After a too-long summer, the Vancouver Canucks are locked on a singular goal as they prepare for training camp.

害羞草研究所淣ot making the playoffs would be a disaster for us,害羞草研究所� head coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters Wednesday.

害羞草研究所淏ut to make the playoffs we have to do better and be more consistent over 82 games, not just 56 games or whatever the number was. 害羞草研究所� I would call it a failure if we didn害羞草研究所檛 succeed in our goals this year.害羞草研究所�

The Canucks will be on the ice for training camp in Whistler Thursday before kicking off their pre-season campaign with a split-squad matchup against the Calgary Flames on Sunday.

The team knows securing a post-season berth this season 害羞草研究所� its first since the COVID bubble in Edmonton 害羞草研究所� will require a better start than the dismal 8-15-2 record that prompted a house cleaning last December.

The results saw the club fire head coach Travis Green, general manager Jim Benning and several other staff.

Boudreau was hired to run the bench for the rest of the campaign and the team went 32-15-10 under his tutelage.

Last in the Pacific Division when Boudreau took over, Vancouver finished five points out of a playoff spot.

害羞草研究所淥ur expectation is to be playing in April,害羞草研究所� said centre J.T. Miller. 害羞草研究所淲e have to hit the ground running. Last year shows how important it is to have a good start.害羞草研究所�

Miller, who signed a seven-year, US$56-million extension with Vancouver earlier this month, will be key to the team害羞草研究所檚 success.

The 29-year-old led the Canucks in scoring with a career-high 99 points (32 goals, 67 assists) and believes the group has what it takes to make a post-season run.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of guys here are sick of not making the playoffs,害羞草研究所� Miller said. 害羞草研究所淥ur goal is to compete for the Stanley Cup and win the Stanley Cup. There害羞草研究所檚 no reason that we can害羞草研究所檛 be there and competing for the Stanley Cup at the end of the season.害羞草研究所�

Much of last year害羞草研究所檚 Canucks team is returning this season, plus notable free agent acquisitions Curtis Lazar, formerly of the Boston Bruins, and ex-Toronto Maple Leaf Ilya Mikheyev.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 excited about the guys that we added,害羞草研究所� said captain Bo Horvat. 害羞草研究所淩e-signing (Miller) was a huge step into making us an elite group.害羞草研究所�

Horvat, too, is looking for another big season.

The 27-year-old centre had 52 points last season, including a career-high 31 goals, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

He doesn害羞草研究所檛 expect his contract status to impact his play on the ice.

害羞草研究所淚 can put it aside completely,害羞草研究所� Horvat said. 害羞草研究所淔or me, I害羞草研究所檓 just focused on how I can make this team better. Eventually it害羞草研究所檚 going to come to fruition.害羞草研究所�

Like his coach and teammates, Horvat has high expectations for the 2022-23 season.

Reaching them will require the players to have a specific mindset, he said

害羞草研究所淲e have to see ourselves as a playoff team,害羞草研究所� the captain said. 害羞草研究所淚f we do anything less than that, we fail.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press