At the time of this writing, it is the night of August 18 and that means Vancouver Canucks training camp is one month away.

Slowly, but surely hockey season will arrive. It is the dog days of summer and not much is really happening in the Canucks and NHL world. Well, there is always speculation. For example, can the Canucks acquire Mason McTavish, so he can be their second line centre in the short and long term?

While that would be amazing for the Canucks, it seems like a pipe dream. But you never know right? However, that is a story for another day.

One of the stories out of training camp and preseason for Vancouver is their bottom six. What will it look like? And which fringe players could start the season in the bottom six?

Who are the locks for the Canucks bottom six?

Kiefer Sherwood was embraced by Canucks fans for his physicality and goals. The former Nashville Predators winger had career highs in goals (19), assists (21) and points. (40.) He lead the NHL with 462 hits last season and that was 106 more than Mathieu Oliver, who was second with 306 hits.

Midseason acquisition Drew O’Conner brings size, speed and is good on the forecheck. He had four goals and five assists in 31 games after being traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Canucks and was soon signed to a two-year extension.

Then there is Teddy Blueger. He is a reliable bottom six centre and just as reliable on the penalty kill. Nils Höglander had a rough first few months of 2024-25. He only managed 8 goals and 17 assists last season. However, the 24-year-old did manage a second half bounceback. Six of his eight goals and 13 of his 17 assists were after January 1.

Conor Garland is a contender to play in the top six. But there is a chance he could play in the bottom six.

Who are the fringe players competing for a bottom six spot?

There are several players that will be competing for a spot in the bottom six on opening night.

Firstly, there is the new acquisition, Vitali Kravtsov. Well, he isn’t actually “new” as he played for the Canucks for 16 games of the 2022-23 season before heading to the KHL to play for Chelyabinsk Traktor. The Russian winger signed a one-way, one-year deal worth $775,000. It is a low-risk, high reward type of deal. Kravtsov was sixth in the KHL with 58 points in 66 games.

This could be a make or break year for Aatu Raty. The Finnish centre has good two-way capabilities and has shown flashes in the NHL. He had 17 goals and 40 points in 43 regular season games with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks last season, but only played six games in the playoffs managing just 3 assists. That was due to an unknown injury. Raty played 33 games in Vancouver last season racking up seven goals and 11 points. That is 17 goals and 28 goals on an 82 game pace.

With the big club, he managed a 61% faceoff percentage. There is a lot to be encouraged by for Raty but can he stick in the NHL full time and become a bottom six centre? The best case scenario is that he ends the year on the third line.

William Karlsson had a few stints with Vancouver and even scored his first NHL goal in a January 29 game in Nashville. But he shone in Abbotsford with 23 goals and 39 points in 32 AHL games. The 25-year-old shone brighter in the playoffs as he lead the AHL with 14 goals and 26 points in 24 games leading the Canucks to the Calder Cup. If it weren’t for Arturs Silovs’ strong performances in the crease, Karlsson would have been playoff MVP. He probbaly won’t make the team out of camp unless Bluegar or Chytil get hurt or Raty underwhelmes.

Surrey native Arshdeep Bains had a remarkable 24 points in 24 AHL playoff games in Abbotsford’s Calder Cup run. He brings skill and grit which would help the Canucks bottom-six. Bains scored his first NHL goal in October of last season against the Penguins but struggled in his 13 games with the big club. It will be a big camp for him.

Max Sasson brings size and a good two-way game and is competing for that centre spot. He impressed with Vancouver as he had three goals and seven points in 29 games and brought a physical presence. In Abbotsford, He had 32 points in 41 regular season games and 14 points in 24 playoff games.

Of course, there is Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The Canucks 2022 first round pick did play 24 games in Vancouver and scored three goals and six points. But it was clear he was still rough around the edges. 19 goals and 28 points in 36 points in the AHL regular season wasn’t bat at all. However, he was scratched multiple times in the playoffs and only played 16 games and scored just three goals and seven points.

It is likely Lekkerimäki starts the year in the AHL.

Projected Canucks bottom six

Höglander-Raty-Sherwood

Bains-Blueger-O’Conner

Extra: Sasson