Mason Raymond has much to be thankful for.

In recovering from a vertebrae compression fracture suffered in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, the fleet-footed winger was quick to acknowledge the patience displayed by Vancouver Canucks management. He returned Dec. 4 and, despite missing 25 games, managed three goals and six points in his first seven games. Since then, Raymond has scored just twice in 18 outings and registered but one third-period shot Tuesday during a 3-2 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena.

"Everybody wants to score but I'm not going to get frustrated by it," said Raymond, who didn't log a shift in overtime. "I couldn't even walk eight months ago and I'm happy with the way things are going and obviously I want to do better. There are a lot worse things that could happen in this world, so I'm not going to dwell on not scoring a few goals.

"At the end of the day, if the team is winning and I'm playing third line, I'll play wherever. I'm happy to be moving, having fun and playing a game I love."

On a night when the bitter rivals displayed plenty of NHL all-star break rust, they kept a pace reminiscent of their playoff battles and that's where the Raymond conundrum could be cause for concern because the game was tailor-made for him. As much as the Canucks are icing a third line that is responsible defensively and good in transition, it wasn't until Cody Hodgson snapped a 1-1 draw early in the final period that the line registered its first shot. And the shot at Raymond is that he should be the finisher on an alignment where Hodgson should be the playmaker and Jannik Hansen the guy working the corners. But Hodgson has 14 goals while Hansen has a career-high 13. Raymond has five in 25 games.

"I was playing the power play and playing second line and had some great opportunities and made the most of them," Raymond said of his fast start. "I hit a post a few games back and 2-on-1s where you lose pucks. That's hockey. The law of averages will turn that around and I'm not going to worry about it."

Raymond may have hit a wall without the benefit of offseason training and a training camp. His speed is there but his hands aren't and if he doesn't find a scoring touch, general manager Mike Gillis may have to weigh his options before the Feb. 27 trade deadline despite having faith in the winger. On a line that's already missing a grit element, Raymond can't be reduced to an effective penalty killer. He has to take a straight-line approach because the chip-and-chase stuff simply doesn't work because everyone knows his go-to move.

On Tuesday, Raymond did hustle twice to get back and break up forays by Jonathan Toews during line changes. But in a matchup against the alignment of Patrick Sharp, Brendan Morrison and Marian Hossa, the best Raymond could muster in an offensive capacity was whistling a wrist shot way over the net on an odd-man rush with Hansen before finally registering a shot.

"Twenty-five games, that's not a lot of hockey," added Raymond. "It's more keeping my back in a good place to where I still feel I can do everything on the ice. It's a daily routine. If this is our line we're a speed line and we can generate. If it was gritty and not having enough speed, is it ever good enough? Somebody is always criticizing. Whatever role we're capable of doing it."

Raymond is also a restricted free agent after this season, yet will carry little contract leverage because of his injury, short season and lack of production. The Canucks could gamble that with a full offseason to properly train, Raymond could return to the form that produced a career-high 25 goals in 2009-10.

"Everybody was surprised how well he was playing," coach Alain Vigneault said of Raymond's return from injury. "Sometimes, if you don't have a camp it catches up to you. The last little while he's not as crisp or sharp, but he has a tremendous amount of upside."

Or trade value.

"I'm not going to speculate," shrugged Raymond. "I'll let the experts talk about it."

bkuzma@theprovince.com

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