After a too-long summer, the Vancouver Canucks are locked on a singular goal as they prepare for training camp.

香蕉视频直播淣ot making the playoffs would be a disaster for us,香蕉视频直播� head coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters Wednesday.

香蕉视频直播淏ut to make the playoffs we have to do better and be more consistent over 82 games, not just 56 games or whatever the number was. 香蕉视频直播� I would call it a failure if we didn香蕉视频直播檛 succeed in our goals this year.香蕉视频直播�

The Canucks will be on the ice for training camp in Whistler Thursday before kicking off their pre-season campaign with a split-squad matchup against the Calgary Flames on Sunday.

The team knows securing a post-season berth this season 香蕉视频直播� its first since the COVID bubble in Edmonton 香蕉视频直播� will require a better start than the dismal 8-15-2 record that prompted a house cleaning last December.

The results saw the club fire head coach Travis Green, general manager Jim Benning and several other staff.

Boudreau was hired to run the bench for the rest of the campaign and the team went 32-15-10 under his tutelage.

Last in the Pacific Division when Boudreau took over, Vancouver finished five points out of a playoff spot.

香蕉视频直播淥ur expectation is to be playing in April,香蕉视频直播� said centre J.T. Miller. 香蕉视频直播淲e have to hit the ground running. Last year shows how important it is to have a good start.香蕉视频直播�

Miller, who signed a seven-year, US$56-million extension with Vancouver earlier this month, will be key to the team香蕉视频直播檚 success.

The 29-year-old led the Canucks in scoring with a career-high 99 points (32 goals, 67 assists) and believes the group has what it takes to make a post-season run.

香蕉视频直播淎 lot of guys here are sick of not making the playoffs,香蕉视频直播� Miller said. 香蕉视频直播淥ur goal is to compete for the Stanley Cup and win the Stanley Cup. There香蕉视频直播檚 no reason that we can香蕉视频直播檛 be there and competing for the Stanley Cup at the end of the season.香蕉视频直播�

Much of last year香蕉视频直播檚 Canucks team is returning this season, plus notable free agent acquisitions Curtis Lazar, formerly of the Boston Bruins, and ex-Toronto Maple Leaf Ilya Mikheyev.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 excited about the guys that we added,香蕉视频直播� said captain Bo Horvat. 香蕉视频直播淩e-signing (Miller) was a huge step into making us an elite group.香蕉视频直播�

Horvat, too, is looking for another big season.

The 27-year-old centre had 52 points last season, including a career-high 31 goals, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

He doesn香蕉视频直播檛 expect his contract status to impact his play on the ice.

香蕉视频直播淚 can put it aside completely,香蕉视频直播� Horvat said. 香蕉视频直播淔or me, I香蕉视频直播檓 just focused on how I can make this team better. Eventually it香蕉视频直播檚 going to come to fruition.香蕉视频直播�

Like his coach and teammates, Horvat has high expectations for the 2022-23 season.

Reaching them will require the players to have a specific mindset, he said

香蕉视频直播淲e have to see ourselves as a playoff team,香蕉视频直播� the captain said. 香蕉视频直播淚f we do anything less than that, we fail.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press