Canucks Coffee: Honoring celebrities with award-winning beers

Article content

Most NHL teams adhere to the “90 minute rule.”

Article content

Players are allotted that amount of time to savor victory or overcome the pain of defeat.

Article content

The Vancouver Canucks won’t soon forget their error-filled, sloppy 6-3 loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday in Las Vegas to open a three-game road trip.

The defending Stanley Cup champions sent a message by scoring four goals on their first eight shots. The two clubs could potentially meet in the first round of the playoffs.

There’s one more thing to consider as you head out today.

A flavorful coffee blend that celebrates the season is worth a cup, two, or even three. Now that awards time has arrived, there were many nominees for reporters to consider.

Quinn Hughes, JT Miller, and Thatcher Demko deserve consideration for MVP honors. Hughes, Filip Hronek and Tyler Myers are in the race for the top defenseman, while Miller, Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander rank among the most exciting players.

Article content

And Dakota Joshua, Noah Julsen, and Garland are running for the unsung heroes.

So let’s go.

And the winner is…

First Serving: Hughes reigns as MVP, top defenseman and captain.

To get somewhere, you have to go somewhere.

For the Canucks, Hughes was always the get-out-of-jail-free card. Under intense forecheck pressure, the fast-footed, quick-thinking, laser-like passing defenseman uses sublime edgework and quick bursts of speed to leave defenders in the dust.

This is often followed by a long, precise pass to the entry into the power zone.If that’s not enough, Hughes is like his NHL version of his RPO – run, pass, option — quarterback.

He observes what he can see from that point. He calls Audible or his own number with a new juke move developed in the offseason, adding to his already impressive arsenal. He also munches for minutes as if he were at a buffet.

Article content

Article content

With a quick head fake at the blue line, Hughes froze the defender, darted left and low, and fired a cross-ice wrist shot that often caught the far top corner. He works relentlessly to improve the speed and accuracy of his shots.Go through the leg maze at point o.

But his new trick of deception is another weapon in his arsenal to look good from below.

With this, he set career highs in goals (15) and points (84), leading the NHL defense in scoring. He also had the most even-strength assists (39) and power-play helpers (30), and led in assists both at home (38) and on the road (31). ing.

Then there are the minutes.

Hughes averages 24 minutes, 44 seconds per appearance, and has topped the 29-minute mark five times this season. He recorded a time of 24 minutes, 58 seconds at even strength and 4 minutes, 51 seconds on the power play on Nov. 25 in San Jose, achieving a best time of 29 minutes, 49 seconds.

Article content

Then there’s that person.

Hockey geeks are now book readers. He has stepped away from social media and is more in tune with the world outside the rink, with fitness, food, rest and recovery. The affable and responsible captain has seamlessly transitioned into the toughest job in this hockey-mad market.

Forget about power plays. Listen to the fans who are demanding accountability from everyone, especially the captain.

“circleOutside of the hockey part, he’s just a really good guy,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said. “That’s a big thing for me. It’s the way he enters his day and the way he conducts himself with the players.

“Like a lot of players, he’s a gentleman. There are bumps in the road and it’s important to get everyone aligned, but he’s not afraid to go there with the players. He wants to win so bad. I think that was a big part of why I chose him.”

Article content

MVP podium: 1. Fuse. 2. Mirror. 3. Demko.

Defense podium: 1. Fuse. 2. Hronek. 3. Myers.

Second serving: The mirror is the most exciting because you never know.

He was deliberately moved to the center to test his resolve.

He wanted to destroy the notion that his game was perfect for making walls work, because playing center requires a complete and honest game. He needed a willingness to backcheck, be disciplined, and show constant desire.

On most nights this season, Miller checked all the right boxes, often in dramatic ways. He’s the classic driving force that draws his teammates into the fight. He unleashed verbal bombs, set off bombs, netted against screens and made deft deflections.

Miller scored a career-high 35 goals and is four points shy of his career-best 99 points. He was also a regular in the league’s top 10 in scoring throughout the season, forming a partnership with Tocchet.

Article content

The bench boss saw a lot of himself in Miller, who worked hard to push his limits to become an elite player.

That’s all great, but sometimes old habits surface.

An errant pass in the exit zone or a dish in the blind offensive zone missed the mark, causing an odd-man break on the opponent’s side.

Or even against the Nashville Predators on Halloween night, when they decided one penalty wasn’t enough to show contempt. He would score two more points and force Tocchet to sit on the bench to keep his cool.

“It’s okay to be emotional, but you have to have the right emotions and just communicate them,” Tocchet said.

The key question is, do you want Miller to lead the team heading into the playoffs?

The answer is simple. absolutely.

Article content

The most exciting podium: 1. Mirror. 2. Garland. 3. Hoglander.

Third Serving: Joshua is called, wounded, and resurrected as an unsung hero.

It was an eerie beginning.

Along with tough love comes some tough talk from Tocchet.

The coach took issue with Joshua’s lack of presence in preseason play, particularly in a lopsided loss in Calgary.

“Dakota, he has to pick it up,” Tocchet warned. “I’m not going to mention other factors, but he has to try and win the job. The jobs aren’t there, there are people holding their breath looking for jobs.”

It is no exaggeration to suggest that those “other factors” may be related to conditioning. It was supposed to be a summer unlike any other for players to embrace their coach’s edict of elite fitness.

It took some time for Joshua to get used to the situation. He was scratched in San Jose on Nov. 2, but once he accepted the call to give his all, he responded.

Article content

He was solid on the forecheck and hit hard, making this line a formidable third-line force alongside Teddy Blueger and Garland.

Joshua scored a career-high 15 goals and 26 points despite missing 18 games with a hand injury. He had nine hits in Tuesday’s loss and leads the Canucks with 214 hits in just 56 games. He ranks 9th among all NHL forwards.

Joshua also scored twice Sunday, including the game-winning goal late in a 3-2 decision against the Anaheim Ducks.

His outing also featured highlight-reel power-play efforts.his Fans rose from their seats as he made a backhand-to-forehand move, put the puck between his legs, and made the shot for a two-point lead.

Joshua knows he owes a lot to Tocchet for helping the unrestricted free agent reach his potential.

“This is a winning business,” Joshua said. “No gifts were given to him. You don’t want to disappoint him (Tocchet) or the team.”

The unsung heroes’ podium: 1. Joshua 2. Garland. 3. Julsen.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

Article content