Canucks’ Rathbone hopes to put a losing streak in the rearview mirror

WHISTLER, BC — In the two years since he decided to leave school as one of the Vancouver Canucks’ brightest prospects, Jack Rathbone has seen a lot. Just not enough hockey games.

The Boston-based fleet defender has suffered injuries, demotions and pandemic-related career complications. Most of the time when he played, he looked good. But since his senior season at Harvard University was canceled by the arrival of COVID-19 in March 2020 — four months before the 2017 fourth-round draft pick signed his first pro contract — Rathbone has logged just 47 games in the American Hockey League and another 17 with the Canucks, including a difficult nine-game stint in the National Hockey League early last season.

Those 64 pro games over two years is less than an equivalent full season and about the same number of games Rathbone recorded in the last two years of college.

Now 23 and in his third training camp with the Canucks, he’s trying to earn his way back into the NHL roster after ending his injured sophomore pro season with 40 points in 39 games for minor league Abbotsford.

A beautiful skater and puck mover, Rathbone remains an elite talent – one of the Canucks’ best. But he needs repetitions.

“I think for everyone in every job – that was it. . . not exactly a straight path forward in terms of how life has changed since the pandemic broke out,” Rathbone told reporters here. “So I think it’s no different in hockey right now. To me. . . Any opportunity to get spokespersons, whether it’s in the AHL or the NHL, I think it makes you better. You can practice as much as you want, but I think these (game) reads are really the key. I think I was able to make some big strides last year because of that.”

But the season began with a setback.

Rathbone brought the Canucks out of camp and dressed for their first seven games. But the rookie looked uncomfortable and struggled to control possession. His expected goals for 42.3 percent and the Canucks were outplayed 6-1 at five-for-five when Rathbone was on the ice.

He saw his ice time cut short before former coach Travis Green gave him a healthy scratch in Game 8. After dressing for only two of the next seven games, Rathbone was reassigned to the AHL. He suffered an upper-body injury and had just started playing regularly and well when he was knocked out — literally — by a scary setback from Edmonton Oilers minor-league Colton Sceviour in February.

Rathbone missed another three weeks but finished the season with Abbotsford in terrific form and denied a late NHL action mainly because the Canucks under new coach Bruce Boudreau ran into injury problems and needed other callbacks while desperate for the playoffs last month pushed .

“He got to a point last year where he was like, ‘Okay, it’s time,'” said Ryan Johnson, Canucks director of development and minor league general manager. “But we were in a sticky spot when we were in a playoff chase and we got jammed on recalls. He is ready to try himself in our team now.

“He has special skills, how he skates, how he sees the ice, how he moves the puck. And he can shoot the puck. He has many attributes that you love. It’s all about getting him reps and getting him to work. You have to play games to grow as a player.”

Rathbone skated at Schenn School of Defense training camp and worked alongside Luke Schenn — the same stable veteran who mentored Canucks star Quinn Hughes.

Former Detroit Red Wing Danny Dekeyser, invited to a professional tryout, auditions in a prime spot to the left of second defenseman Tyler Myers. So it seems Rathbone needs to overhaul a teammate or two in the preseason that make up the NHL roster.

He did it last season and is quite capable of doing it again, especially if the Canucks persist in their experiment of putting Hughes on the right side of defense and creating more opportunities down the left. Though Hughes, 22, is already an NHL star and one of the best passers in the game, Rathbone is distinguishing himself with him in terms of size and strength of ability. Both shoot to the left.

“Of course everyone knows that he is talented in ice skating,” said Schenn. “He’s flying around out there. We’ve had some conversations; I think the most important thing is that you want to keep defending hard and take care of the front of the net and finish games.

“Obviously, Quinn is doing a hell of a job directing the power play, so you’ve got to find other ways to contribute and earn your way into the lineup. (He’s) another guy who’s young but it’s not his first time here so I think he’s more comfortable. And I think the organization has high hopes for him.”

Rathbone listens carefully to Schenn.

“Anything that comes out of his mouth, I’m all ears,” Rathbone said of Schenk. “He’s a very reassuring presence out there. We’re trying to make each other’s lives easier and it’s definitely worked so far.”

Rathbone is just 5’1″ but in some ways too tall to fail for the Canucks, who don’t have much in their development pipeline to bolster their defenses.

Schenn and Myers are both 32 years old. Schenn is in the last year of his contract and Myers has two seasons left on his five-year, $30 million deal.

When asked if he was rooting for Hughes to stay on the right flank, Rathbone said, “I’m cheering for what’s best for the Canucks right now. He’s obviously a special player. I think you could put him front and center (and) I think he would be fine. I’m more worried about myself and my own game these days. Hopefully I can force her hand and no matter where Huggy is, hopefully be able to stay.

Boudreau withheld an assessment of Rathbone when asked Friday, saying the prospect will be judged on how well he does in the preseason, which begins Sunday for the Canucks with two split-squad games against the Calgary Flames . Boudreau said Rathbone will play a lot, which is exactly what he needs.

“Every time you come to camp, every opportunity to throw on that NHL jersey is a privilege,” Rathbone said. “I learned a lot (last season). It was a bit stop and go, just with the injuries. But the time I got, both up and down, was something I don’t take for granted and something I kind of gained confidence from, and I can come into camp just a little bit better prepared this year.”