Rick Tocchet says Höglander may sit, hints at lineup changes ahead of crucial Game 3 against Oilers

Speaking specifically about Nils Höglander, Tocchet emphasized the need for more contribution from the young forward, stating:

“He needs more, yeah. What I mean is, you know, I think for me, we need more from him. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with him right now if we’re going to make some lineup changes. Because, you know, I didn’t like his game yesterday. We’ve got to figure a few things out here. But honestly, it’s individual-based. When you have the puck, you’ve got to move your feet and be able to make plays. That’s what it comes down to. You can shuffle the deck chairs, but if you’re not willing to move your feet—and I’m not saying he’s not doing that—I’m saying in general, it doesn’t matter who you play with.”

In terms of potential lineup changes, Tocchet highlighted several players as options, including Aman, Karlsson, and Juulsen. 

While acknowledging the contributions of veteran defenceman Cole, Tocchet hinted at the possibility of introducing fresh faces into the lineup, stating, 

“There are a bunch of guys who could be options right now. Åman could be an option. Karlsson, if he’s coming with us, might be an option. We might need some lineup changes. I’ll talk to the coaches tonight, and we might have some changes. Juulsen is a possibility too. Yes, he is. We might have to get him in line as well. I’m not saying it’s for Cole. I mean, Cole had a couple of tough games in a sense, but he’s such a big part of the team. He’s played a lot of playoff games, so when you play a lot of playoff games, there are sometimes when things don’t go your way. But he’s a warrior. He always bounces back.”

Meanwhile, the Abbotsford Canucks concluded their stint in the Calder Cup Playoffs with a loss, marking the end of a commendable run. Despite the setback, the Canucks announced the call-up of 13 players from Abbotsford to bolster Vancouver’s roster for the NHL playoffs.

As the Canucks prepare for Game 3, Tocchet emphasized the importance of readiness among the AHL call-ups. 

“Well, it’s good for them to get some practice in. You know, there are some guys practicing today. Yeo is out there, putting them through some NHL kind of pace. Like I said, some guys need to be ready because they could be in the lineup very quickly. From my experience, teams that go far sometimes need to dig deep into their AHL team. And you know, I’m not afraid to use a couple of those guys if we have to.”