Archibald hopes to find a place with Canucks
Rugged winger hopes his skills land him an NHL job
The book on Darren Archibald has several authors.
One was John Tortorella, who recalled the rugged winger on three occasions during the 201314 National Hockey League season because of injuries and wondered about his overall resolve to stick at this level.
Another is Travis Green, who provided Archibald with added incentive to add offence to his grinding game and lead the Utica Comets with 23 goals and 24 assists. That gets you the American Hockey League team’s most valuable player recognition, which of course means nothing at this level.
Yet, the only author that really matters is the undrafted, six-foot-three, 212-pound Archibald. His autobiography at this camp reads like preparation meeting opportunity with perhaps a happy ending about earning a roster spot on opening night.
Or is everybody just saying the right things about Archibald to ensure Jake Virtanen keeps his foot on the accelerator?
Regardless of your take, the best book review is what the 27-yearold Archibald offers in hopes of landing an NHL contract because he’s on an AHL deal.
It’s not just a heavy game that included a thunderous and clean pre-season check on Stefan Matteau that was deemed a five-minute major for interference. It’s the fact that Archibald provides a needed physical element, can kill penalties and add a measure of offence to the fourth line. And in the Pacific Division, that’s vital for Green — even if he tapped the brakes Thursday on Archibald’s acceleration.
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves a little bit,” the Canucks coach cautioned before his club faced the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena.
“He’s had a really good camp and deserves to be here right now. He’s a smart player and is a big body who hits really hard.
“In the game today, you need some stiffness and he brings that. But it’s up to him and he’s getting a chance because he deserves it. When you have big bodies who can skate and forecheck and be hard to play against in their own way, it’s an advantage.”
Archibald made an early preseason presence with the heavy hit on Matteau, but it’s the overall maturity in his game. It has the Canucks prepared to use up some of their US$2.6 million in available cap space to sign Archibald — if he deserves a roster spot.
Not that it’s going to be easy. Trying to figure out what the fourth line may look like on opening night is like playing with a Rubik’s Cube. Every twist either brings a solution or exposes a problem and that’s why Archibald is getting a longer look.
“I feel like I still have to prove myself, but I’m here to make this team,” said Archibald, who skated with Michael Chaput and Jayson Megna against the Flames.
“I was given a lot of opportunities last year and was fortunate to have a healthy year.
“Coming into this camp, knowing the drills is half the battle. I hadn’t been on the penalty kill since junior, but I’ve been doing it here in the pre-season and feel comfortable. But I shied a bit away from playing physical in Utica because I was scoring a lot of goals.
“I need to bring that element back in my game.”
The Matteau hit proved Archibald’s willingness to play that kind of game.
“The ref came over after the hit and said it was dirty,” recalled Archibald. “I could have swore the puck was in his feet and after looking at the replay, he was looking at his feet and kicking the puck up. I thought it was clean hit — shoulder-to-shoulder — and I’m never out there deliberately to hurt somebody.”
What won’t hurt Archibald’s chances is if Green believes his combination makes the versatile winger more valuable than professional tryout candidates Scottie Upshall and Ryan White and maybe more NHL ready than Virtanen, who could still start the season in Utica.
“If you play well, you keep playing,” added Green. “The good thing about Arch is he didn’t change his game last year. He got results from playing a hard, heavy game. He’s got a big body and has improved over the last few years.
“He wasn’t MVP because he played a highly skilled and cute game.”
Which is a way of saying Archibald has come a long way since Tortorella didn’t quite know what to make of the big winger.
“I don’t know who he is and he has to decide if he can play in the NHL,” Tortorella said amid those 2013-14 recalls.
“That’s not a negative. He needs to take a guy’s job and with his size and willingness, we need to see it more.”
Said Archibald: “I was kind of a tweener back then and hadn’t really figured out my game yet to stay at this level. I understand that part now.”
We’ll soon know if Green agrees.
He’s had a really good camp and deserves to be here right now. He’s a smart player and is a big body who hits really hard.