Canucks Coffee: Lessons in fun from the Bruins

3 days ago

The Province

The Vancouver Canucks seem to be waiting for someone to rescue them. Maybe the power just lies within.

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Published Dec 15, 2024 • 3 minute read

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) stops Boston Bruins' John Beecher (19) as Vancouver's J.T. Miller (9) watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. Photo by ETHAN CAIRNS /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Jeremy Swayman is big on positivity.

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His team came into Saturday having had two awful games. They’d bled 13 goals against.

NHLers know they mustn’t dwell too long on bad moments, just as they mustn’t let the really good moments distract from the present.

But you can’t just be dull. You need to be upbeat. Have some self-belief.

And so Swayman called on his teammates Saturday morning to get together for a group hug at the end of their morning skate.

“I wasn’t leaving the ice without a group hug,” he beamed after Saturday’s 5-1 defeat of the Vancouver Canucks.

“I think it’s perfect time for it. We all love each other in this locker room. And just to show that you’re on the ice, that today’s a new day. The sun rose today, and we’re gonna make sure that, you know, we’re all in this together, ups and downs and all.”

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It’s about positive culture building. It needs constant refreshing. But it’s important, Swayman notes. Have some fun. Be good to each other. It’s a recipe every team could use.

“It makes it fun to come to the rink every day and go to work with these guys,” he said of being so comfortable and upbeat and ready to hug each other. “The relationships that we have in this locker room, and what we’ve made with new guys — it seems like everyone’s been here for a while now — that’s what makes it so fun to come here. The culture that we built. We know we have to rebrand that culture every single year with new challenges and new faces. So every day that we have an opportunity to be together, that’s a great opportunity to make this culture what it is.”

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Big Z returns

Tracked down the boisterous former Canuck post-game. He was chatting away in the hallway with first J.T. Miller, then Conor Garland. He and Garland caught up for at least 10 minutes. I’d asked Bruins PR if Nikita Zadorov — “Big Z” — was available and they said “sure, just hang out in the hallway there and ask him when he’s done catching up with his old teammates.”

Sure enough, he was happy to chat. Had only good things to say.

He grinned when asked about his team getting a win in his return to the city he did want to stay in.

“It’s nice to get away. And I mean, it’s not only personal for me. We lost last two games. We got smoked, so it’s a good response by us,” he said.

“We had a great time last year. There’s a lot of friends still on the other side. So it’s, it’s nice to see them,” he added, underselling the moment.

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He got a big matchup. Head coach Joe Sacco put him up against the Miller line on purpose.

He was pumped about it.

“Playing against Miller line most of the night too, as well, it’s a big responsibility, because there are a lot of good players there,” he said.

The Boss Speaks

Jim Rutherford was very restrained post-game on After Hours.

But you know he was seething underneath. The team needs to figure out what they’re here for. It’s about winning. And showing up to work hard.

So what does he think of this squad? It’s still tough to read, but they believed it would be close to taking a next step.

“We need to add a couple of players to really give ourselves a chance to contend,” he told Ferraro and Oake.

That’s a statement of reality. Rutherford is never shy of reality. They know that it’s a team that’s flawed.

How will his players take it? Are they waiting for the cavalry?

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