There are many reasons to be excited about the start of the Canucks season. First off, it鈥檚 just nice to have real, meaningful hockey back. More than that, however, the Canucks themselves are exciting.
The team seems on the verge of finally turning the corner on the rebuild and competing for the playoffs. Elias Pettersson alone is worth the hype, but fans also get the rookie season of Quinn Hughes, a hopefully fully-healthy season from Brock Boeser, and the continued two-way progression of Bo Horvat. That鈥檚 not to mention seeing how new arrivals J.T. Miller, Micheal Ferland, Tyler Myers, and Jordie Benn settle into their new environs and improve the team.
Most exciting of all: picture day.
Every NHL team has a picture day near the start of training camp so that the league and media have headshots for television broadcasts, websites, and articles. It鈥檚 also a source of unintentional comedy. Most of the players very clearly don鈥檛 want to have their picture taken, many seem completely unprepared, and there are no real guidelines for what to do.
Some players flash their pearly whites, while others glare into the camera with an intimidating grimace. Some carefully coif their hair, while others don鈥檛 seem to care in the slightest. This is the picture that will appear beside your name for the rest of the season and potentially years to come if websites don鈥檛 update their headshots every year, but it鈥檚 understandable that most hockey players don鈥檛 care about such things; they鈥檙e primarily focussed on preparing for what matters most on the ice.
Who nailed their annual headshot? It鈥檚 time for the semi-annual Headshot Awards. Sure, it鈥檚 been a long time since we鈥檝e done these at PITB, but being an official member of the hockey media grants me access to the headshots via the NHL and Jeff Vinnick took some real beauties this year. Let鈥檚 take a look.
MOST LIKELY TO DRESS AS THE JOKER FOR HALLOWEEN: ADAM GAUDETTE
鈥淒o you want to know how I got these scars? It was a high stick. Uh, I guess that's not a very compelling story.鈥�
I honestly believe Adam Gaudette would dress up as the Joker for Halloween, if he hasn鈥檛 already. Don鈥檛 believe me? Adam Gaudette literally has .
BEST SALAD: CHRIS TANEV
Earlier in his career, Tanev had some awkward hockey hair, but his commitment to length has really paid off, giving him some of the best salad on the team. The best hockey hair erupts from the back of a helmet, which is where Tanev excels.
BEST HAIR THAT WASN鈥橳 THERE BEFORE: JAY BEAGLE
Jay Beagle had a buzzcut last year, right? I鈥檓 not just imagining that?
For many years, Beagle has had a close-cropped head of hair, but he showed up to training camp this year with a look reminiscent of his : long hair, don鈥檛 care.
Sure, it鈥檚 nothing compared to Tanev鈥檚 salad, but it鈥檚 such a dramatic change that it deserves to be rewarded.
MOST GRIZZLED: ALEX EDLER
Alex Edler has completed his transition into the sagacious old veteran that dispenses wisdom, most likely while sitting on a tree stump on a mountain somewhere. The hints of grey in his beard and his stern expression command respect.
He looks like he鈥檚 just been on a week-long survival retreat with Bear Grylls: he鈥檚 seen some things 鈥� and done some things 鈥� and you do not want to mess with him.
LEAST EXCITED TO BE HERE: THATCHER DEMKO
Did Thatcher Demko always hate picture day at school or what? Maybe he had a bad experience once.
鈥淪mile for the camera! Say cheese!鈥�
What? There鈥檚 cheese? I like cheese.
鈥淣o, Thatcher, it鈥檚 just an expression.鈥�
There鈥檚 no cheese? You lied to me? How could you lie to me about cheese?
鈥淭hatcher, it鈥檚 just a thing photographers say to get you to smile.鈥�
Then all photographers are liars and I will never smile for a photo ever again.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKIEST: ANTOINE ROUSSEL
In distinct contrast to Demko, Antoine Roussel is absolutely thrilled to get his picture taken. He may be starting the season on the Injured Reserve, but that鈥檚 not going to dampen his spirits.
I鈥檓 beginning to think that literally nothing can dampen Roussel鈥檚 spirits, to be honest. He could take his whiskey out in the pouring rain and it would somehow remain completely dry.
That joke has been brought to you by Dad Co. Like jokes that make you audibly groan? Dad Co.
BEST OLD TIMEY PROSPECTOR WHO鈥橲 BEGINNING TO SUSPECT THERE鈥橲 NO GOLD IN THEM THAR HILLS: JORDIE BENN
Don鈥檛 be sad, Jordie. Just keep plugging away like Tom Waits and .
MOST LIKELY TO BECOME A BOND VILLAIN: SVEN BAERTSCHI
Look at that carefully considered expression on his face, the dapper goatee, and the well-coiffed hair. Throw an expensive suit on that man and hand him a cat and you can immediately picture him saying, 鈥淲hich will it be, Mr. Bond? Save the city or save the girl?鈥�
MOST NECK: TYLER MYERS
Tyler Myers is a tall dude, but a decent chunk of that height is neck. That is clearly the best neck on the team. It鈥檚 imposing and will not be ignored. If Myers is a tall drink of water, he comes in a bottle.
MOST LIKELY TO GET EVERYONE IN HIS GROUP CARDED AND KICKED OUT OF THE CLUB: QUINN HUGHES
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鈥淨uintin Hughes? Yeah right: everyone knows 鈥楺uinton鈥� is spelled with an 鈥極鈥�. This is obviously a fake ID, everybody out!鈥�
BEST GLOW UP: ELIAS PETTERSSON
, Pettersson has made like . He鈥檚 brimming with confidence: check out the slight smirk and steely stare into the camera. His hair is more under control and the slightly harsher lighting gives him a firmer jaw. This Pettersson ain鈥檛 a rookie no more.
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