Ashton Sautner was taking inventory of the heavy hits he has absorbed in a brief NHL career when his attention was diverted Tuesday morning.
Edler and Hutton need new deals, Pouliot probably won’t get one and Juolevi had season-ending knee surgery in December. Factor in what Vancouver general manager Jim Benning must accomplish in the off-season to prop up the back end — via trade or free agency — and the 24-year-old Sautner can wonder where, or if, he fits in next fall.
“A steady player and he defends well,” said the Canucks coach. “He’s not the biggest guy, but he gets in good position and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. And that’s what you like when you’re calling in a guy and you feel like he’s not going to give up a lot of chances.” “It was just a loose puck and I was going to get it and it was up against the wall,” recalled Sautner. “I was trying to protect it and work it out. I was in a tough spot. You give a cross-check here and there and it tends to get guys a little fired up. Part of my game is playing hard and being physical and sometimes you’re going to receive one, too.”
What was really bad was an elbow from Eric Tangardi of the Binghamton Devils in an AHL encounter on Dec. 8. Tangardi received a major, game misconduct and a one-game suspension for breaking Sautner’s nose, right cheekbone and right orbital bone. The league called it boarding. “Little things in the NHL are a lot different than the AHL, and I feel like I’m at a point where I’m more comfortable and doing a job because guys are always in good spots to take pucks.”
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