Canucks beneath the Microscope: Kyle Burroughs, the hometown hero

Article content material

We’re trying again on the 2022-23 Vancouver Canucks with a spotlight at this time on Kyle Burroughs. Within the coming weeks, we’re breaking down the season and looking at how participant conditions mission going into 2023-24.

Article content material

Kyle Burroughs

Article content material

Age: 27.

Place: Defenceman.

Profession stats: GP: 95. G: 3. A: 8. Pts: 11.

Contract standing: Simply accomplished second yr of a two-year US$1.5-million contract

Expiry standing: Unrestricted free agent.

Kyle Burroughs has confirmed he can play on the NHL stage. In two seasons taking part in for his hometown group, he confirmed up each sport night time and each practise day able to battle.

“I put my greatest foot ahead and and each time I’ve touched the ice, I like to depart all of it on the market and play with my coronary heart on my sleeve,” he stated.

He grew to become one thing of a cult favorite amongst Canucks followers, partly due to his standing as an area expertise: he grew up and performed minor hockey in Langley earlier than embarking on his WHL profession with the Regina Pats.

Article content material

Article content material

Proving your self to be a viable NHLer on your hometown group was a dream come true for Burroughs, who has performed 90 of 95 profession NHL video games for the Canucks.

“In case you would have instructed me 10, 15 years in the past, this was form of going to return full circle like this, I’d have laughed and stated there’s no means,” he stated on the finish of this season.

“These final two years have been nice. It’s been nothing wanting a dream. I’m positive each child that performs street hockey of their storage, carport, hockey field, wherever across the Decrease Mainland or B.C., I do know I’m dwelling that dream and yeah, it meant quite a bit. Each time I placed on the sweater I soaked all of it in.”

There isn’t a doubt he’d wish to be again in inexperienced and blue, however the enterprise of hockey might intrude.

How 2022-23 went: Protecting upbeat in a depth position

Article content material

Burroughs was an excellent junior participant and stable AHLer contributor. Then he landed in Vancouver, seeking to battle for a high depth spot, a primary call-up sort in Abbotsford.

After which Travis Hamonic’s vaccine hesitancy grew to become a roster challenge. The veteran blue-liner got here into the 2021-22 season unvaccinated and the Canucks weren’t ready to navigate a season the place one in every of their gamers would have points travelling forwards and backwards throughout the U.S. border.

So Hamonic sat out and a roster spot opened up. Burroughs received it and have become a reliable determine on the Canucks’ blue-line. Even when Hamonic lastly received the jab and rejoined his teammates, Burroughs caught round, displaying the form of upbeat, know-the-shot character you want in a No. 7 defenceman.

Article content material

He returned for the 2022-23 season able to fill an analogous position, which he did with aplomb. He was a great teammate — and succesful post-game locker-room DJ — able to play at a second’s discover.

How the longer term seems: He’s discovered his means, however the place?

The factor about Burroughs is there are various guys like him and with the Canucks exhausting up in opposition to the wage cap already for subsequent season — plus Christian Wolanin and Guillaume Brisebois already beneath contract — there is probably not a spot in 2023-24 for Burroughs.

“Nothing to report presently,” Burroughs’ agent Ross Gurney instructed Postmedia final week about contract discussions.

Best strengths: Reliable sport.

Best weak spot: He can go the puck however he doesn’t push the play. He’s well-suited to the third pairing.

Article content material

Is he commerce bait?: There was a thought coming into the 2022-23 season that the dependability and chunk in his sport, plus his sturdy, optimistic character, would make him an interesting commerce goal for a playoff-bound group trying so as to add a depth defenceman who wouldn’t need to play a lot however who can be prepared at a second’s discover. However now he seems headed without cost company.

The large query: Will he even be again?

Extra from Canucks beneath the Microscope collection:

• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: J.T. Miller
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Brock Boeser
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Jack Studnicka
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Quinn Hughes
• Canucks Beneath The Microscope: Nils Aman
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Anthony Beauvillier
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Dakota Joshua
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Conor Garland

Assist our journalism: Our in-depth journalism is feasible due to the assist of our subscribers. For simply $3.50 per week, you may get limitless, ad-lite entry to The Vancouver Solar, The Province, Nationwide Publish and 13 different Canadian information websites. Assist us by subscribing at this time: The Vancouver Solar | The Province.