Hunter Shinkaruk pranked by Canucks teammates before NHL debut (Video)
The Vancouver Canucks decided to humble rookie forward Hunter Shinkaruk before he made his NHL debut Monday night against the Montreal Canadiens.
During warm-ups, they had one of the team’s 2013 first-round picks (24th overall, Bo Horvat was the other at ninth overall) take a lap by himself.
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This has become a right of passage in the NHL this season for some first-year players. The Arizona Coyotes did something similar for Max Domi in his first game at the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Shinkaruk had been tearing up the American Hockey League with 10 goals in 12 games with the Utica Comets.
The hope is that he can help the struggling Canucks, who have won just once in their last last six games, going 1-4-1 in the process.
He’s not the only big-named rookie making his NHL debut Monday. The Anaheim Ducks recalled forward Nick Ritchie from the San Diego Gulls. Ritchie, the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, notched nine goals in 12 AHL games.
The Ducks have lost three in a row.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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