Vancouver Canucks’ Arshdeep Bains likely to make NHL debut

Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet says he hopes to have forward Arshdeep Bains in the lineup to make his NHL debut on Tuesday night in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

“I think we’re going to probably play him tonight, just got a couple things here and there,” Tocchet said at morning skate. “I’d like to get him in the lineup.”

It looked like Bains might be a replacement for Conor Garland, but Tocchet said the latter forward is fine after exiting Monday’s loss against the Minnesota Wild after blocking a shot.

Bains, a native of Surrey, B.C., signed an entry-level contract with the Canucks in 2022.

Bains, 23, exploded in his final year playing for the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, where he scored 43 goals and a league-leading 112 points in 68 games — tallying more points than then-Regina Pats star Connor Bedard. Before the 2021-22 season, Bains had breached 50 points in a season only once.

This season, Bains has been scoring at a near point-per-game clip with nine goals and 39 points in 42 games. He recently earned MVP honours at the AHL All-Star skills competition.

Tocchet said Thatcher Demko will start in net after Casey DeSmith was in for the 10-7 loss to Minnesota

Watch the Canucks-Avalanche game on Sportsnet Pacific or Sportsnet+, beginning at 6 p.m. PT.