Canucks Playoff Quest Begins on Wednesday

We’ve heard it again and again from Canucks since the start of informal practices. We heard it from J.T. Miller when he signed his seven year contract extension on Labour Day weekend, and we heard it from head coach Bruce Boudreau as he watched the Young Stars Classic in Penticton.

Let’s get this darn thing started and let’s kick some ass.

“I’ve been waiting quite a few months to get this thing going,” Boudreau told VHN on Friday, “that’s one of the reasons we came in early, we wanted to make sure we got things right, got things done. You always get a little bit antsy at this time and worry about it, you want to make sure thing are right … the best thing is, when you see the players, you see the guys and you can’t wait to get going, that’s what makes it exciting.”

The Canucks went 32-15-and-10 under Boudreau after he took over in early December last season, but they still fell short of the playoffs. It feels like unfinished business.

“I certainly have high expectations for the group this year,” Miller said, “we can continue off how we played when Bruce got here last year.”

Miller later added, “I think Bruce and I have a good relationship so far, he’s definitely challenged me on a nightly basis and I want, embrace that, and whether it’s first line centre or third line wing, it doesn’t matter, I just want our team to be good.”

The club will undergo physicals and begin meetings in preparing for the season on Wednesday at Rogers Arena. There will be a media availability. All formalities before the club takes the ice for the first session of training camp outside of Whistler at the Meadow Park Sports Centre on Thursday. The multiple session days will continue through Saturday with each day including scrimmages.

32 forwards will dress along with 21 defencemen and six goalies.

It’s time. Canucks fans are waiting and anxious to see what 2022-’23 brings.

“We’ve been talking about it a lot as a group,” Canucks defenceman Kyle Burroughs said after Tuesday’s final informal practice in Burnaby. “We’re excited to get to work.”