Teddy Blueger and the Vancouver Canucks penalty kill will play a crucial role against the Edmonton Oilers in their second-round series.
Teddy Blueger and the Vancouver Canucks penalty kill will play a crucial role against the Edmonton Oilers in their second-round series.
Teddy Blueger has become a key contributor for the Vancouver Canucks this postseason, specifically on the penalty kill. The Stanley Cup Champion. The Canucks center ranks sixth among forwards in the NHL in shorthanded ice time at 15:44 and has only been on the ice for one goal against. His ability to suppress shots has also been impressive, as Vancouver has given up only seven shots during his over 15 minutes of shorthanded ice time.
One clear thing is that Rick Tocchet trusts Blueger in crucial situations. In the final 30 seconds of Game 6 against the Nashville Predators, Blueger was called upon to kill a penalty and help send the Canucks to the second round. As Blueger explains, he is ready to jump into action whenever needed and do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.
"I think everyone kind of wants to be out there in those big moments," said Blueger. "It's a big responsibility. It probably wasn't the prettiest last 30 seconds, but it's nice to get it done. I think everyone's looking to contribute in any way they can, whatever is asked of them. So yeah, it's good to be able to get that done."
According to Blueger, one of the reasons Vancouver was able to hold on in those last 30 seconds was structure. While there were chaotic moments, all four Canucks were in the right area to help keep the puck out of their net. As Blueger details, successful penalty kills need not just to be structurally sound, but also players need to be able to react quickly as pucks can bounce in awkward directions.
"I think we were in structure and we knew kind of the position we had. I think the scramble kind of ensued off the rebound, that's when it got a little bit hectic, it can happen on a regular power play to. Hockey's kind of a read and react sport, things happen fast. We got to be able to react really well in the moment and just keep a cool head. Mysey (Tyler Myers) and Milsey (J.T. Miller), and those guys did everything they could to keep the puck out of the net."
While they had success against the Predators, the Edmonton Oilers are a whole different animal. Against the L.A. Kings, Edmonton posted a 45% efficiency rate, going nine for 20 during the series. While the task at home is not easy, Blueger is confident in the penalty kill heading into the second-round series.
"It's a tough challenge. We make our adjustments and set up a game plan that we think is going to be most effective against them and then we just got to go out there and execute it."
While Vancouver did sweep the Oilers in the regular season, Blueger understands this won't be an easy series. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the rest of Edmonton's roster are loaded with talent and have shown they have no problem putting the puck in the net. That being said, if the Canucks can keep their defensive structure intact and play what many call "Canucks Hockey," they should be able to at least slow down the Oilers' superstars, according to Blueger.
"I don't know necessarily from a series. We've all had experience playing against them. Some guys matched up against them more than others. I think you pretty much know what to expect, like high octane, a lot of speed, a lot of skill. You just have to be focused and be sharp on the positioning. We need to do that to kind of keep them at bay as much as possible. It's probably impossible to completely shut them down or limit them to no scoring chances. They're probably gonna get their looks; it's just a matter of limiting them as much as we can."
While Edmonton is the favourite heading into the series, Vancouver's penalty kill can change that narrative very quickly. If they can be structurally sound and keep the Oilers on the perimeter, it will limit opportunities and eventually frustrate Edmonton's top unit. It will require a full team effort but will ultimately be the difference between winning and losing the series.
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