Canucks rookie Jensen shines in NHL debut

Nicklas Jensen’s days with the Vancouver Canucks are numbered this NHL preseason.
But he’s making the best of them.
Jensen scored the winning goal and added an assist as the Canucks beat a Calgary Flames split squad 4-3 at Rogers Arena on Tuesday night.
“It was pretty neat,” said Jensen of his first goal at the NHL level. “I don’t even know what to say. It was, of course, what I was hoping for.”
The Canucks chose Jensen, an 18-year-old native of Herning, Denmark, with the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft. He is trying to do what few Canuck first-round draft choices have done – stick with the club in their first pro season.
But unlike many first-rounders who have passed through Rogers Arena and the Pacific Coliseum before him, he is realistic about his chances of staying with a club that went to the seventh game of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup finals.
“I don’t think about it too much,” said Jensen. “Obviously, it would never be bad to stay here. That’s, of course what I’m here for – just try to stay here. But I’m not going to get disappointed if I get sent home. Realistically, that’s probably what’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time how long I can stay here for. I’m just going to work as hard as I can to stay here as long as possible.”
In the meantime, Jensen is giving family and friends back home in Denmark something to cheer about. His dad something to cheer about. His father, Dan Jensen, played three seasons of major junior hockey in the OHL with Peterborough and Guelph and also represented Canada 10 times before he moved to Denmark, fell in love and stayed.
“He’s probably really happy back home as well, and there’s probably a message or two on the phone right now,” said Jensen. “
Canucks coach Alain Vigneault liked what he saw, too. Jensen’s entire line, which included Jordan Schroeder, Vancouver’s top pick a year ago, and Steven Pinizzotto all produced points while combining on two goals.
Schroeder recorded a goal and an assist. Pinizzotto, 27, who until now has been a career minor-leaguer but has the grit that the Canucks are looking for, contributed two helpers.
“I thought that line got better as the game went on,” said Vigneault. “You can really see a young man there (Jensen) that’s got real good size, really enjoys the game, and I think there’s a tremendous amount of potential there – and it’s real fun to see.”
Jensen helped Schroeder get noticed, too, after the 21-year-old Prior Lake, Minn., native had a poor training camp in 2010.
“I hadn’t noticed Schroeder that much in last year’s camp, but today I was not just impressed with how he played with the puck, but I thought without the puck he was really dependable,” said Vigneault. “So I like that part, because if you’re ever going to play at this level, you’ve gotta be able to play at both ends of the rink.”
Jensen assisted on Schroeder’s goal early in the third period. During a two-on-one, the dashing Dane fed a perfect pass that Schroeder wired home to create a 3-3 tie. Then, five minutes and 45 seconds later, Jensen skated out of the corner with the puck and beat goaltender Leland Irving with a shot that went in off his arm.
“I just took my time with the puck, circled around and I just saw an empty corner,” said Jensen. “Luckily for me, it went in.”
Jensen is expected to play one or two more exhibition games before the Canucks return him to Oshawa of the OHL. He is also expected to represent Denmark at the world junior championships at Christmas.