from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,

With Game 1 or the NHL’s regular season quickly approaching, there are still a number of compelling stories with the Vancouver Canucks.

The star of the pre-season has been Troy Stecher, the 22-year-old blue-liner from Richmond who is threatening to crack the opening-day lineup. After Stecher, it might be NHL veterans Tuomo Ruutu and Jack Skille, who’ve both battled their way into the opening-night conversation. Then there’s Joe LaBate, the unheralded rookie who’s made an impression with his robust play.

They’re all fine stories. They’ve all captured the imagination of the Canucks’ more attentive fans. And their play has been a positive development for the organization.

But here’s something else they have in common. They’re all virtually irrelevant to the upcoming Canucks season.

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