Kassian aims to fly under the radar
Winger vows to work hard but won’t escape scrutiny; Pahlsson thrilled to join Canucks
GLENDALE, Ariz. — By the time the second period rolled around Tuesday night, Zack Kassian felt better.
At least he could breathe again.
“I was nervous to start, but I think I got better as the game went on,” Kassian said after making his Canuck debut in a 2- 1 shootout loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.
Asked when he finally got those butterflies under control, Kassian said: “I don’t think I settled down that much. I started breathing a bit after the first period, but for the most part I was pretty nervous the whole game.”
It really didn’t show. For the most part, Kassian was effective in the 12: 27 of ice- time he logged. He had five hits, one shot and won two of three faceoffs. He played 20 shifts and he’ll never forget the first one — it was with Daniel and Henrik Sedin after an early Canuck penalty- kill.
“That first shift with the Sedins was something I will never forget,” he said. “It was pretty special, they are two great players and it was an honour to play with them a bit.”
Kassian’s one shot came late in the second period when Henrik Sedin fed him a goalmouth pass off the rush. Kassian couldn’t get the puck over the left pad of Phoenix goalie Mike Smith.
Kassian got promoted at times to Vancouver’s second line where he skated alongside Ryan Kesler.
“Any time you get to move up it’s nice, but when you lose a game everyone has to be better, including myself. I’m happy with today, but I definitely can be better.”
Before Tuesday’s game, Kassian drew chuckles from reporters when he said he hoped to fly under the radar with his new team.
Good luck with that. The 21- year- old figures to learn exactly what kind of microscope he will be under when the media horde descends on him following Thursday morning’s game- day skate in Vancouver.
“It’s an honour, it’s a great opportunity at the start of my career to make a name for myself and to come into a great organization like Vancouver and where they sit in the standings and the opportunity they have in front of them,” Kassian said before the game.
“I just want to fly under the radar and do my job and work hard.”
Told that may be difficult, Kassian smiled and reminded reporters that he does indeed have some experience playing under the media spotlight.
“I think hockey players are used to the pressure,” he said. “I have been on world stages, the world junior, things like that, the Memorial Cup. Those are [ pressure situations] and I think I handled them well. Like I said, I am ecstatic to be here and can’t wait to get going.”
Kassian was acquired in a surprise deal Monday that shipped fellow rookie Cody Hodgson to the Buffalo Sabres.
Kassian wore Hodgson’s old No. 9 jersey Tuesday and spent most of the game skating on the fourth line alongside Maxim Lapierre and Manny Malhotra.
“I am here to work hard and try to be that little piece in the big puzzle,” he said.
Little piece, but the Canucks are counting on Kassian using his big body to give the team a more physical dimension. His 6- 3, 225- pound frame, combined with nice speed and a good skill set are what convinced general manager Mike Gillis to roll the dice on Monday.
The Canucks certainly want Kassian to play with an edge, but they also want him to walk the line. He crossed over it more than once in junior and paid one particularly heavy price when he received a 20- game OHL suspension for a hit to the head on Matt Kennedy of the Barrie Colts.
“Sometimes the way you play you can cross the line,” Kassian said. “You’ve got to stay on that edge, but at the same time you can’t cross it.”
His NHL resumé is short. In 27 NHL games with the Sabres this season, Kassian had three goals, seven points and 20 penalty minutes. He played 30 games with Rochester of the AHL before getting called up and recorded 15 goals, 26 points and 31 penalty minutes.
Newly acquired centre Samuel Pahlsson also made his Canucks debut, having travelled from the NHL basement all the way to the top floor. Pahlsson admitted before the game that it hasn’t been much fun being a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the past three seasons.
The 34- year- old shutdown specialist described his motivation as “high.”
“I want to win,” he said. “I have had three tough seasons, I would say. I haven’t made the playoffs, and it hasn’t been a lot of fun, I want to get back to winning again.”
Captain Henrik Sedin thinks Pahlsson will help the Canucks do just that.
“I have seen what Sami Pahlsson can do when he is given that role, a defensive forward that can shut down whoever he plays against,” Sedin said.
“He’s won at every level he’s been at. He has won an Olympic gold medal, Stanley Cups, Swedish championships, he is a winner, he knows what it takes.”
ICE CHIPS: Defenceman Marc- Andre Gragnani, also acquired from the Sabres on Monday, did not play Tuesday night. “He has played one game since the all- star break, so I am going to give him a little time with the group,” Vigneault said ... The Canucks sent forward Andrew Gordon to the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday. Gordon was acquired Monday from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for minor- league defenceman Sebastien Erixon.