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With players away at World Cup #Canucks camp lines are scattered, but one worth noting:

Burrows-Sutter-Rodin#TSN1040 — Jon Abbott (@HockeyAbbs) September 23, 2016

If you’re trying to get Anton Rodin accustomed to the NHL, keeping him nestled on a line with a couple of players who have a rep for playing well defensively would be a logical move.

It also lends credibility to word in Penticton. And that was, the Canucks are intrigued with the idea of playing Jannik Hansen with Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat.

It’s something discussed on The Patcast.

On Friday, in Whistler, with Hansen playing in the World Cup of Hockey, the Canucks had Baertschi and Horvat lined with Borna Rendulić.

Hmmm.

But wait a minute, isn’t Horvat supposed to be the third-line matchup guy?

A line with Baertschi and Hansen on it would clearly be the Canucks’ second line.

But when Willie Desjardins met the media Thursday, he walked back his Horvat-needs-to-be-a-defensive-guy position from last year.

As for Rodin, he has a long way to go to earn a spot in the lineup, but the Canucks will give him every chance to succeed because they desperately need his offensive upside.

But if he does play well this preseason, and he is on that third line, where will that leave Jake Virtanen?

Hmmm.

jbotchford@postmedia.com

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