After a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, the Vancouver Canucks are shaking up their forward lines. This includes shuffling the top six and putting Max Sasson on a line with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBursk. While the 24-year-old center has only played ten NHL games, he has been impressive and will now get the opportunity to show he can play with Vancouver’s top forwards.
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While Sasson has only been in the organization for a year and a half, he continues to impress both management and the coaching staff. He has three points in his last two games and scored his first career NHL goal on Saturday night. This is the second point streak Sasson has been on, as he also recorded an assist in each of his first two NHL games. Sasson’s strong play has clearly caught the eye of Head Coach Rick Tocchet, which is why the undrafted center has earned an audition in the top six.
“You make the most of your opportunity,” said Tocchet. “That’s what the NHL is all about. That’s the way I look at it. He’s doing a nice job, even scoring a goal, but just moving his feet. That’s the one thing that he’s doing is moving his feet.”
Playing in the top six at the NHL level is no easy task, especially for rookies. From tougher matchups to a higher skill level in linemates, the experiences can sometimes be overwhelming for your players. When asked about any advice he would give to Sasson about the elevated role, Tocchet’s main message was to keep it simple and stick to the fundamentals that have helped Sasson get to this point.
“He has to play his game. Sometimes, when guys go to a different line, it’s the same thing when players play with Huggy (Quinn Hughes). They find that they have to do something different. If he just stays with his identity, moves his feet, plays good defensive hockey, be good on the forecheck, If he just does that, he’s got a better chance to be successful. If he’s going to try to dipsy doodle because you’re on a line that has some offensive skill, that’s when you get in trouble.”
Sasson’s promotion to the top six shows that Tocchet is willing to give players opportunities if they earn them, regardless of salary or experience. Sasson continues to improve game by game and looks more comfortable at the NHL level. A strong night in the top six will go a long way toward securing his spot on the roster for the rest of the season.
