In 2023, the Vancouver Canucks started their pre-season with a 10-0 loss to the Calgary Flames. If that doesn’t sway you to believe that exhibition really doesn’t mean anything, it should. Not to say pre-season can’t be fun, though. Canucks fans in the valley were treated with a visit from the likes of Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and company, to the Abbotsford Centre (AC) on Sept. 25. The franchise pillars did not disappoint against the visiting Calgary Flames.
Before the game got rolling, the Canucks were greeted off the bus at the AC from swarms of fans as the players entered the building. A variety of players stopped for pictures and autographs, despite the poor weather, while Pettersson stayed an additional 10-15 minutes later than any player to sign fan memorabilia.
Abbotsford Canucks regular Max Sasson opened the scoring with his first of the pre-season just before the first period expired. It’s a tip of the cap for Sasson to play alongside Kiefer Sherwood, another team addition in the summer, and an established player. Sherwood registered an assist on Sasson’s goal, as the latter is putting himself in a position to be called up to Vancouver this season.
Jake Bean tied the game 1-1 with a goal assisted by Victoria native Tyson Barrie, who is on the Flames pre-season squad with a Professional Tryout (PTO). Hughes was easily the best player on the ice that night: carrying the puck out of his own end, attacking the triangles, skating laps around the offensive zone — just regular Quinn Hughes things. Hughes had two points on the night, the first coming off another late period goal for the Canucks. Jake DeBrusk tipped a point shot past the Flames’ goalie at the end of the second to put Vancouver up 2-1.
The third period was a rollercoaster as the Flames scored twice consecutively from a pair of players with B.C. connections. 2024 first round pick Samuel Honzek, who played junior hockey with the Vancouver Giants, tied the game 2-2 just before the halfway mark of the third period. Cranbrook native Dryden Hunt picked up an assist on Honzek’s goal before putting the Flames ahead with a tally of his own five minutes later. With just 15 seconds remaining on the clock, Daniel Sprong sliced and diced his way through the neutral zone, weaving his way through the Flames’ defence and past the sprawling goaltender to tie the game at three.
The Canucks should be a dynamic 3-on-3 overtime (OT) team this season. Coach Rick Tocchet is surely using pre-season opportunities such as the one in Abbotsford to see what combinations he can count on throughout the season. Hughes and Pettersson have the combination of hockey IQ, poise, and speed to carry the mail in 3-on-3. DeBrusk needs to do the omens work as the complimentary third player: separate from this check, get to the top of the crease, and put away the garbage; exactly like he did for the game winner, and second of the night, just under a minute into OT.
In the long run, this game probably won’t matter, but for now, it was a ton of fun. As the pre-season runs its course, watch for Abby Canucks Aatu Räty and Linus Karlsson to make serious pushes for roster spots in Vancouver, or at the very least put themselves in positions to be the first ones called up when injuries strike.
