Arshdeep Bains To Start Season With Vancouver Canucks – Hockey Writers – Vancouver Canucks

The new NHL season is upon us, and the Vancouver Canucks are primed for a run at the Stanley Cup. The team is ready for Game 1 of its season against the Calgary Flames next Wednesday and has already trimmed its training camp roster to less than 30 players in preparation to lock down its opening night roster. The only player still on the team is 23-year-old Arshdeep Bains, who left the Western Hockey League as an undrafted player back in 2022. Bains has improved greatly in his two years in the American Hockey League (AHL) and is now ready to take on a full-time role with Vancouver.

Bains Has Proved He's NHL Ready

While the preseason games are taken with a grain of salt due to their lack of in-season performances, it should not be overlooked that Bains produced during his time in the exhibition game. The forward has produced two goals and an assist with three points in the four games he has played, both of which have been strong. Both goals scored by Bains were one-timers on the left side of the ice by full-time members of the Canucks' roster. Kiefer Sherwood and Daniel Sprong scored his first goal while Danton Heinen and Nils Hoglander scored his second goal, and his lone assist was a goal by Quinn Hughes. He has shown that he can play meaningful minutes and fit in with a great group of Canucks players.

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Bains has shown a lot of trust in coach Rick Tocchet since he has placed him in these positions several times. Tocchet seems to be sending a message to Bains that he definitely sees his role in the team, or at least knows what positions he will put him in if he is in the team. Bains was placed in the bottom six, which makes sense given the fire they have up front, but the fact that the Canucks have given him playing time shows that they believe he has the ability to score goals when placed in the right position. annoying situations.

Bains is the best in the AHL

There comes a time in every player's career when they are great in the AHL but not good enough for the regular NHL. Bains was close to being in that category if he can't have a good training camp. However, in the Canucks rookie showcase, he was the best Canuck on the ice and looked like a man among boys. Bains looked too good to be in that tournament full of young and talented players looking to make a splash for their NHL teams. Although it was only three games, he showed that the players he played with were not at his level.

If he returns to the AHL, he won't be learning anything new or facing competition that will challenge him on his way to making the NHL. All you hope to see out of expectations is continued growth and improvement, and Bains has done just that. He won't learn or grow much if he plays most of the year in the AHL and lights up the league because it's not difficult for him. If he gets the Canucks out of camp and plays at least five to 10 games early in the season, the Canucks will know what he's capable of and if he's ready to play in the NHL full time. If determined after the first five or more missed games, then he may be reinstated to the AHL without clearing waivers; no bad no bad. However, he might as well prove people wrong and prove he belongs in the NHL.

Bains has proven that he can be an NHL-caliber player on many different occasions. He has shown that he is ready, at the very least, to be given the opportunity to play for the Canucks after the first season. Starting him in the AHL this season won't help him at all. It will only hurt him.