Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Quick Hits: Soucy, Di Giuseppe & Joshua

The Vancouver Canucks have started the season off well. How have Carson Soucy, Phil Di Giuseppe, and Dakota Joshua contributed?

by
Old Prof
November 14, 2023

In this edition of Vancouver Canucks Quick Hits, the bad news is that Carson Soucy has been injured and is week-to-week. The good news is that Phil Di Giuseppe is having one of the best seasons of his career and has become a strong part of a very productive Canucks’ second line. So too, despite bottom-six forward Dakota Joshua being benched early in November, his play since that benching has been really strong.

Quick Hit One: Carson Soucy Week-to-Week with Lower-Body Injury

In a recent update, the Canucks face the prospect of playing without the services of defenseman Carson Soucy. He’s labeled as week-to-week due to a lower-body injury. During the team’s 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, Soucy suffered a lower-body injury. The 29-year-old left Sunday’s game after blocking a shot on the side of his foot in the second period.

Today, the defenseman was set to undergo further evaluation to gauge the extent of his injury and determine the course of action for his recovery. However as this post is being written, the last update I’ve had is that he’s still week-to-week.

With Carson Soucy out with an injury, the #Canucks have called up Akito Hirose in his place. https://t.co/vGKXK0X8Jy https://t.co/vGKXK0X8Jy
— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis) November 14, 2023

In the 13 games he played this season, Soucy has contributed significantly to the Canucks’ success. He’s put up five points, had 26 blocked shots, and 16 hits. He’s a well-rounded defenseman who can play well in all facets of the game. To cover for Soucy, the Canucks have called up Akito Hirose from AHL Abbotsford.

Soucy’s consistent contributions and strong defensive play will be missed on the ice. He’s a strong player, who’s helped maintain stability in the defensive zone.

Quick Hit Two: Phil Di Giuseppe Part of a Great Second Line

So far this 2023 NHL season, Phil Di Giuseppe has been a pleasant surprise. The Canucks signed him during the offseason to an NHL league minimum deal. He’s been kicking around the NHL and the AHL for several seasons, and his best season was in 2015-16 with the Carolina Hurricanes when he played 41 games, scoring seven goals and adding 10 assists for 17 points.

On October 24, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3-2 triumph over the Nashville Predators, on an assist by Brock Boeser. Just three days later, he scored his second goal of the season when the Canucks cruised to a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

His success is notable. He seems to have great synergy with linemate J.T. Miller. He extended his scoring in Sunday’s 5-2 win over Montreal with an empty-net goal. He’s up to three goals and seven points in 15 games; and, if he continues he’s on that pace, he’ll score 16 goals and add 20 assists on the season. That would be his best-ever season — by a long shot. Di Giuseppe has elevated his overall game with the increased ice time. His average of just over 15 minutes per game reflects his increasing importance to the Canucks’ offensive dynamics.

Quick Hit Three: Dakota Joshua Responds Well to Being Scratched

Dakota Joshua was benched late in October but has responded well to that scratch. Following his absence from the lineup in the blowout win against the San Jose Sharks on November 2, he made a strong comeback on November 4 when he registered an assist and delivered seven hits in a 2-0 victory over the Dallas Stars.

His positive response continued in the next few games. Joshua contributed an assist and five hits in a 6-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on November 6. Then on November 12, he played a key role in a 5-2 victory over the Canadiens with a goal and an assist.

This play has marked a significant turnaround for Joshua, who was mired in an eight-game scoring drought earlier in the season. He now has put up four points in his last five games. That kind of depth scoring, as well as his energy, increases his value in a bottom-six role for the Canucks.