Let’s not pull any punches: the Canucks were awful last season. They lost 51 games, the most in franchise history, missing the playoffs by 12 points. They had the worst goal differential in the entire league. Then, just like how the franchise began, they lost a draft lottery and missed out on a franchise-defining forward.
But that was last season. The Canucks have made some changes during the off-season and are certain that this coming season will be different from the last. They’re right: it will be much, much better!
This 2016-17 season will be one of the best in franchise history.
FORWARDS
The Sedins will once again be the workhorses of the Canucks offence and, despite their age, you can expect a bounceback season, with Henrik back to full health and Daniel ready to lead the team in goalscoring.
The biggest chance for the Sedins is the addition of Loui Eriksson, who will get ample playing time with the Sedins at even-strength and on the power play and will be a much better fit than the departing Radim Vrbata, who only scored 13 goals last season. Eriksson, who scored 30 goals, can be pencilled in for at least 20 goals and could score 30 or more riding shotgun with the Sedins.
The Canucks have brought in potential linemates for the Sedins before, but there are two big differences when it comes to Eriksson: he has proven chemistry with the Sedins from the Swedish national team and he doesn’t have to play with the Sedins to be effective. Eriksson can play either wing on any line and plays on both the power play and penalty kill: bring him in to replace Vrbata, who had a tendency to completely disappear when he wasn’t scoring, will make a massive difference.
After the Sedins, the Canucks are brimming with potential, led by the emergence last season of Bo Horvat as a legitimate second line centre.
After January 1st last season, it wasn’t the Sedins leading the way: it was the 20-year-old Bo Horvat. In the last 44 games of the season, Horvat led the Canucks in goals (14) and points (30). Now 21, he’ll be looking to put up 50-60 points.
Sven Baertschi also got better and better as the season progressed, forming a potent pairing with Horvat on the second line. And when those two played with Jake Virtanen, they were actually a positive puck possession line, in a season where even the Sedins were negative possession players.
Virtanen might not be ready to take a big step as a top-six forward, but the Canucks have other options on the right wing, including Jannik Hansen, who is coming off a 22-goal season and could score another 20 if he gets occasional playing time with the Sedins.
There’s also Anton Rodin, who is the real wild card among the Canucks’ forwards. Rodin is coming off a truly stellar season in the SHL, scoring 16 goals and 37 points in 33 games, leading the league in points-per-game. Despite missing the last months of the season with a knee injury, he was still named the SHL MVP, an award previously won by the likes of Hakan Loob, Peter Forsberg, and Henrik Lundqvist.
Will that translate to the NHL? It did in the pre-season, where his creativity and skill were frequently on display, particularly when he played with Horvat and Baertschi on the RoBoBear line, and he finished with 5 points in 5 games. While he’ll start the season on the Injured Reserve as he gives his knee a little more time to rest, he’ll provide an unexpected injection of offence.
This doesn’t even mention Markus Granlund, who tied with Rodin for the team lead in scoring from forwards in the pre-season. Then there’s Brendan Gaunce, who looks to have graduated from the AHL and will help shore up the bottom-six, along with a healthy Brandon Sutter, who is a threat to score 20 goals and will relieve defensive pressure from Horvat.
DEFENCE
Is it mean to suggest that the biggest difference on the Canucks blue line is who won’t be on it? Matt Bartkowski is gone and he’s not coming back. Bartkowski played 80 games for the Canucks last season, more than any other Canuck defenceman, and he was abjectly terrible. Now, he can’t even get an AHL contract, signing a Professional Try-Out deal with the Providence Bruins.
The Canucks have a proven top pairing in Alex Edler and Chris Tanev. Tanev is one of the best defensive defencemen in the league, but you shouldn’t downplay the importance of a healthy Edler. He missed 30 games last season, which had a significant impact on the team’s performance. Edler looked better than ever in the pre-season, leading the NHL in pre-season assists and the Western Conference in scoring with 7 assists in 5 games. He’s a threat to get back to his old 40-point self.
On the second pairing, expect a breakout season for Ben Hutton. After 25 points in his rookie season, Hutton looks poised to start putting the puck in the net with more regularity. He’ll be aided by the addition of Erik Gudbranson on his right side, freeing Hutton to jump up into the rush and take chances offensively.
The third pairing has plenty of potential, with four or five players vying for a regular spot in the lineup. Luca Sbisa is much-maligned, but is a fine third pairing defenceman, particularly with the newly-signed Philip Larsen handling the majority of the breakout duties. Larsen was signed as a power play specialist, but should surprise fans with his solid play at even-strength.
That gives the Canucks a top-six defence corps that is a vast improvement on last season, with potential to be one of the best in the league if Hutton and Gudbranson find chemistry and Edler re-finds his offensive stride.
After that is Nikita Tryamkin, who is brimming with potential, and when you consider what a tall glass of water he is, that’s a pretty high brim. Alex Biega will hold the fort down in the press box, but has proven that he can step in at a moment’s notice.
If injuries strike, the Canucks have some of the most exciting depth in Utica that we’ve seen in years, particularly newbie Troy Stecher, but also Andrey Pedan and Jordan Subban. Stecher is almost guaranteed to get a call-up this year and could very well stick with the Canucks permanently if that happens.
GOALTENDING
The Canucks are blessed with goaltending depth, with both their goaltenders in the NHL capable of taking the starter’s role and running with it. Ryan Miller is the veteran incumbent, but Jacob Markstrom is ready to take the reins.
League-average goaltending, around .915, is pretty much a given from these two, but Markstrom in particular looks poised to start stealing games. Two years ago he carried a low-scoring Utica Comets team to the top of the AHL’s Western Conference and Calder Cup final: last season proved that he’s ready to do the same in the NHL.
Meanwhile, Thatcher Demko is the heir-in-waiting in Utica, who could see some time in the NHL if injuries strike. He’s the Canucks’ best goaltending prospect since Cory Schneider and could prove to be just as good. If they don’t want to call him up, Richard Bachman is more than capable of stepping in and the Canucks also have Michael Garteig in the ECHL, who has NHL potential.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Canucks’ power play got a major boost with the addition of Philip Larsen, who gives the Sedins a legitimate right-handed shooter at the point for the first time since the departure of Sami Salo. The Dane has a blistering and accurate shot and can also move the puck effectively, allowing the Canucks to use four forwards on their first power play unit.
If Larsen gets injured, the Canucks have Troy Stecher in Utica ready to step in: he showed his ability to quarterback a power play in the pre-season; if he gets a chance to play with the Sedins, it could be magic.
Loui Eriksson will also help the top unit: he has two seasons with 10 power play goals, but could set a career high playing with the Sedins.
But it won’t all depend on the first unit, as the likes of Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, and Anton Rodin give the Canucks a dangerous second unit. With Larsen on the top unit, Alex Edler is freed up to play with Ben Hutton on the points, which means the the second unit could catch a lot of teams off guard.
Meanwhile, the penalty kill looks unbeatable. Chris Tanev is a shot-blocking deity and the addition of Erik Gudbranson will give the Canucks’ defence more options on the penalty kill. Alex Edler is underrated on the penalty kill, as is Luca Sbisa.
At forward, a healthy Brandon Sutter will make a world of difference: he’s a very good penalty killer and a threat to score shorthanded. Bo Horvat, Jannik Hansen, Loui Eriksson, Markus Granlund, and Brendan Gaunce could all see key ice time shorthanded and should take the penalty kill from average last season to the top of the league in 2016-17.
CONCLUSION
The Canucks won’t just exceed the low expectations of fans and hockey folk around the league: they’ll obliterate them. Jim Benning and Trevor Linden keep saying their aim is to get back to the playoffs, but this team is ready to do far more than that. The Pacific Division, Western Conference, Presidents’ Trophy, and Stanley Cup are all within their grasp.
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