Canucks: How Nils Hoglander pulled the trigger to hit roster target

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First practice. First line.

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First game. First goal.

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A young and brash Nils Hoglander could have concluded that making an instant and lasting NHL impression was as easy as getting his career target in the crosshairs and simply pulling the trigger.

After all, he was known for lacrosse-style goals in the Swedish Hockey League, and skill and swagger were tickets to notoriety and maybe a special place in the game. Or maybe not.

Even though Hoglander bagged impressive prey as a Vancouver Canucks rookie winger, the avid hunter knew getting to and staying in The Show was a lot like tracking an elusive moose.

In the northern wilderness of his tiny village of Brocktrask, Sweden — population 20 hearty outdoor enthusiasts — you first have to stalk the very large and imposing moose. And that could take a lot of time.

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So, of course, it beckons the question in Hoglander’s season of redemption that has produced NHL career highs for goals (20) and points (31) in 64 games: Is it harder to shoot a moose or stay in the NHL? A hint is a never-satisfied 5-foot-9, 185 pounds of bowling ball persistence and last player off the practice ice on Tuesday.

“I guess I have to say hockey is the hardest,” said Hoglander. “But if you’ve never been out in the forest or anything, it’s kind of hard to know what to do. If you bring Petey (Elias Pettersson) he would have no idea what to do, he’s a city boy.”

That said, Hoglander made transition from the SHL to NHL look seamless.

He got a leg up with 14 points (5-9) in 23 games with Rogle BK Angelholm before the second-round pick in the 2019 NHL draft arrived here to prepare for the COVID pandemic-shortened schedule. Those 56 games in an all-Canadian North Division were played in empty arenas.

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Hoglander was aligned with Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson at outset of camp. He scored his first goal on Jan. 13 in Edmonton after taking customary hacks and whacks of initiation. He went hard to the net and jammed home a Pearson rebound.

It sapped a 1-1 deadlock en route to a 5-3 triumph and was catalyst for a solid season with 27 points (13-24). Hoglander earned plaudits from players and head coach Travis Green. He was also named the club’s most exciting player in a fan vote.

“It was a pretty good first year, but not a real year,” said Hoglander. “It was different. The other years would be tougher.”

Here’s our weekly Canucks Q+A with the engaging and insightful Hoglander:

Q. It takes a village to raise a child. How did it shape you?

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A. It’s different. You don’t follow hockey at all. When you grow up in a small place, it feels like you’re never inside. Always outside and having fun. Hockey is a big thing up there, but it wasn’t like you went and watched games when you were young.

Q. Did your work ethic come from parental help?

A. It was tough for us because they always had to drive me so far because we lived so far up north. It helped me grow up. My dad did a lot of test driving of cars up there on the ice roads. And they didn’t push me into hockey. They let me have fun, and I miss that a lot.

Q. Why do you stay out late on the ice after practices?

A. Even if you score 20 goals, you can’t get too satisfied. Sometimes, the pucks go in, and sometimes, they don’t. I feel like they’ve been going in for me this season because I like to work on tips and rebounds and other things. It’s working on those small things.

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Q. Do you think you’ve made it? Is that dangerous?

A. I am proud because I know not a lot of guys don’t make it here. Where I’m from, nobody made it to the NHL, but I still feel it’s a long ways to go and there are many years left for me. We’ve got new management and it feels like we’re going up.

Q. Have you watched playing clips fo Rick Tocchet?

A. I have, yeah. The hockey was different back then. He was a good player. Scored a lot of goals and was tough. As a coach, he’s good with everyone. He’s into the details and why you have to do something.

Q. Do you have a hidden talent? Music or cooking?

A. I’m not into music at all in doing it by myself (instrument). I would always say something outdoors. I’m a big unicycle guy. I have one. That’s my hidden talent.

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Q. When was your ah-ha moment to drive your NHL dream?

A. When I played second league in Sweden (Allsvenskan) and thought I could go somewhere. From there, I went to the SHL, but it was more the draft when I really felt I had a chance to go to the NHL.

Q. How hard was the AHL assignment last season?

A. It was like f*ck. You don’t want to get sent down, but you want to prove you could play. The first week I was upset. It took a day or two, but I realized it was good.

It wasn’t fun, but you have to remove that from your head. I had the puck a lot and played a lot of minutes and it helped me a lot — 32 points (14-18) in 45 games.

Q. How vital was Abbotsford coach Jeremy Colliton?

A. Just really good with players individually and he talked a lot to me a lot with the details. A lot of coaches say do that, but it’s why you do that? He was good at showing me that. A big point for me.

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Q. How much has your game management improved?

A. I understand more of why I have to do it and where I have to do it on the ice. That’s the biggest thing. Everybody can backcheck, but where do you have to backcheck and coming back in the middle? I understand more of the where and the why.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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