After a tragic end to his season, with the death of his fiancée in an accident in Jamaica, Taylor Pyatt is ready to return to the ice, and has started skating in Vancouver. Just because he has started skating, it doesn't mean that he is both physically and emotionally ready to step into a playoff game. The one thing the Vancouver Canucks have is time after their four game sweep of the Blues. With the 10-12 day layoff the team faces, this allows Pyatt to get into game shape along with gives him time to get his emotions and mental game where it needs to be.

But all this begs to question the fact if the Canucks even want or need Pyatt in the line up. During the season he was bounced around on all four lines, but spent most of the time on the 3rd and 4th lines as a checker and an energy guy. In 69 games he tallied 10 goals, 9 assists and had an even rating. As the season went on he was used more and more on the penalty kill as Coach AV was more comfortable using him in situations on the penalty kill and in key defensive situations. He was skating well, as skating is not one of his great skills, using his large frame and was a great compliment to the third line with Wellwood and Bernier.

With the Canucks finally a relativly healthy hockey team, its time for the coaching staff to make some decisions for the playoffs when it comes to the bottom six forward spots. Lately coach AV has been mixing and matching numerous line combinations, especially on th fourth line and the wing position on the third line. The only constant on both lines have been Wellwood and Bernier on the third line, and Johnson centering the fourth line. But there has been numerous wingers slotted on the remaining three forward spots. The battle for the winger spots are basically between Rick Rypien, Jannik Hansen, Mayson Raymond, Taylor Pyatt and Darcy Hordichuck.

With all the players bringing a different aspect to the lineup it gives the Canucks a bunch of possibilities and allows them to put out a fourth line that will be most effective against which ever team they match up with in the playoffs. With Hordichuck they get a lot of toughness and grit and have a legitimate heavyweight tough guy, but how many times will he drop the gloves in the playoffs and will he get a regulat shift in the post season?