There’s no time like the present for some of the Canucks newest acquisitions to prove they deserve a spot in the lineup.

Six new faces that weren’t here a week ago were on the ice for practice Monday at Rogers Arena. Some are called up from the Canucks farm team in Utica, while others are new acquisitions. They fill the holes left by those out with injuries: Alex Edler and Thatcher Demko are skating on their own but remain out, Jake Virtanen has a fractured rib and is expected to be out for a month, and there’s no update on Sven Baertschi or Brandon Sutter.

The opportunity is music to the ears of Ryan Spooner, who the team acquired over the weekend in exchange for Sam Gagner in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. The forward has bounced around this season, with the Canucks being his fourth team of the year.

“It’s just one of those things where a couple of fits just haven’t been there and it’s on me too. I don’t think maybe I was ready at the beginning of the year mentally, I’m not sure...it just hasn’t been there. I think for me here it’s a fresh start and just have fun again,” Spooner told CTV News. “I just want to fit in and work hard and hopefully the rest will take care of itself.”

Head coach Travis Green says the fact that Spooner has struggled to find his groove this season could be a positive for the Canucks.

“He’s going to have urgency in his game. I think he understands that once you’re down in the AHL and you go through waivers, it is an eye opener for players, and you know we’ll probably get his best right away and he’s got to capitalize on that,” Green said.

Spooner skated alongside Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson Monday, although Green said he hasn’t decided what he’s going to do with the lineup Thursday when they face Arizona just yet.

That includes where defenceman Luke Schenn fits into the mix. The 29-year-old was called up Saturday after spending the last month in Utica since being traded from Anaheim.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster as far as the year goes. Obviously not the way you plan it going into the season. But hopefully it was the best thing for me to go down and play a lot of minutes in different situations and I’m happy to get the chance to work myself back up,” Schenn said.