Canucks: Teddy Blueger eager to give Golden Knights the business ...

Teddy Blueger’s occupation demands that he gives the opposition the business.

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The gritty Vancouver Canucks’ centre must be hard to play against, stick to systems, kill penalties and work with linemates Dakota Joshua and Conor Garland to be aggressive on the forecheck to create turnovers and also chip in offensively.

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Blueger also knows the NHL is a bottom-line business based on performance, economics and a club’s roster vision — especially for a pending unrestricted free agent. 

It’s why he can relate to what occurred with struggling winger Anthony Beauvillier on Tuesday. With just two goals and eight points through 22 games, he was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2024 fifth-round NHL Draft pick.

For the Canucks, the transaction clears salary cap space and opens roster options. For the departing player, it’s one giant headache.

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“You feel for him quite a bit,” Blueger said Wednesday after practice at the University of B.C. “It’s tough with going through it myself not that long ago. Your whole world gets flipped upside down. You mesh in with a group here and then you have to try and figure out the move and all the logistics that come with it.

“A lot goes into it, but it’s what you sign up for and a lot can happen at any time.”

Blueger was surprisingly shipped from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Vegas Golden Knights last March a day before the trade deadline. 

Teddy Blueger #53 of the Vancouver Canucks celebrates his goal and 100th career NHL point against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena on November 24, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Steph Chambers /Getty Images

It resulted in a Stanley Cup championship but not job security and his willingness to sign a one-year, US$1.9 million, free agent contract with the Canucks was based on believing and betting on himself.

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And facing his former club Thursday at Rogers Arena is added incentive because when the NHL schedule was released, he certainly took notice.

“It definitely got my attention for sure,” said Blueger, 29, who contributed a goal for Vegas on March 21 when the visiting Golden Knights claimed a 4-3 victory over the Canucks.

Those nights are hard to forget, especially when the Latvian had just four goals last season. When asked to recall the scoring play, he went into detail.

“I remember it well,” he recalled. “Second period. We had a short neutral-zone regroup and gained the zone. (Brett) Howden kind of dropped it (puck) off to me from the goal line to the bottom of the (faceoff) circle and I took kind of a bad-angle shot.”

Teddy Blueger #53 of the Vancouver Canucks advances the puck against Caleb Jones #82 of the Colorado Avalanche in the second period at Ball Arena on November 22, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Photo by Matthew Stockman /Getty Images

Blueger knows that for the Canucks to have a shot at victory Thursday — they were 1-2-0 against the Golden Knights last season — they can’t be a step behind the play. In that March 21 meeting, they were outshot 14-5 in the first period and dug a two-goal hole.

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Against the opportunistic Golden Knights, who maintain poise and patience, that’s a big mountain to climb.

“It was a bitter lesson against an opportunistic club that plays with pace and doesn’t turn pucks over,” said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet. “Vegas is one of my favourites with that defence — big and they move the puck and jump into the play — and I don’t think we were ready for it.”

The Golden Knights will have at least one bullet missing from their chamber. Defenceman Shea Theodore, who leads club defencemen in goals (four), assists (14), points (18) and plus-minus (plus 10), is sidelined after surgery to address an upper-body injury.

Blueliner Alec Martinez has a lower-body ailment and didn’t play in a 5-4 shootout loss at Edmonton on Tuesday, but the Golden Knights still have plenty of ammunition. And lots of swagger. They hold the Pacific Division lead, but are just one point up on the Canucks.

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The Golden Knights are allowing the second fewest goals per game (2.43) and their penalty kill is ranked eighth (85.7 per cent). Centre William Karlsson is the only player in double-digit goals (10), but that’s not a concern.

“They’ve got great depth in every position and a great buy-in,” said Blueger. “Guys really buy into their roles and what’s expected of them, and when guys go down, they have the guys to step up and fill that role.

“And they have great camaraderie off the ice. Everyone is close and it’s a very loose locker-room.

It will be a tough task for Blueger’s line to match-up against defencemen who jump into the play and centres who show strength down the middle to dictate play. But the chemistry between Garland, Joshua and Blueger continues to evolve to be a deterrent.

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“It’s a huge challenge,” said Blueger. “We have to be responsible with the puck and limit our turnovers and make sure we come back hard and find our guys on the backcheck.

“Each guy on our line brings something different and our mindset is to try and outwork the other team and battle …

“We complement each other.”

Teddy Blueger #53 of the Vancouver Canucks fights Yanni Gourde #37 of the Seattle Kraken during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena on November 24, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Steph Chambers /Getty Images

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