Price is Right: Rathbone risk could be worth the reward for Canucks this season
Just imagine a world without Quinn Hughes. Scary place I know. Almost post apocalyptic. But imagine that world, and then Jack Rathbone arrives.
Make no mistake, this is not a comparison of the two head to head, because all due respect to Rathbone but I don’t think that’s super close.
The point is, if we didn’t have Hughes as a frame of reference, Canucks fans would likely be dazzled by what they see of Rathbone in appearances like last night.
Bruce Boudreau on Jack Rathbone playing a team-high 25:45 & getting PP1 time:
“I thought he got better as the game went on…he made some really good reads on the PP…it’s a really good sign for us.” #Canucks pic.twitter.com/t898q5va4a
— Rink Wide: Vancouver (@rinkwidepodcast) September 26, 2022
He’s far more dynamic than anyone not named Hughes on the Canucks D. The question is, will the trust be there from the organization?
The working assumption seems to be that Travis Dermott and Tucker Poolman might be in pencil as the third line pair right now, but would they be better off with Rathbone and Schenn in that spot?
There is where we see the workings of Bruce Boudreau. His job last year wasn’t “easy.” But taking over a floundering team and looking better is a tried and true thing. The Bruce bump isn’t rare. It’s more rare to “not” see a bump with a new coach.
“Yeah, if you don’t, why come to camp? You come here to make the 23-man roster, that was my mindset all summer.”
– Jack Rathbone on coming into camp with the mentality of being an NHL player. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/QvcL90eb9u
— Rink Wide: Vancouver (@rinkwidepodcast) September 26, 2022
But starting from scratch in training camp is a different animal.. From day one you have an unbeaten record to protect. It’s why Travis Green was usually conservative in his starts to season, particularly with young players..
I think Travis Green would start Dermott and Poolman, or Dermott and Schenn.
It’s a bigger risk to have the dynamic, creative, skating young defenceman in there. But it’s a greater reward if you get it right.
Jack Rathbone has shown up ready to play. He’s got his legs moving. Let’s hope he continues to play well in preseason and makes it impossible for Boudreau to leave him out.
After all, none of these other bubble defencemen will be mistaken for Nick Lidstrom defensively, so how about keeping the puck out of the net by merely, keeping the puck? That’s what Rathbone can offer, and while he won’t be likely to usher in a new era of Canucks defencemen like Hughes, the two of them in the lineup together could be the start of something special.
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