The Vancouver Canucks have released their 2024 training camp roster, featuring 36 forwards, 22 defencemen, and seven goaltenders. Notable names include Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, and team captain Quinn Hughes. While the roster is packed with talent, the true test will come with performance during camp and the regular season.
Among the forwards are Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, J.T. Miller, Arshdeep Bains, John Stevens, Danila Klimovich, Danton Heinen, Nils Höglander, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Pius Suter, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Ty Mueller, Elias Pettersson, Chase Wouters, Kiefer Sherwood, Vilmer Alriksson, Teddy Blueger, Aatu Räty, Carsen Twarynski, Ty Glover, Max Sasson, Riley Patterson, Josh Bloom, Anthony Romani, Jake DeBrusk, Sammy Blais, Dakota Joshua, Deagan McMillian, Nate Smith, Nils Åman, Ty Halaburda, Cooper Walker, Daniel Sprong, Linus Karlsson, and Dino Kambeitz.
On the blue line, the defencemen include Jett Woo, Layton Ahac, Carson Soucy, Filip Hronek, Elias Pettersson (defenceman), Derek Forbort, Akito Hirose, Quinn Hughes, Sawyer Mynio, Noah Juulsen, Cole McWard, Mark Friedman, Guillaume Brisebois, Tyler Myers, Christian Felton, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Joe Arntsen, Parker Alcos, Vincent Desharnais, Zach Berzolla, Christian Wolanen, and Basie Sansonnens.
In net, the goaltenders are Jiří Patera, Artūrs Šilovs, Thatcher Demko, Dylan Ferguson, Nikita Tolopilo, Jonathan Lemieux, and Ty Young.
Introducing your 2024 Canucks Training Camp roster! #Canucks | @lululemon pic.twitter.com/8JEh0vaCLz
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 19, 2024
During a press conference, GM Patrik Allvin announced that not all players would be available for the start of camp. Goaltender Thatcher Demko, recovering from a knee injury, remains questionable for the regular season. Demko will address the media on Thursday to provide an update on his status.
Forward Dakota Joshua, who recently underwent surgery for testicular cancer, will miss the start of camp as he recovers. Allvin did not provide a specific timeline for his return.
Additionally, forward Teddy Blueger and defenceman Cole McWard are sidelined after undergoing lower-body surgeries. Their timelines for return are also uncertain.
With training camp officially underway, the Canucks are making final preparations for the regular season, set to start soon. Keep it locked here at CanucksArmy all weekend long for updates!
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Kyle Dubas’s half-decade as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager from 2018 to 2023 was the defining era of the franchise — one that not every Leafs fan remembers fondly. In a candid conversation on the Cam and Strick podcast, Dubas revealed that he almost left the Leafs organization when he was in the running to be the general manager of the Colorado Avalanche. Ultimately, he decided not to take the job because his mentor, Lou Lamoriello, convinced him to stay. What might have been? Dubas was Toronto’s assistant GM at the time and was pursued by Colorado. He said he spoke with Lamoriello and was convinced that Dubas knew the roster of the Leafs from top to bottom — players to the operation of the organization — and that, market size and other things aside, to stay in Toronto was best. “Lou’s view of it to me at the time was like you know everyone here, you know the players, you know the ins and outs of it,” Dubas said. “So, that was a big push for me to remain and do that.” Dubas Becomes Polarizing Maple Leafs GM When Lamoriello stepped down in 2018, Dubas was promoted to GM, and that set the stage for a series of deals that would reshape Toronto’s roster. Even though he viewed Lamoriello as a mentor — and still does — Dubas quickly made the Leafs his team. Dubas made a couple of smaller moves, but his first big splash came on July 1, 2018, when he signed John Tavares to a seven-year, $77 million contract. Tavares was the shiny win of that offseason, coming over from the New York Islanders and leaving an angry fan base behind to join his hometown dream team. The issue for many was what Dubas paid to get him when it arguably wasn’t needed. As good as Tavares was, his contract set a high benchmark for other star forwards like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner, contributing to the team’s salary cap struggles. Many felt the signing was unnecessary—especially since Nazem Kadri was already filling the second-line center role effectively. Kadri was eventually traded in 2019, in a deal that turned out to be a premature move and a big loss for the organization. On December 1, 2018, Nylander signed a six-year, $45 million contract after a lengthy holdout. Initially seen as an overpay since Nylander had only shown flashes of potential, Dubas bet on his future improvement. Nylander has since developed into a valuable player, but some argue the way Dubas handled his holdout and set a new marker for future negotiations was a mistake. Between February and September 2019, the Maple Leafs signed Auston Matthews to a five-year, $11.64 million AAV deal and Mitch Marner to a six-year, $10.9 million AAV contract. Like Nylander’s deal, these contracts paid more for potential rather than proven playoff success. Both players turned out to be stars, but each contract lacked maximum term and carried high average annual values, allowing Matthews and Marner to reach free agency sooner than ideal. On April 11, 2021, the Leafs traded three draft picks for Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen. This trade is widely criticized as the worst under Dubas. Foligno contributed little, was injury-prone, and the Leafs lost valuable picks, making it a regrettable and unpopular deal among fans. The Leafs later traded for Jared McCann to avoid losing Alex Kerfoot in the expansion draft, but chose to protect Justin Holl. As a result, they lost McCann, who became one of Seattle’s top players. Zach Hyman was the biggest mistake not to re-sign. He has thrived in Edmonton alongside Connor McDavid, and the Leafs missed out on his top-six contributions at what is now seen as a bargain free agency price tag. What If Dubas Had Left Toronto in 2017? There were good things Dubas did while the GM in Toronto. It would be unfair to overlook them completely. That said, if Kyle Dubas had accepted the Avalanche GM role in 2017, Toronto’s front office and roster might have looked quite different. One could argue that the changes might not have been as drastic as suggested, given that the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brendan Shanahan as team president on April 11, 2014. Many believe he was the puppet master behind most, if not all, of Dubas’ moves. Furthermore, Dubas hinted at trading Marner (or one of the Core Four) prior to being relieved of his duties in May of 2023. He arguably saw the error of his ways in holding on too long and was planning to make adjustments before losing the chance to do so. Still, Dubas’s moves in Pittsburgh since taking over have also been scrutinized, and the pattern emerging here is that he makes bold decisions that aren’t always wise. Undoubtedly, he made mistakes while at the helm in Toronto. It poses an interesting “what if” question, and not just in Toronto. What might he have done in Colorado if he’d been hired? Colorado’s rebuild could have accelerated with Dubas at the helm, or they might have faltered and not won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris still has yet to return to action after a July 4 fireworks accident, and it sounds like he does not necessarily have a job guaranteed to him when he does. Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman admitted Tuesday that the team is planning a steady rotation at running back whether or not Harris is available to play in Week 1. First-round draft pick Omarion Hampton, however, is the player who has part of the rotation locked down, not Harris. The Chargers likely intended to use Harris as a part-time back no matter what. However, he certainly cannot have helped himself with his eye injury. The issue was described as superficial after it happened and Harris was expected to be ready for the season, but he is still on the non-football injury list and has yet to participate in a full practice. Harris, 27, is entering his first season with the Chargers after signing with them in March. He can earn up to $9.25 million on his one-year deal, but that will require him to remain part of the rotation with Hampton.
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
Whether it's based on the expectations of the fans, a new contract, a past track record or trying to re-write a narrative, quarterbacks are always under the microscope. Every NFL starting quarterback faces some degree of pressure, but that pressure is far from equal across the league. Now with the regular season fast approaching, these quarterbacks are under the most pressure to perform in 2025. Aaron Rodgers | Pittsburgh Steelers No matter what happens this season, Rodgers will go down as one of the all-time greats. That fact can't be denied. However, two miserable seasons in New York marred by a serious injury and the struggles of the team have Rodgers looking to go out on a much better note with the Steelers. But if he does not find the fountain of youth and generate headlines about Pittsburgh winning instead of drama, there will be fans who will remember him more for his final years than the four MVPs he won during his prime, fair or not. Fortunately for the Steelers, Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards in 2024, which was good enough for eighth-best in the entire NFL, showing that he still has plenty left in the tank and could be poised for a successful season to come. J.J. McCarthy | Minnesota Vikings Instead of pursuing Rodgers, the Vikings decided to go all in on McCarthy, whom they selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. And while placing pressure on McCarthy in his first season of actually playing is unfair — he missed his entire rookie year after suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee during training camp — it's the reality nonetheless. Once the Vikings allowed Sam Darnold to leave as a free agent following a Pro Bowl season, the future immediately became the present for one of the NFL's oldest franchises without a Super Bowl title. Anything shy of leading Minnesota back to the playoffs will leave a starving fanbase wondering if management made several big mistakes. Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers Some believe Herbert is one of the best quarterbacks in football. Others point to the Chargers' lack of postseason success since drafting him in the first round in 2020. The numbers and analytics often support Herbert — he has 21,093 yards and 137 touchdowns through five seasons — but there's now an increased pressure to win in the playoffs, especially in year two under Jim Harbaugh and sitting at 0-2 in the postseason. Unlike early in his career, Harbaugh's offense doesn't ask as much of Herbert, which could give him an easier path to success. It also means he could be even more a target of criticism should he struggle. Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys There's constant pressure that comes with simply being the Cowboys' QB1, and there's even more on Prescott. At 32, Prescott is running out of time to establish his legacy, both in Dallas and in the NFL in general. Despite a career that's saw him make three Pro Bowls and throw for 31,437 yards with a solid touchdown to interception ratio of 213 to 82, his 2-5 record in the playoffs will continue to be a negative stain on his story until a deep run through January happens. Prescott also currently holds the honor of being the highest paid quarterback in football with an average salary of $60M per year. Being the highest paid quarterback while playing in Dallas and failing to win in the playoffs is a recipe for an immense amount of pressure. Honorable mentions: Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins), Justin Fields (New York Jets) and Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) For further reading, here are four NFL coaches under the most pressure in 2025.
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