Canucks Notebook: Kudos for Jacob Quillan, concern for Filip Chytil

Vancouver Canucks center Jacob Quillan earned praise following his recall performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs, while teammate Filip Chytil faces ongoing injury concerns. The Canucks placed Chytil on injured reserve Friday after he absorbed a heavy hit against San Jose, raising fears of aggravating a previous shoulder injury. Head coach Manny Malhotra praised Quillan's poise after he skated 11:58 during Saturday's 4-2 defeat.

In goal, waiver-wire pickup Leevi Merilainen appears to have secured the starting job after making four consecutive starts. Merilainen stopped 21 shots against Toronto, outperforming struggling veteran Kevin Lankinen as Vancouver attempts to stabilize its defensive structure amid an average of 31.9 shots allowed per contest.