Canucks recall Nicklas Jensen from Utica

The Jensen Train is headed at full speed down the Long Island Rail Road.

On Saturday evening the Vancouver Canucks announced the recall of Utica Comets winger Nicklas Jensen. Jensen, 21, has managed 10 goals and 20 points in 38 games in the American Hockey League this season.

The Jensen recall is a likely indication that winger Alex Burrows will be unavailable to play on Sunday evening against the New York Islanders. Burrows was a late scratch on Friday night against the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury. 

The Canucks’ first-round pick at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Jensen has struggled to establish himself as a top-six quality forward in the professional ranks. His AHL production – 31 goals and 49 points in 118 AHL games – is well below the .7 points per game rate one expects from a future top-six NHL contributor. 

On the positive side of the ledger, Jensen has an above average shot, even for the NHL level, and has been a quality shot-volume generator at the AHL. He’s managed over 2.8 shots a game in the AHL this season, a solid clip, though that volume shooting hasn’t translated at the NHL level in his 24 games played.