Saturday's game between the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs will feature the return of Teddy Blueger to Rogers Arena. The Latvian center spent three seasons with the Canucks before signing with the Leafs this past off-season. Blueger played 185 regular-season games with Vancouver and was a key piece of their 2024 playoff team that reached Game 7 of the second round.
While Blueger wasn't a first-line player with the Canucks, those in the market appreciated all the work he did on the ice. He was a key penalty killer and, for a while, centred what many considered the best third line in hockey with Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua. In an interview with The Hockey News , Blueger was asked about what type of reception he will get Saturday night at Rogers Arena.
"Probably nothing really," said Blueger after practice on Thursday. "I mean, I'm not Quinn Hughes coming back here, so I'm not really expecting a whole lot of fanfare, good or bad. I mean, I wasn't here that long. Three years isn't really a long time in the grand scheme of things. So I'm just expecting pretty much a normal game, just to go out there and play. Nothing really that crazy."
Last year, Blueger made it very clear that he wanted to stay with the organization. Even though he knew a rebuild was on the horizon, the 32-year-old appeared fully committed to extending with Vancouver. When asked what happened this off-season, Blueger explained that signing with the Canucks just wasn't in the cards.
"It was pretty simple. I did want to come back, but the team was going in a different direction. So it's pretty easy that way. Once it got to July 1, Toronto, they seemed interested and seemed like it would be a good fit. So, out of the situation that I was in, I felt like it was the best option, and that's why we ended up here."
Moving to a new city can be challenging for any player. Not only do they have to learn new systems on the ice, but also a brand new environment off the ice. Blueger was asked what he misses most about Vancouver and gave a long list highlighting what makes the city such a special place to live in.
"The nature, the mountains, being on the ocean. Just the mix of the great outdoors. Even if you're not going there all the time for hikes, it's just breathing in the air and seeing every day the snow-capped mountains. Just the accessibility of everything. It's a very unique and beautiful city, and we really enjoyed our time here."
As for this season, Blueger is settling into a role as part of the Maple Leafs' bottom-six. He is in the first year of a two-year deal and has two points in 15 games. Overall, it has been a decent start to Blueger's campaign, as he is also above 50% in the faceoff dot.
"It's been good. I think the team's good. A lot of new guys, a lot of change over the off-season. So I think we're still kind of growing as a team and finding our game. I think it's been a little bit inconsistent, but there's a lot of positives as well that we got to build on."
Ultimately, Blueger's time with the Canucks should be looked at as a success. He was one of the hardest-working players on the ice and wasn't afraid to share his thoughts on the team regardless of the result. Even though he was only in Vancouver for a few years, he made an impact on the market and will most likely get a standing ovation Saturday at Rogers Arena.
Oct 19, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Teddy Blueger (73) pursues the play against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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