We're exactly a week away from the start of the Canucks regular season (click here to view the Canucks 2014'15 schedule in its entirety) and there's still some roster decisions to made. With just two preseason games left, Thursday and Saturday both against the Oilers, Canucks brass will be in tough to decide which players will open the year on the 23 man roster.
* Has young prospect and 9th overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft Bo Horvat done enough to earn a roster spot? Or do they send him back to junior where he has nothing left to prove? What would be best for his development? And who's spot does he take if he does in fact make the squad?
* Same could be said for Hunter Shinkaruk, though with his AHL eligibility it's likely he starts the year in Utica for the Comets, Vancouver's farm team. Shinkaruk, the 24th overall pick in the same draft class as Horvat, has played well in the preseason and is second on the team only to Linden Vey in preseason scoring.
* Speaking of Linden Vey, where does he fit into the lineup. The quick, shifty centre who came over in a draft day deal with the L.A Kings for a 2nd round pick is expected to add some offence to an otherwise fairly futile offensive team. Will he be the 2nd or 3rd line centre? Should they shift him to the wing to play alongside newly acquired Nick Bonino?
* Can Zack Kassian finally make the jump to the effective power forward that everyone expected he'd become? Or is he slated for a bottom 6 role again this year.
* Can Luca Sbisa step in and be a solid 6th defenceman? He certainly hasn't shown he can this preseason as he's been awful. So will Yannick Weber be the 6th guy? Or can Frankie Corrado step up and be that guy right away or does he need some more sesoning in the AHL?
* Can Ryan Miller survive the goalie graveyard that Vancouver has become and return to form as one of the league's best goalies? Will he be able to singlehandedly win the Canucks some games when they inevitably lay a dud?
These are just some of the questions that I have heading into the season, and some of the questions management will have to answer within a short week. One last question....is anyone else excited for the puck to drop? I sure am!
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