Vancouver Canucks’ Derek Dorsett, right, is stopped by Washington Capitals goalie Justin Peters in this file photo. The injured winger is a possibility to play Sunday after he participated fully in Saturday’s practice. Photograph by: DARRYL DYCK , THE CANADIAN PRESS

MINNESOTA WILD (22-20-6) AT VANCOUVER CANUCKS (27-17-3)

SUNDAY, 12 PM, ROGERS ARENA

TV: SPORTSNET PACIFIC. RADIO: TSN 1040

VANCOUVER – Practice? Who needs practice?

Defenceman Adam Clendening, acquired in a trade Thursday night by the Vancouver Canucks, will debut with his new team Sunday against the Minnesota Wild after just one on-ice workout. It’s a large show of faith for a player who has but four games of NHL experience.

Why not wait another day, especially after Friday’s 5-2 win over Buffalo? Canuck head coach Willie Desjardins explained there is no time like the present.

“I think he’s ready,” Desjardins said after Saturday’s practice at Rogers Arena. “You want to let him know that he’s wanted and that we expect him to be part of this. If you come in and you just sit out, then you don’t feel that.”

Clendening, a second-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011, was buried on the Blackhawks’ farm team in Rockford, Ill. He is 22, and a native of Niagara Falls, N.Y. He moved to Toronto in Grade 10 to play minor midget with the Marlies under coach Steve Thomas, the former NHLer.

He admitted the trade to Vancouver caught him off guard.

“It was a little bit of a surprise, I didn’t expect that to happen,” he told reporters Saturday. “But Chicago is a tough team to crack. They have a good lineup and they’re Stanley Cup contenders and they have a good back end. They have a lot of guys in the minors who are very good as well. They developed my game immensely so thanks to them.

“It’s nice to come to a place that wanted you and, hopefully, I get an opportunity,” he continued. "I haven’t even unpacked the suitcase so it’s been a bit of a whirlwind still. It’s been fun definitely. I think I’m playing (Sunday) so that’s nice. Then we’ll see how it goes from there.”

Clendening skated alongside Luca Sbisa at Saturday’s practice and figures to start there. He also took second-unit power-play reps with Dan Hamhuis, Linden Vey, Chris Higgins and Alex Burrows. The arrival of Clendening was not good news for Yannick Weber, who played a strong game Friday night but looks to be the odd-man out, joining Ryan Stanton as a healthy scratch. Rookie Frank Corrado continued to skate with Hamhuis at Saturday’s practice and will almost certainly remain in the lineup.

The Canuck defence Sunday will feature four players – Chris Tanev, Sbisa, Corrado and Clendening – 25 years or younger.

Meanwhile, injured winger Derek Dorsett is a possibility to play Sunday after he participated fully in Saturday’s practice. He was felled Tuesday night by a high hit from Anaheim Duck centre Ryan Kesler. He missed Friday’s win over the bottom-feeding Sabres.

Dorsett was reluctant to discuss the specific part of his body that was hurt.

“Obviously you guys saw the hit,” said Dorsett. “It was a little high. It’s part of the game. We all know the risks involved in playing the game so it is what it is. Today, I felt good and I felt energized. I’ll take it day-by-day. I’ll see how the couple of bangs and bruises that I had react from today’s skate and Friday’s workout. I had a couple of dings on my upper body but I’m not going to get into specifics. You guys have already speculated what it is.”

Asked if it was above the shoulders, specifically the neck or head, he replied: “Not necessarily, no.”

Dorsett was also reluctant to discuss the NHL’s decision not to punish Kesler, the ex-Canuck, with some sort of supplementary discipline.

“I can’t control what hits the league looks at,” he shrugged. “Obviously I think it’s one of the hits we’re trying to get out of the game. I guess I’ll just leave it at that.”

Desjardins was pleased to see Dorsett back on the ice Saturday. Another of his injured forwards, Brad Richardson (ankle), did not skate for the fourth straight day.

“I think Derek has progressed really well,” Desjardins said. “It was good to see him in full contact and full gear and, from what I can tell, he didn’t have any issues so that was a good sign.”

If Dorsett is ready to go, Utica call up Ronalds Kenins is likely to come out. Kenins skated in Dorsett’s spot on the fourth line against Buffalo.

The Wild, who practised Saturday afternoon at Rogers, are expected to throw these lines at the Canucks: Zach Parise-Mikael Granlund-Thomas Vanek; Jason Zucker-Mikko Koivu-Jason Pominville; Matt Cooke-Erik Haula-Kyle Bordziak; and Ryan Carter-Charlie Coyle-Nino Niederreiter.

Stalwart Wild defenceman Ryan Suter didn’t skate Saturday and is questionanble with a lower body injury. If he can’t go, expect Christian Folin to slide into Suter’s spot alongside Jonas Brodin. The other expected pairings for the Wild will feature Marco Scandella with Jared Spurgeon and Nate Prosser with rookie Matt Dumba.

Devan Dubnyk, 4-1-0 since joining the Wild in a Jan. 14 trade from the Arizona Coyotes, is expected to start between the pipes. Dubnyk has two shutouts, a goals against average of 1.66 and save percentage of .931 with the Wild.

“I didn’t really see the trade coming but it’s been a lot of fun so far,” said Dubnyk, a former Kamloops Blazer junior. “We’re in a playoff push here and I just wanted to do the same things I was doing in Arizona that allowed me to be successful there. After the initial shock of the trade wore off, getting this opportunity here is the best thing I could hope for.”

The Wild sit last in the Central Division with 50 points but were only five points out of the final Western Conference playoff prior to Saturday’s slate of games. They have to pass at least four teams is to make it in, however.

“We know we’re in a deep hole and that there are a lot of teams ahead of us,” said Wild coach Mike Yeo. “Our task is tough.”

ICE CHIPS: Left winger Zach Parise leads the Wild in goals with 20 while Jason Pominville leads in points with 38… The Canuck penalty kill efficiency dropped from first in the league to third after allowing two goals to Buffalo in Friday’s game… One-time Canuck first-round pick Jordan Schroeder (2009) has appeared in three games with the Wild this season on a callup basis. He had no points and is not currently with the team.

INJURIES: The Canucks will be without D Kevin Bieksa (hand) and C Brad Richardson (ankle). The Wild will be missing D Keith Ballard (concussion) and C Justin Fontaine (lower body).

epap@vancouversun.com