British Columbia native and former Canadian defenseman Noah Juulsen has several reasons to feel at home with the Vancouver Canucks, who trust him more than ever to help them win games.
The 26-year-old defenseman has had a very bumpy road since making his professional hockey debut in 2016-2017. In Montreal, injuries – particularly a fracture of the orbital bone – significantly hampered his progress. Then there were stints in the American League and a stint with the Florida Panthers, who claimed him off waivers in January 2021.
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Luckily for the right-handed shooter, he now appears to be enjoying complete happiness in his home province. After playing just 12 games in the National League last year, Juulsen convinced his head coach Rick Tocchet. He uses him in a third defensive pairing alongside Ian Cole. Tuesday's game against the Nashville Predators will be the 22nd of the season and 19th in a row.
“For me it’s about sticking to the basics and what makes us successful. These are small games and working together. I think I did well in my first competitions, but then I stayed away from training for a long time [11 parties d’affilée]. Coming back to the competition, we had to keep everything simple,” he commented to The Province newspaper.
Physical and engaging play
What also helps you appreciate every moment even more is that the team is winning. Vancouver has a convincing record of 21-9-2, good for second place in the Pacific Division. And Juulsen had his say. He avoided long puck possessions and passes that could lead to turnovers and dominated his team's defense with 55 goals and 29 blocked shots. These are numbers that should earn him even more playing time.
“He’s taken his game to a new level and that’s no surprise,” Tocchet said. When shorthanded he was excellent and as far as his decision making goes, well, it's night and day compared to the start of the season. He passes quickly and his zone exits are better. He also listens and is a sponge.”
Captain Quinn Hughes, who played in the same duo as Juulsen for part of 2022-2023, says he is impressed with his teammate's progress.
“He only cares about the team and the tasks he has to do to win. In Colorado [le mois passé], he stopped two shots and you need people like him in the locker room. He’s solid and doesn’t take anything for granted.”