Who is odd defenceman out for Canucks after Myers returns?
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers is nearly ready to return to the lineup.
He skated today at practice for the first time since suffering an injury earlier this month.
“It was good to get back out with the guys; it’s getting pretty close here, so we’ll see in the next day or few days what game it’s going to be,” the defenceman said this morning about his return.
While it may not happen tomorrow night against the Colorado Avalanche, it’s only a matter of days before the 6-foot-8 defenceman is ready to play.
“I would say it’s a little early. I know the coaches are still talking, and I’ve got to have some conversations with the medical staff, but we’ll see after I talk to them where we kind of stand,” continued Myers on if he’ll play against the Avalanche.
When the right-handed shot is ready to rejoin the lineup, the coaching staff will have to make some difficult decisions.
The Canucks have been excellent defensively as of late, allowing just three goals throughout their latest four-game win streak.
The solid play from players like Noah Juulsen, the most likely candidate to come out of the lineup, has left the Canucks with a surplus of playable defencemen.
This means that quality players will need to sit after Myers returns.
“Guys don’t want to hear it. You’ve got to make sure as coaches that you explain to certain guys, some guys might not like it if they’re out. We’re at the point of our season where if we’ve got healthy D, you’re going to have some good defencemen that are going to sit out,” explained Rick Tocchet about the situation today.
“That’s the job and the mentality of the coaches to have to make sure guys understand that. You’ve got to be a good team guy and all that stuff. We’ve all been there before; everybody wants to play. We’re lucky, we’ve got a healthy lineup. Even like [Mark] Friedman, I mean he’s not playing, but even the games he played I thought he played well for us so you’ve got to stay ready.”
It sure sounds like the Canucks could rotate through their defencemen, offering valuable rest to players ahead of the postseason. While the players may not be the biggest fan of sitting, it could help keep legs fresh ahead of the playoffs.
The Canucks play tomorrow at 7 pm against one of the NHL’s most high-octane teams in the Avalanche. If Myers is ready to go, it’ll be a preview of what the team’s healthy defence pairings will look like down the stretch.