Canucks: Recent season, contemporary dream for Jack Rathbone

Jack Rathbone is able to combat for a spot on the Vancouver Canucks’ NHL roster — once more.

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The Vancouver Canucks have amassed a bevy of choices to fill out their defensive depth chart.

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Jack Rathbone is on that checklist — and he is aware of he’s obtained work to do to climb that chart and solidify the NHL dream he’s had since he was drafted by the Canucks in 2017.

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Rathbone has made the opening roster two seasons in a row, solely to see himself rapidly change into a spare half and reassigned to the minors.

In 2021-22, he thrived in Abbotsford, scoring at a point-per-game tempo and making the AHL’s All-Rookie workforce.

Final season, after a depressing month within the NHL through which he didn’t play, Rathbone was reassigned to the AHL once more and issues didn’t go properly for fairly some time.

However late within the season, Rathbone rediscovered himself and once more turned a key defenceman for the AHL squad. So he was prepared when a rash of accidents hit the NHL squad late within the 12 months, resulting in a five-game recall and an opportunity to point out new coach Rick Tocchet and lead assistant Adam Foote what he’s about.

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His return to the NHL wasn’t excellent, however Rathbone believes he confirmed his coaches sufficient in that stretch. After which he obtained to exhibit how he can carry out in playoff hockey when he was reassigned to Abbotsford to shut the season.

The AHL Canucks made the second spherical of the Calder Cup playoffs. Rathbone had two objectives and an help in six video games.

“I believe you all the time take one thing from a earlier 12 months. Whether or not you personally thought you had a great 12 months or a nasty 12 months, I believe all the time you’re studying one thing,” he mentioned this week on the College of B.C., the place the majority of the Canucks’ roster has been getting ready for coaching camp later this month.

canucks jack rathbone
Jack Rathbone of the Vancouver Canucks kick a soccer ball earlier than their NHL recreation in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Enviornment Oct. 30, 2021, in Vancouver. Picture by Jeff Vinnick /NHLI through Getty Photos

Rathbone, a former Harvard College captain who turned professional earlier than the 2020-21 season, mentioned “it could be foolish not remember” of the lengthy checklist of names of gamers competing to make the workforce. Christian Wolanin, Matt Irwin, Guillaume Brisebois and Akito Hirose will likely be additionally battling for probably one, perhaps two, roster spots.

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“However on the identical time, you simply put the work within the low season. Everybody expects to come back in right here and put their greatest foot ahead in making an attempt to make the large membership and it’s nonetheless the identical,” he mentioned.

Nothing is given, every part is earned. Rathbone is aware of this after suiting up for 28 NHL video games for the Canucks over the previous three seasons.

He was glad he obtained an opportunity to point out Tocchet and Foote what he can do on the finish of final season.

“Particularly with them being new right here and me being new to what we’re doing,” he mentioned.

On the finish of the day, he believes he’s ready himself as greatest he can. He seems as match and chiselled as he’s ever been. He’s round 190 kilos or so, proper the place he needs to be.

“You’re going to lose some weight throughout camp anyhow, however yeah attempt to stick round there,” he mentioned.

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BRO CHAT: Rathbone’s is all the time glad when his little brother, Teddy, is introduced up, and he was particularly delighted to speak about his brother this time round, because it was his fifteenth birthday on Sept. 5. Simply earlier than Jack left Boston for Vancouver, he’d helped his brother get fitted for some Rollerblades. “That was a giant birthday present he needed,” Jack mentioned. Teddy, who’s on the autism spectrum, was getting learn to begin Grade 8, his large brother added.

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