You Are Going to Want to Hear What Canucks Coach Rick Tocchet Had to Say About the Struggling Nils Hoglander
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Photo credit: Canucks Daily
After getting inserted back into the lineup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday following a few games stint with an injury, Nils Hoglander played one of his best games of the season, and Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet took notice.
Following a break out year in the 2023-2024 season, where Hoglander put up 24 goals to solidify himself as a bonified top-6 forward for the Canucks, head coach Rick Tocchet definitely had other plans for his season.
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet praises Nils Hoglander after months of criticism
Tocchet has been highly critical of Hoglander's overall game with the media, not shying away from the reasons why he does not have a bigger role on the team, but as of late, that tone has shifted.
From being healthy scratched to playing a more dominant role, the season had taken a turn for the better, it just is a little to late for the 24-year-old.
Hoggy returned to the lineup after a few games off with an injury against the powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, and Rick Tocchet wanted to make it known that he can be highly critical of players in the media, but can also do the opposite and praise them for when they do all the right things.
Which is what Tocchet did when shifting his tone with Hoglander.
«It was good seeing him,» said Tocchet about Höglander's return. «Typical Höggy. I think he's been playing good hockey for us the last five, six weeks.»
«He's been working on position to get a puck. I think a lot of guys can learn from Höggy, you've got to move your feet and know the puck's going to come to you before it's coming. I think that's where Höggy's really improved, at the beginning of the year, he wasn't seeing that. Now he's seeing it. He's coming back with speed, he's taking the puck to the middle, he's trying to make a play.»
«He's been working on position to get a puck. I think a lot of guys can learn from Höggy, you've got to move your feet and know the puck's going to come to you before it's coming. I think that's where Höggy's really improved, at the beginning of the year, he wasn't seeing that. Now he's seeing it. He's coming back with speed, he's taking the puck to the middle, he's trying to make a play.»
Although a disappointing year scoring just 22 points in 67 games in a season that will end with the Canucks missing the playoffs, players like Hoglander are going to be key pieces for the Canucks for years to come, and for him to finish the season off this way is a major positive.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 7 | 468 ANSWERS You Are Going to Want to Hear What Canucks Coach Rick Tocchet Had to Say About the Struggling Nils Hoglander Do you think Rick Tocchet held back Nils Hoglander's production this season? | ||
| Yes | 278 | 59.4 % |
| No | 190 | 40.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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