Canucks reveal new forward lines with Elias Lindholm
The Vancouver Canucks revealed some new forward lines in their first practice since the NHL All-Star break.
The team is currently sitting atop the NHL standings with 71 points. That, however, was not enough for GM Patrik Allvin as he acquired dynamic forward Elias Lindholm last week to help bolster the Canucks forward corps.
This afternoon’s practice was the first for Lindholm wearing the blue and green and head coach Rick Tocchet had him playing in the team’s top six. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance had the new-look lines.
#Canucks line rushes first time through at Sunday’s post All-Star break practice in North Carolina:
Suter-Miller-Boeser
Mikheyev-Pettersson-Lindholm
Joshua-Blueger-Garland
Höglander-Åman-LaffertyHughes-Hronek
Cole-Myers
Zadorov-Juulsen
Extras: Karlsson, Friedman, PDG pic.twitter.com/BqSzm0VITY— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 4, 2024
Lindholm, a natural centre, was seen playing right-wing on the team’s second line alongside Elias Petterson and Ilya Mikheyev. Though the lines make it appear that Pettersson is the centerman of that line, Tocchet appears to be more partial to running a hybrid system with Lindholm.
“I love a hybrid,” Tocchet told reporters in Toronto. “We’ll get the bingo balls and figure it out. Whether I play him with Petey or not, it’s pretty nice that you got one guy that can take the right side of the draw and the other, left.”
Though the lotto line is no more, two-thirds of it remains together on the top line as J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser will play with Pius Suter. In the bottom six, Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland will make up the third line while the trio of Nils Hoglander, Nils Aman, and Sam Lafferty are the fourth line.
The lineup is not only addressing the addition of Lindholm but also the absence of Andrei Kuzemnko, who went the other way to Calgary in last week’s trade. Kuzmenko was usually up in that spot with Pettersson and Mikheyev.
Canucks fans will get their first chance to see Lindholm in a Vancouver jersey on Tuesday as they head to Carolina to take on the Hurricanes.