‘A little wear and tear over time and I play a physical game. I had a bulging disc in my neck and I’ve been dealing with it for a couple of years. ” – Canucks winger Tyler Motte.
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He is what he is.
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For Tyler Motte, that’s quite a compliment when the diminutive Vancouver Canucks forward is measured by what he brings to the NHL club every night.
Last season, the left-back fighter led the club in hits with 100 despite playing just 24 of 56 games. His speed was a key cog in the first penalty shootout and he added six goals as a fourth line accessory.
This season, he leads optimistically, but he still has a game to play. Off-season surgery to correct a bulging disc in his neck hasn’t deterred him from returning as soon as possible. He practiced hard for the first time on Monday and comes out of the long-term injury reserve on Friday.
“He probably needs more time and I don’t see him playing for the next two games,” Canucks coach Travis Green said. “Play hard and anticipate well, and that’s part of playing fast: knowing when to put a puck behind people and get on top of them.
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“I don’t see him changing his way of playing. Understand how it has been successful and how it will succeed again. “
Motte was so crazy Monday that he even said he missed the media.
He was offside for the past 12 games last season after Toronto Maple Leafs defender Timothy Liljegren followed a pass on the offensive blue line by putting a shoulder on the winger’s chin near the end of the second period.
Motte fell to the ground, hit the ice hard and appeared stunned by the impact and did not return. He could have suffered a concussion, shoulder or neck injury from whiplash.
“It wasn’t from an incident, but it changed some symptoms that I felt with a pinched nerve,” Motte said. “A bit of wear and tear over time and I play a physical game. I had a bulging disc in my neck and I’ve been dealing with it for a couple of years. “
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RATHBONE IS ABBY FORCED
Rookie defender Jack Rathbone, who does not require waivers, has teamed up with American Hockey League affiliate Abbotsford Canucks to buy more time on the ice and work on his defensive game. Offensively gifted, the left-throwing defender needs to play without the puck.
It made no sense in eight games with 10 shots, a rating of minus 3, and four giveaways.
“We could continue to play with him here, but it will be great for him,” Green said. “Learn different parts of the game and read in your own zone outside of breaks. You can teach them, but you have to be able to execute at the NHL level and that takes time.
“But he’s close and he’s played some good games for us and he could be back sooner rather than later.”
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