Sasson Out - Vancouver Canucks announce starting goalie & line combinations to face Toronto Maple Leafs
If it has not been hard enough for the Vancouver Canucks, they take out the powerhouse Toronto Maple Leaks tonight, and their projected lineup is still missing key players Erik Brannstrom and Nils Hoglander.
The day for the Vancouver Canucks did not start off like one would have hoped as their plane got grounded trying to leave Carolina.
Luckily they were able to fly out out this morning, but there is a reason teams don't fly on game days, it affects routine, preparation and sleep which are all essential to performance, and that is something the Vancouver Canucks need to squeeze every ounce out of right now.
With that, things have gone from bad to worse as of late, the Canucks have lost 9 out of their last 11 games and was summed up perfectly last night getting shut out but the Carolina Hurricanes.
Vancouver Canucks Projected Lineup for Matchup with Toronto Maple Leafs
Forwards
Boeser. Miller. Lekkerimaki
DeBrusk. Pettersson. Garland
Hoglander. Suter. Sherwood.
Heinen. Blueger. PDG.
Defense
Hughes. Myers.
Forbort. Juulsen.
Soucy. Brisbois.
Goalies
The glaring issue for the Vancouver Canucks right now are their inability to get any production defense and puck moving from their blue line, and the fact that head coach Rick Tocchet is not giving Eric Brannstrom a look leaves many scratching their heads.
Brannstrom may not be the most effective defender, (who is on the Canucks except for Hughes), but the fact remains he is the only not d-man named Quinn Hughes that can effectively move the puck and make passes.
Having Pettersson back is crucial, but with getting shut out last night, the team needs to make some changes and it needs to start with skating up the lines and putting Brannstrom back in...
