Ilya Mikheyev continues to be a quiet contributor for the Vancouver Canucks. On pace to surpass his career high of 32 points, he has become a key piece of Vancouver's top six. Now fully healthy, he is ready to do whatever it takes not just to help the Canucks qualify for the postseason but make it to the second round for the first time in his career. Last season was tough for Mikheyev. After playing most of the year with an ACL injury, he was shut down in late January before having surgery in February. While he has not missed a game since reentering the lineup on Oct 21, he continues strengthening the injured area to get back to 100% as soon as possible. "It feels good," said Mikheyev. "A long way for comeback, but now I feel healthy and much better. Just keep doing my job. More recovery, more focus on the knee and the leg because it still needs to work." Vancouver Canucks 2023 Recap One of the biggest factors behind Mikheyev's success in Vancouver has been his chemistry with Elias Pettersson. This is a duo that head coach Rick Tocchet appears to love as he, for the most part, keeps them together regardless of other changes throughout the lineup. According to Natural Stat Trick, they have played 336:45 at even strength this season, with Vancouver outscoring their opponents 23-18 in that time. When asked about his chemistry with Pettersson, Mikheyev explained it is something the two continue to work on as the season progresses. "Just like experience. You know, we just learn every practice, every game, like some more details, talk to each other and help each other and just try to play our best game." Another factor in Mikheyev's strong season is comfort within the organization. With two fellow Russians on the Canucks roster, this has allowed him to have conversations with teammates that not only speak the same language but also have a similar background. As he describes, having Andrei Kuzmenko and Nikita Zadorov on the team has helped him, especially on the road, as the trio often goes out for meals and spends plenty of time together. "It's perfect for me. Of course, if we go the road like we're going to dinner. My wife knows Nikita Zadorov's wife. It's more fun and more communication between us." While Vancouver has had a great start to the 2023-24 campaign, Mikheyev understands that more work needs to be done to consider this season a success. Whether in the gym or at practice, he and his teammates are looking to fine-tune their game and take advantage of every opportunity heading into 2024. With 46 more games left on the schedule, there is still plenty of time left this season to show why the Canucks should be considered a contender heading into the playoffs. "Of course it's more fun than last year, but we understand we need to just keep working hard. Be here and just prepare for future because, like every game, every practice is small for a huge future target." Whether it is his strong two-way game or the ability to use his speed and beat defenders to loose pucks, Mikheyev has provided Vancouver with elements they have been missing from their lineup over the past few years. A player who does not cut corners, he is continually looking for ways to improve his game for the betterment of the team. If he can keep up this level of play for the rest of the season, not only should the Canucks clinch a playoff spot, but they could walk away with the Pacific Division crown for the first time in franchise history. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjc3MzIzNTkyODA0MTE2/screenshot-2023-10-22-at-91546am.png]
