After back-to-back blowout losses, the Vancouver Canucks got back to work during a noon-hour practice at Rogers Arena on Friday. While some may have expected significant changes to deployment, the team skated in the same line combinations and defensive pairings used in Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

What we saw

The Canucks have just one win in their past seven games and only two victories in their past 10 outings. To compound matters, they host an Edmonton team on Saturday night that has won four straight and eight of its last nine and boasts two of the best players in the world at the top of their games. Leon Draisaitl leads the NHL with 31 goals and is second in league scoring with 72 points, while Connor McDavid had four goals in his past three games and is fourth in league scoring with 62 points.
As is usually the case after bad losses, the emphasis of practice was on battle drills, trying to heighten the team’s engagement. 
The Canucks were once again without defenceman Noah Juulsen who was listed as a game-time decision on Thursday. Rick Tocchet said Juulsen had seen team doctors and, with a few days to rest, should be back with the group. There was no update on the status of forward Dakota Joshua, who has now missed six games with a lower-body injury suffered on January 3rd.
Friday’s practice was attended by family and friends of one of the team’s corporate partners. A couple of hundred spectators sat in the club seats to take in the proceedings.

What was said

Rick Tocchet on facing the Oilers: “Well, they’re on a roll. Draisaitl has 31 goals and McDavid does his thing. You have to know where they are at all times on the ice. They’re unbelievable players. It doesn’t matter if it’s them. It’s whoever. We have to make sure it’s the odd man rushes we clean up. That’s obviously something you can’t give against this team.”
Rick Tocchet on trying to keep the confidence of his group high: “Well, it’s my job to get these guys out of the funk. You can’t play this game when you have the ol’ victim card or ‘poor is me’. You can’t play this game that way. There’s obviously accountability, but you have to come in the next day with a lot of energy. That’s the only way you can play this game.”
Rick Tocchet on the mistakes that are killing Canucks right now: “We’re just making illogical mistakes these days. We have to kind of tilt it in our favour. Be smarter. If you’ve been out there for 30 seconds, I’m not sure you want to do an east-west pass. Especially tomorrow. If McDavid is on the ice, you’ve got to be crazy if you want to make a high risk play when he’s on the ice. Those are the things we talked about (today): logic and know your role.”
Jake DeBrusk on working their way out of the rut they’re in: “It’s us against everybody. It’s as simple as that. There’s a lot of noise coming our way and rightfully so. That’s what happens when you don’t perform and produce. This league is tough. It doesn’t really give you much confidence and it will take it away as fast as possible. I don’t necessarily think it’s a one game win fix, we need to keep building and strive toward the standard that’s been here. It’s something that has gotten a little lost I think. It’s not from guys not working hard, but we need to get to another level.”
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