Throughout the week, Canucks Army examined attainable milestones for key Vancouver Canucks next season. But it’s not just the Big 5 that have their sights set on reaching significant career thresholds or achievements. So today, we look at the best of the rest:
Tyler Myers
Tyler Myers needs just five games to reach 1,000 for his NHL career. If all goes according to plan, the veteran defenceman’s big night will take place in Philadelphia on October 19th. Myers had plans to celebrate 1,000 NHL games in Game 82 last season, however a minor injury in early March kept him out of the lineup for five games. As such, his quest for a thousand was pushed to next season. What made things interesting was that Myers was a pending unrestricted free agent, throwing some questions into the mix about his hockey future. In late June, however, Myers signed a three-year extension with the Canucks, putting his trek for a thousand games back on track in the place he’s called home for the past five seasons.
It’s interesting the way it all breaks down. Five more games for Myers will be 365 with the Canucks. That will match the number of games he played in Buffalo to start his career. He also played 270 in Winnipeg.
Rick Tocchet
If Rick Tocchet lasts the season – and he very well should, considering he’s the reigning Jack Adams Award winner as Coach of the Year – Game 82 will be his 200th game behind the Canucks bench. But that won’t be the only milestone within Tocchet’s reach. He will also hit the 600-game mark as an NHL head coach in the 44th game of the season. Tocchet is currently 14th in games coached with the Canucks and ninth in coaching victories. By season’s end, he’ll become the ninth head coach to work 200 games behind the Vancouver bench and with 40 wins, he’ll move past Phil Maloney, Bob McCammon and Willie Desjardins into sixth on the wins list. Tocchet is currently 63 wins behind his friend and former teammate Travis Green, who sits fifth on the list with 133 wins as a Canucks head coach.
Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen & Derek Forbort
Interestingly, all three former Bruins are closing in on the 500-game mark in the NHL and should get there in the first half of their first seasons as Canucks. DeBrusk needs 35 games to get to 500 and 34 points to reach the 300 mark. Meanwhile, Heinen needs 13 games to hit the 500 milestone and 13 goals to score 100 in his NHL career. Forbort won’t have to wait long to appear in his 500th NHL game. He needs just four to reach the mark and needs five points to get to 100 for his career.
Others to keep an eye on
Filip Hronek requires 10 games for 400 in the NHL
Teddy Blueger is 64 games away from 400 in the NHL
Pius Suter needs 17 games to reach 300 in the NHL
Kiefer Sherwood needs 13 games for 200 in his NHL career
And Dakota Joshua is 16 games shy of 200 in the NHL
Now, we just need October 9th to arrive so that the milestone watch can truly begin.
