Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors: Blueger, Raty, O’Connor & Vancouver’s Future – The Hockey Writers –

One of the interesting things surrounding the Vancouver Canucks right now is that the organization may be laying the groundwork for its next roster. Often, when fans think about the future, they only focus on stars and high hopes. But good teams are often made up of the same supporting pieces. In the Canucks’ case, that means reliable veterans, diverse middle-six forwards, and young players gradually growing into important roles.

That’s why players like Teddy Blueger, Aatu Raty, and Drew O’Connor have become important stories for Vancouver this season. None of them are franchise-changing stars, but all three are starting to look like players who could be part of the identity the Canucks are trying to build going forward. All good teams need players exactly like these.

Is Teddy Blueger part of Vancouver’s future?

One of the most underrated developments was Blueger’s surgery late in the season. He will never be the star player that fans rush to buy jerseys for, but coaches love players like him. He handles defensive assignments, kills penalties, wins tough minutes, and quietly fixes things when games start to get chaotic.

What surprised me recently is that his case has started to appear. Blueger put together an impressive season in the latter half of the season, including a rare power play goal against the San Jose Sharks and a two-goal effort earlier this season against the Colorado Avalanche. For someone who is often buried in a defensive role, those contributions stand out.

Time is of the essence because Blueger is headed to free agency this summer. Earlier in the season, there was speculation that the Canucks might move him at the trade deadline, especially after injuries derailed his season. Instead, the Canucks kept him around, and now it’s easy to understand why. He looks to be one of those steady veterans who always seems to have a spot on the roster.

Aatu Raty Has Became A Player The Canucks Can’t Ignore

There is also something encouraging about the season Raty has put together. His offense didn’t explode, and there were areas where his confidence seemed to waver. But the season was not meant for him to be a goal scorer. It was about showing he belonged in the NHL every night.

Raty snapped a goal drought against the Florida Panthers, and the 23-year-old survived some frustrating moments, including a 24-game shutout. But coach Adam Foote continued to trust him because of other parts of his game.

He’s physical, responsible defensively, and willing to play a grinding role that smaller players sometimes struggle with. After David Kampf was traded at the trade deadline, Raty returned to normal and began to find another opportunity to prove himself. His three-point game earlier this season against the Minnesota Wild is a reminder that there may be more to his game than we’ve seen consistently so far. Raty is starting to look like the kind of young, low-profile player every club needs.

Drew O’Connor Has Been One of Vancouver’s Most Valuable Players

Last season, O’Connor turned into one of the Canucks’ most useful forwards. As the season progressed, he looked like a versatile player that coaches could rely on in almost any role. Top six, middle six, power play, defensive assignments – O’Connor handled a little bit of everything.

He gradually moved towards a powerful attack period. For a Canucks team that has struggled to generate enough consistent secondary scoring at times, getting close to 30 points and 15-plus goals from O’Connor is important.