Rick Tocchet has already warned his Vancouver Canucks players 害羞草研究所� the looming NHL season won害羞草研究所檛 be easy.

The team made strides last year, the head coach said Wednesday ahead of training camp. The bar has been raised for this year害羞草研究所檚 campaign.

害羞草研究所淭o get to the next plateau, there are higher expectations and it害羞草研究所檚 going to be hard. We know that,害羞草研究所� Tocchet said in Penticton, B.C., where the team will open its camp on Thursday.

害羞草研究所淪o that害羞草研究所檚 the next level. It starts day one (on Thursday). My thing is don害羞草研究所檛 waste a rep out there.害羞草研究所�

The Canucks finished atop the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record last season, then ousted the Nashville Predators from the playoffs in a gritty, six-game first-round series. Vancouver then fell to the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game second-round set.

Last fall, Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations, said everything would have to go right for the team to make a playoff push. That doesn害羞草研究所檛 change this season, he said, despite last year害羞草研究所檚 success.

害羞草研究所淭he challenges will be greater, certainly. But I believe the team that we started with last year, we have just as good a team to start the season this year and probably better,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淎s long as the team builds off what they did last year, stick to what the coaches tell them, stick to the system, stick together in good times and bad times, this team has a chance to do pretty well.害羞草研究所�

Some key players will be missing as Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 training camp begins, however.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced Wednesday that star goalie Thatcher Demko will not be on the ice when the team begins it害羞草研究所檚 pre-season preparation.

Allvin did not disclose the reason for Demko害羞草研究所檚 absence, but said the 28-year-old American has been making progress.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been in working extremely hard and he seems to be in a great mindset,害羞草研究所� the GM said.

Demko missed several weeks of the regular season and much of Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 playoff run last spring with a knee injury.

The six-foot-four, 192-pound goalie has a career 213-116-81 regular-season record with a .912 save percentage, a 2.79 goals-against average and eight shutouts across seven seasons with the Canucks.

Allvin also announced that veteran centre Teddy Blueger and defensive prospect Cole McWard will also miss the start of training camp after each had 害羞草研究所渕inor lower-body surgery.害羞草研究所�

Vancouver previously announced winger Dakota Joshua won害羞草研究所檛 be present for the start of camp as he recovers from surgery for testicular cancer.

Tocchet said he害羞草研究所檒l have no problem filling the holes, and plans to switch his lines up a lot in Penticton.

害羞草研究所淣othing害羞草研究所檚 set in stone,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 important that you have different puzzles at different times.害羞草研究所�

The coach added that he expects standout centre Elias Pettersson to begin on a line with Canucks newcomer Jake DeBrusk.

Vancouver inked DeBrusk, a former Boston Bruins forward, to a seven-year, US$38.5 million deal when the NHL害羞草研究所檚 free agent market opened on July 1.

The glare on Pettersson is expected to be bright once again as he enters the first year of a new eight-year, $92.8 million contract. The 25-year-old Swede struggled at times last season and put 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games.

Rutherford said he was impressed with how Pettersson looked when he returned to Vancouver ahead of camp.

害羞草研究所淗e seems to be a guy that害羞草研究所檚 more relaxed and more comfortable. And for obvious reasons,害羞草研究所� said the president of hockey ops. 害羞草研究所淭his is a guy that I believe has worked really hard this summer. He害羞草研究所檚 done everything he can to play as a top-line player. 害羞草研究所� The expectation for him is to be one of the top players on our team.害羞草研究所�

A number of Canucks hit milestones last season, including Quinn Hughes, who led all NHL defencemen in scoring with 92 points and won the Norris Trophy as the league害羞草研究所檚 top blue liner.

Several players could once again have career-best years for Vancouver, Tocchet said, but they害羞草研究所檒l need to be consistent and not allow frustration to creep in when things go wrong.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檝e just got to drive yourself every day when you have a great year,害羞草研究所� the coach said. 害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檝e got to keep creating that environment where they can achieve those goals, whatever they are. And the main goal is winning. That害羞草研究所檚 really what it comes down to.害羞草研究所�