Adam Cracknell of Victoria quipped: 鈥淚 knew they weren鈥檛 going to put me between the Sedins.鈥�
So the Island journeyman focused on the do-able, and set his sights on becoming the fourth line centre for the Vancouver Canucks between Derek Dorsett and Brandon Prust. Mission accomplished as the 30-year-old Cracknell, who was only signed on Aug. 25, become a training camp story as stirring as it was unlikely. Also expect the Juan de Fuca minor hockey and Saanich Braves Junior B product to see time on the Canucks penalty kill when the NHL regular-season opens tonight in Calgary against the Flames.
鈥淎s you get older, newer prospects keep coming in,鈥� said Cracknell, by phone from Calgary.
鈥淏ut I鈥檝e shown I can play in this league and so I kept focused on what I knew was attainable for me, and that was showing the Canucks that I could be their fourth-line centre.鈥�
Cracknell impressed everybody in the organization, and surprised more than a few.
鈥淚 certainly had an open mind, [but] I didn鈥檛 foresee him here,鈥� Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins told The Canadian Press.
Now, Cracknell must prove he has staying power at this level. He has previously only been an NHLer in spurts. The native of Prince Albert, Sask., who moved to the Island at age 15, had an assist in 17 NHL games last season for the Columbus Blue Jackets before being traded to the St. Louis Blues and finishing the season in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons and Chicago Wolves. Cracknell came out of the Kootenay Ice of the WHL and made his pro debut with two seasons in the ECHL with the Las Vegas Wranglers under now-Canucks assistant coach Glen Gulutzan. He has played 82 NHL games, with Columbus and in a previous stint with the Blues, and has six regular-season goals and 17 points in the Show. In his best stint, Cracknell had one goal in 10 playoff appearances with the Blues as a member of the jumper-cable-like CPR Line with Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves.
鈥淚 know what it takes to survive in this league,鈥� said Cracknell.
This time, the opportunity is a rare one and comes in a unique setting in his adopted province.
鈥淪o many of my friends and family are so excited because the Canucks are sa国际传媒鈥檚 team,鈥� said Cracknell.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honour to wear this jersey.鈥�
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