoother,” the 23-year-old advised reporters of his low season upgrades. “I can, like, speed up with the puck and the place I wish to shoot it, and get to my level somewhat faster. It’s one thing I’ve labored on for 2 summers, however I’m beginning to really feel actually snug with it now.

“That is most likely probably the most assured I really feel in my talents on the blue line for positive. For me, it’s at all times simply defending onerous and doing what I must do for the group, after which I feel I’m going to get my seems this yr for positive.”

After a quiet opening week of the pre-season when the Canucks went 0-2-1, scored solely two targets and usually lacked any impressed particular person performances, there was rather a lot to love about their fourth of six pre-season video games.

They dominated the ultimate two intervals after getting outshot 14-5 within the first, when the Oilers had the one two energy performs. They obtained targets from gamers they should rating — Hughes, Kuzmenko and Elias Pettersson — completed 2-for-6 on coach Rick Tocchet’s new energy play, killed off all 4 penalties the Canucks took, and obtained a 24-save efficiency from beginning goalie Thatcher Demko.

All of which made them really feel good, and none of which is able to matter on Oct. 11 when the Oilers, we suspect, resolve to really deliver Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl with them after they journey to Vancouver for the groups’ common season opener.

“If we’re who we predict we’re, we’ve obtained to win these video games,” Hughes mentioned. “However my immaturity a few years in the past, I might have mentioned: ‘Yeah, that is nice.’ However I do know that they’ve the 2 finest gamers on this planet they usually weren’t taking part in tonight. In order that they have been a a lot totally different group. We’ve obtained to do it in Video games 1 and a couple of when it actually issues.”

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COULD McWARD REALLY START WITH HUGHES?

It wasn’t a terrific night time for McWard, who did end plus-two however with an anticipated goals-for of 39.6 per cent. McWard’s shots-for share was 61.9 in 11:52 of five-on-five ice time with Hughes and simply 14.3 per cent within the 4:16 he logged with out him. The rookie additionally took three minor penalties.

“Speaking to Footer (assistant coach Adam Foote) it’s simply particulars like down-low battles and transferring my toes somewhat bit extra, staying on a man’s hip as an alternative of getting my arms wrapped round him,” McWard mentioned of his six minutes in penalties. “I used to be somewhat annoyed with a few the calls however on the identical time, once you’ve obtained three in your again, you’re doing one thing incorrect. So I’m attempting to wash that up and never have that be part of my recreation.”

On taking part in with Hughes, he mentioned: “Truthfully, it’s one of the best alternative I may have requested for. He’s a world-class participant and he’s serving to me a ton on the market and he’s fairly simple to play with. He’s an excellent higher chief off the ice — simply caring for me and attempting to assist me out, give me one of the best alternative to do good on the market.”

It’s tough to examine an opening-night lineup that features McWard as an alternative of, say, skilled minor-league graduate Guillaume Brisebois, who’s topic to waivers and was not a part of Tocchet’s close-to-full-strength lineup on Saturday.

If not Hronek, who appears to have pure chemistry with newcomer Ian Cole on a second pairing, then it appears Carson Soucy could be the logical companion for Hughes. Though he shoots left, Soucy did play a season in Seattle on the fitting facet of Mark Giordano, and has loads of expertise partnering expert defencemen.

“He’s clearly given us some choices,” Tocchet mentioned of McWard, who obtained 5 video games within the NHL on the finish of final season as an incentive for leaving college to signal with the Canucks as a free agent. “He’s younger, however he’s not 19. A mature man. I don’t know if he’s going to make the group or not, however there’s guys which have come out of school at 22 and have carried out properly within the NHL. Perhaps he could be that man. However it’s good that he can sling that puck (on his forehand) to Hughsie rather a lot.”

That’s an excellent technique, too, for McWard.

OTHER STANDOUTS

Winger Brock Boeser was discovering teammates with passes all night time and completed with 4 assists, and linemate J.T. Miller posted an expected-goals share of 96 per cent. However the man who actually stood out on their line was left winger Phil Di Giuseppe, who had a objective and two assists and has all however assured himself a main spot on opening night time after beginning coaching camp as a fourth-line bubble participant.

“I imply, he’s north-south, goes the web, low-maintenance man, massive man,” Tocchet summarized. “How will you not love a man like that. I do know he’s 29 years previous, however I’ve seen loads of guys begin to play properly at 29 after which proceed to play. I like him rather a lot, love him rather a lot. He’s only a pleasure to teach.”

The Canucks play the Kraken Wednesday in Abbotsford, B.C., of their minor-league rink, earlier than concluding their pre-season with a house recreation Friday towards the Calgary Flames.

Extra from Sportsnet

Two targets from Hughes leads Canucks over Oilers for first pre-season win

‘I do know what’s at stake’: Di Giuseppe making his case to stay with Canucks

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