All eyes on Miller and Desjardins as Canucks training camp gets underway
Posted September 19, 2014 8:29 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WHISTLER (NEWS1130) – The Canucks are looking for a fresh start, as training camp gets underway in Whistler today.
There will be a number of new faces on the ice, but there’s one that will catch the attention of fans right away.
Ryan Miller is a 12-year veteran in the NHL. He won the Vezina Trophy — awarded to the top goaltender — after the 2009/10 season.
He nearly backstopped the US to Olympic Gold in Vancouver in the overtime loss to Canada. He went 5-0-1 and was named the tournament MVP.
But over the last two seasons, his game has gone south a bit. He is known to be stubborn and he will always defend his aggressive style of play.
He is open to working with Roland Melanson, the Canucks’ goaltending coach who got Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider and Eddie Lack in line and their skates in the blue. Miller feels another set of eyes on his game is only a good thing.
Can the new coach get the most from his players?
Too old and too stale: that’s how John Tortorella summed up the Canucks’ core just before he was fired last spring.
Every day, the entire team is on the ice during this camp, new Head Coach Willie Desjardins wants to see it play hard and go hard — just like in a game. It starts now and he wants to see it carry throughout the season.
Desjardins will set the systems in place over the next four days. Play will be an up-tempo attacking style with discipline.
He also expects the group to have fun off the ice, as he says championship teams have a unique bond. And he’s looking for that to develop early.
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