Vancouver Canucks rookie defenceman Tom Willander joins Canucks Insider Podcast host Chris Faber, to talk about his rookie season thus far, lessons he has learned from teammates, and how he builds his confidence as he adapts to the NHL.
The most obvious difference between the NHL and any other league is the level of talent and the intensity of the competition. It can take a rookie a bit of time to get used to matching pace with the incredible speed and skill in this league, and Willander is no different. This hasn’t been discouraging to him though, as he continues to make an impact at the NHL level.
“I think the game is fun,” Willander said. “I think there’s a lot of creativity, and a lot of skills here. The games are tough, but I think that’s what makes it fun.”
Willander made his NHL debut this season following signing an entry level contract, and after starting out with the Abbotsford Canucks, was called up to play in Vancouver in a moment that has become an unforgettable milestone.
“It’s obviously very cool, but it almost feels a little strange because everything you do up until that point is for that moment, [so] when you [are] there, it’s like oh, it’s really happening,” Willander said.
Since making his debut back in October, Willander has played 21 games, tallying seven assists and most recently, scoring his first goal in the NHL for a total of eight points. As he continues to gain experience at the NHL level, Willander also reflected on his time with Abbotsford, and the value it had in his game.
“I think that’s a great experience. It’s obviously a bit different, but those differences are good for me, and I think [it] makes it possible for you to train stuff that you wouldn’t normally get as much up here on this level,” Willander said. “I really just tried to get in that mode of just trying to get better every day.”
With that mindset, Willander hopes to become a consistent contributor in an NHL lineup and learn as much as he can about playing the right way. Going into the corners has always been a strength of Willander’s game and so being able to develop that in the NHL has been a key goal for him.
“That’s obviously something that is more difficult; there’s some strong big guys that have skill so always working on little tricks to make that easier. I feel like it’s gotten better as the games go, but [I] think it feels good.”
Willander spoke highly about veteran defenceman Marcus Pettersson who has been his most consistent defensive partner, and how he has helped him so far this season.
“He simplifies the game for his partner a lot. When you’re on the ice with him, there’s less focus on these hard situations and he’s the best [at] being on guys [and] rarely makes mistakes,” Willander said.
Willander also spoke about the young defenceman, Elias Pettersson, who like Willander, is still figuring out the nuances of playing in the NHL.
“I think it’s fun, [it’s] good to have someone that [is] on the same page [and] thinks about stuff that’s going on [in] the same way,” Willander said. “If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always talk your mind with them.”
Building confidence as a young player is incredibly important and can sometimes be challenging in a league that is full of so much talent and operates at such a high level. Willander shared his approach to becoming more confident with each game played.
“I think it is trial and error, just experience in the game, being in different situations, and trying what works and what doesn’t,” Willander said. “The more of those you get, you can stack what worked together and get a better flowing game.”
The Canucks begin their final stretch of games before the Christmas break on the road against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, December 14 at 9:30 AM P.T.
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