Even though he has plenty of kilometres on his NHL odometer, Radim Vrbata was still the youngster on the Vancouver Canucks’ first line last season when he spent much of the year alongside Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
Now the 34-year-old Vrbata is skating with two veritable kids, 20-year-old centre Bo Horvat and 23-year-old Sven Baertschi on what the Canucks hope will be a productive second line.
“You should see them on the backcheck a little more than myself,” a smiling Vrbata said Friday about his new linemates.
He was kidding.
“Actually, I think you will see me (backchecking) more because I am usually the guy high in the slot, so I will be the one chasing.