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Jalen Chatfield, Anton Rodin fight for jobs, Canucks roster decisions loom
September 27, 2017, 2:59 PM ET [313 Comments]
Carol Schram
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The Vancouver Canucks are back on the ice for practice today at Rogers Arena.




Here's a look at the combinations for the first group. The second group will hit the ice at noon.




Sounds like Bo Horvat is going to abstain from the last two preseason games.




Beyond that, I don't know how much we can read into these combos. Seems like Travis Green is taking advantage of the opportunities that he has to experiment.

Though the Canucks don't start their regular season until a week from Saturday, final rosters are due at the league offices by 2 p.m. PT next Tuesday. That's less than a week away.

Goaltending is set with Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson, but there are still a few question marks up front and on defence.

I took my best crack the remaining players' odds of sticking around in my Westender column this week:




I've got Virtanen and Goldobin ranked below both Anton Rodin and Scottie Upshall in what's probably the competition for the last forward spot, with Rodin holding the edge.

Ben Kuzma spoke to Rodin earlier this week.




His story gets into the details of Rodin's knee issues, and highlights his determination to get a real shot at playing in the NHL.

"It’s something I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little kid," Rodin told Kuzma. "I could go back (to Sweden) and play, but the dream has always been to play in the NHL. It’s never been about the money and because I’ve been so close, it would be stupid not to chase it."

Rodin would have to clear waivers to be sent to Utica. That probably improves his chances of sticking around slightly, but he knows it doesn't offer any guarantee.

“I’m just trying to compete and play hard and whatever happens, happens,” he stressed. “If they send me to Utica, I’ll go there, but my main focus is here. All I can do is prove to Travis and management that I belong here.

“I’m pretty speedy and this is a style we played my last two years in Sweden. So, I like it.”

I think Rodin has a real shot at making that opening-night roster.

The other player who has created an unexpected complication is 21-year-old defenseman Jalen Chatfield. With five points in two preseason games, he's the second-highest-scoring defenseman in the league at the moment, behind Vegas Golden Knights standout (and Maple Ridge native) Brad Hunt.

Kuzma has also been on the Chatfield beat:




Chatfield made Olli Juolevi better at Young Stars, and has looked like he belongs in his preseason games. As an undrafted player who has had to work to stand out, Chatfield has a maturity in his attitude that has probably helped him make the most of his opportunity.

“It’s been a fun camp and I’ve been catching up on the pace,” he told Kuzma. “I’ve been learning a lot and I’m just trying to play my game and battle hard. I’m trying to show them something every time I’m on the ice and I’m just going to keep doing that.”

Before training camp began, Jim Benning said that if a player earned a spot, the Canucks would make room for him. Brock Boeser looks poised to take advantage of that philosophy but with a top six that's all-but-set on the blue line, Chatfield could be the player that really tests management's resolve.

I hope he stays right till the end and gets a chance to play in front of the crowd at Rogers Arena over the next three days. In the end, I suspect he'll get the Troy Stecher treatment—assigned to start in Utica, with a possibility of recall as soon as the first injury happens.




To wrap up today...

....Not only were Kole Lind and Michael DiPietro named the best players in their respective leagues last week, they also swept the honours at their positions for the entire CHL!







And finally, a quick peek at the waiver wire.

After being put on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings, tough guy Jordan Nolan was claimed today by the team his dad used to coach, the Buffalo Sabres. He's the only waiver claim so far—today's crop on the wire includes names like Beau Bennett, Ty Rattie, Cal O'Reilly, Landon Ferraro and ex-Canuck Emerson Etem.
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