First things first: the Utica Comets will try to force a deciding Game 5 in their first-round Calder Cup playoff series when they host the Toronto Marlies on Friday at 4 p.m. PT.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs now out of the NHL playoffs, three players are eligible to join the Comets, but only two are coming.
The Leafs are holding their exit meetings on Friday morning, so Dermott and Johnsson won't play in Game 4. They'd be available for "Game 5 if necessary" on Sunday in Toronto, or further series if the Marlies do advance.
Coming off a solid win on Wednesday, Utica coach Trent Cull says not to expect any significant lineup changes for the Comets. Lukas Jasek was injured in Game 1; he skated in a non-contact jersey at practice on Thursday but did not take part in Friday's morning skate and isn't expected to play tonight.
Comets games are available for streaming at AHL Live, but they're pretty pricey—and the cameras at the Adirondack Bank Center leave something to be desired. I've been following along through the radio broadcasts.
Click here to access the streaming audio.
Back with the big club—a quick shoutout to Brock Boeser. I didn't acknowledge his nomination for the Calder Trophy when it was announced over the weekend!
After missing the last 16 games of the season due to his back injury, Boeser's 29 goals for the season ranked him second in rookie scoring behind Winnipeg's Kyle Connor (31) and his 55 points put him fifth overall behind Mat Barzal (85), Clayton Keller (65), Yanni Gourde (64) and Connor (57).
I didn't think Gourde would get much Calder consideration because he's a late bloomer at 26 and some of his success has probably come from being a part of the powerful Tampa Bay Lightning machine, but I thought defenseman Charlie McAvoy of Boston could get consideration. Connor also got better as the year went on. He posted 16-12-28 in 33 games after the All-Star Break.
As part of a rookie class that also includes promising talent like Jake DeBrusk, Nico Hischier, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Mikhail Sergachev, Adrien Kempe, Alex Tuch and others, it's no small feat for Boeser to have stood out from that group—and stayed front-of-mind with voters despite his injury. I'd guess his Calder nomination was pretty-much cemented with his MVP performance at the All-Star Game.
Mat Barzal is virtually assured of the win, but I believe Boeser is just the fourth Calder finalist in Canucks history. Pavel Bure won in 1992-93, Mattias Ohlund placed second to Sergei Samsonov in 1997-98, and Trevor Linden placed second to Brian Leetch in 1988-89 (thanks to Nighthawk for stirring my memory on Linden!)
Also on the awards front, Daniel and Henrik Sedin have been named the Canucks' joint nominees for the King Clancy Trophy, "given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."
Henrik won it on his own in 2016—that time he shaded Mark Messier at the awards ceremony.
Trevor Linden also won the award, back in 1997.
Looking at the Canucks' roster for next season, there's a laundry list of impending RFAs and UFAs that need to be addressed. And you know Jim Benning will unearth some new faces from obscure places.
Elliotte Friedman threw out Swedish centre Par Lindholm's name as a Canucks target in his
31 Thoughts on Thursday.
Lindholm's a 26-year-old who finished second in scoring for Skelleftea of the Swedish League this season, with 18-29-47 in 49 games. He also played for Sweden at the Olympics, recording one goal, but is not on the roster for the World Championship team.
Making his rounds with the agents for Canucks players,
News1130's Rick Dhaliwal also has a few other updates:
• UFA Jussi Jokinen will not be offered a new contract by the Canucks
• UFA Nic Dowd has not yet been informed whether the Canucks are interested in bringing him back
• UFA Darren Archibald has been told to wait until the team deals with the status of some of its RFAs.
• talks on RFA Markus Granlund's next contract are expected to commence around the time of the draft
• talks have started to get prospect Petrus Palmu out of his contract with TPS Turku in Finland, so he can sign with the Canucks organization
We'll have lots of time to ponder the future of these players and other free agents inside and outside the Canucks organization in the weeks and months to come.
Just one game on the NHL's second-round playoff schedule on Friday. The Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators have the stage all to themselves for Game 1 of their highly anticipated series. Puck drop is at 5 p.m. PT from Nashville.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»