The Vancouver Canucks appear to have recalled defenceman Victor Mancini from AHL Abbotsford while placing goaltender Thatcher Demko on injured reserve ahead of their game in Utah, per the NHL media site.
It’s unclear at this time whether or not Mancini will play tonight as the Canucks take on the Utah Hockey Club, but it wouldn’t be hard to believe that with back-to-back games in less than 24 hours that the Canucks might want to get some fresh legs into their lineup.
Acquired in the JT Miller trade, Mancini is a right-shot defenceman who the Canucks are very high on and have been scouting for quite some time, as he was college teammates with Canucks prospect Ty Mueller.
Mancini came in at number six on our mid-season Canucks prospect rankings here at CanucksArmy. Here is an excerpt from what our prospect expert Dave Hall had to say about Mancini’s game:
“He’s shown to be an effective force at the net front, using his 6-foot-3, 229-pound frame to push opponents around and box out like a true pro. He rarely gets beat physically and has not shown any restraint in putting his body in front of shots to get the job done. Despite that considerable frame, he’s also showcased his ability to kick his legs into high gear and burst up the ice to start the play. He may not be destined for a top-four deployment, but rest assured that he leapfrogs over a line of fringe NHLers such as Cole McWard, Jett Woo, and perhaps even Noah Juulsen overnight.”-Dave Hall
To make room for Mancini on the roster, the Canucks have placed goaltender Thatcher Demko on injured reserve. Demko is considered week-to-week with a lower body injury that he suffered in the Canucks’ final game prior to the 4 Nations break.
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