And then there were twenty-three.

The Vancouver Canucks have trimmed the roster, used the injured list, and are off to Edmonton for the season opener. There is no way this roster remains as it is through 84 games, but at least we know where it starts.

Lists That Matter

It is a little surprising that the only player on the waiver wire Vancouver took a stab at is Leevi Merilainen. He's a good, low-risk pickup, no complaints there. But there were several other younger players readily available, and the Canucks have first dibs. It could be a show of confidence, or exercising caution in shaking up the prospects too much. No one wants to get sent down, but even worse is seeing new players come in ahead of you.

Heading down despite some very good pre-season play was Arshdeep Bains. Bains' biggest problem has been an apparent reluctance to play the same way in the NHL as he does in the AHL. His top priority was not making mistakes instead of bringing his game. To be fair, in the NHL he's on the fourth line, and the objective is very different than his top-line AHL spot.

This camp, though, he was more aggressive on the attack, willing to make dangerous passes, and - Oh, he is? Good for him! Who's down?

*sigh*

I like watching Filip Chytil play. I do. The guy was a first-round pick for a reason. But sometimes the best ability you can have is avail. At least we've been reassured that this time it's his shoulder rather than another concussion. Oh, and it looks like Thatcher Demko will be out until Christmas.

The Demko Dance

Surgery on both hips is no joke, but apparently expecting him back in a reasonable amount of time is. His last surgery was in January, and while he's been on the ice, he hasn't skated with the team. This likely kills any hope of trading Demko, at least for this season. The team has 24 games between January 1st and trade deadline day. Any general manager taking on Demko after seeing him healthy for maybe fifteen games probably isn't keeping his job for long.

Instead of giving Nikita Tolopilo the backup job behind Kevin Lankinen, the waiver-proof goalie will start once again in Abbotsford.

This complicates things with presumed Baby 'Nucks starters Aku Koskenvuo and Ty Young. Both split the season between Kalamazoo and Abbotsford last season, but I can't say which is preferred to stay up now. Can't imagine anyone wants a three-goalie rotation in the AHL, and no way would Tolopilo take a demotion to a league he's never played in.

Both Chytil and Demko are starting the year on the Injured Reserve list, since it would be pointless to move them to LTIR. Vancouver's around $16 million away from the salary cap, so no money will be saved with such a move.

Over the Hills and Far Away

Opening the season against the Oilers with their new coach, Mike "Last Ditch" Babcock, makes for an interesting start. Edmonton is notorious for their slow starts to the season, and the Canucks are... Well, we don't really know. There may have been a sign with the mostly NHL Vancouver squad getting smacked by a mostly Bakersfield team, but that was also the first day the Canucks played together.

Don't get me wrong, the Canucks deserved to lose that game. But part of that was by looking rusty as hell. We're just going to have to see what kind of effort Manny Malhotra will get now that the numbers start adding up. We'll also get a look at what the lines might look like for the bulk of the season. Except, of course, this is Vancouver, where injuries are a way of life.

Jake DeBrusk is with the team in Edmonton, but was also held off the ice before they went because of a "lower-body injury". No one's saying what exactly the injury is, but he did score one off his butt against Seattle on Saturday. Brock Boeser may owe Jake a dinner or two, is all I'm saying.

Bains could well get the spot beside Elias Pettersson the Forward and Jonathan Lekkerimaki, which isn't a bad way to start the year. If DeBrusk makes it back, then he's the obvious choice as a scratch. Guillaume Brisebois and Victor Mancini are probably the extras on defence, keeping with this year's "Old Guy - Young Guy" pairings.

Lankinen will start in goal, which is going to be a running theme this season.

What to Expect When You're Expecting Nothing

The Canucks want a low-event game where they hold the puck as long as possible. The last thing Malhotra wants is for his forwards to enter the zone firing, giving opponents a chance to get the puck back. This isn't just a plan against Edmonton and other high-powered teams, but against everyone in the league. Which, to be fair, will feel like high-powered teams compared to the Canucks.

Ruining Babcock and the Oilers' home opener would be a fun way to kick off the year, but isn't all that likely. It would be even more fun to beat them in our own first at home - but that also isn't likely. They are going to be a hard watch this year, no lie. Fortunately, we've put together a self-defence guide to help: How to Watch Canucks Games.

Keep your guide handy, and remember: we're doing this for The Future!