The Canucks May Have a Decision to Make at Center

Training camp is full of players trying to make an impression. Some do it with a big hit. Some score a couple of goals. Some say all the right things to reporters and then disappear when the puck drops.

Then there are players who just keep showing up. Linus Karlsson seems to be doing that for the Vancouver Canucks.

Karlsson has reportedly been one of the more consistent players through the first couple of days of camp. More importantly, the coaching staff has put him in an interesting spot. He's been skating on the right side with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. That's not a bad place to audition.

Karlsson Doesn't Have to Take Over. He Just Needs to Make It Hard to Leave Him Out.

At training camp, the temptation is to look for the big story. Who's going to score 30 goals? Who's going to have a breakout season? Who's going to surprise everybody? I'm starting to think Karlsson's story might be a little simpler. He just needs to make it difficult for the Canucks to leave him out.

That's a different kind of opportunity. Karlsson isn't walking into camp expecting to take over the team. He's trying to establish himself as someone the coaching staff has to consider when they're putting together the lineup. And so far, he's doing some of the things you'd want to see.

He's pushing the pace. He's handling the physical side of camp. He's staying involved. He's apparently looking comfortable next to two players expected to have important roles for Vancouver. None of that guarantees anything. But it does create a question.

What Happens When Opportunity Finds a Player?

That’s what I find interesting about training camps. Sometimes a player doesn't force his way into a lineup by doing something spectacular. He does it by becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Karlsson was a pleasant surprise for Vancouver last season. Now he's getting another opportunity, and this time it looks a little more significant.

Playing beside Pettersson and DeBrusk isn't just about who scores the most goals in practice. It's about whether Karlsson can read the game at their speed, get into the right spots and make their line work better. That's a much bigger test.

Practice chemistry is one thing. Doing it when another NHL team is trying to knock you off the puck is something else entirely. That's why preseason games are worth watching.

Maybe Karlsson Is Just Having Some Good Days at Camp.

Or maybe Vancouver is discovering that it has another player who deserves a bigger conversation. That's the funny thing about opportunities. Sometimes they're handed to you. Now the question is whether Karlsson can make this one count.