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Puck Daddy’s 2016-17 NHL Preview: Vancouver Canucks
Last Season: 31-38-13 (75 points); 6th in Pacific; 28th in NHL
This past season was one to forget for the Vancouver Canucks as they posted their worst record in the past 17 years.
Scoring was concentrated at the top with the elders, Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Daniel led the team in points with 61, followed by Henrik with 55.
It wasn’t entirely doom and gloom. The emergence of a young group of Canucks should bring hope to the faithful. In his sophomore season, Bo Horvat was third on the team in total points (40), goals (16), and power play points (12). After coming over from the Flames a season prior, Sven Baertschi was fourth on the team in goals (16). Rookie Ben Hutton led all defensemen in scoring with 25 points and found himself as a regular in the top six.
To pour salt in the wound, Vancouver went in to the draft lottery with the third worst record in the NHL and emerged with the fifth overall pick – thus losing out on the Auston Matthews – Patrik Laine – Jesse Puljujarvi sweepstakes.
2015-16 Season, In One Picture
But, but the odds were in our favor…
Did They Get Better, Worse, Or Are They About The Same?
The Canucks said ‘goodbye’ to more players than they said ‘hello’ to. Chris Higgins was finally bought out. The team mercifully parted ways with Dan Hamhuis. Jared McCann was sent to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Erik Gudbranson. Free agents Yannick Weber, Matt Bartkowski, Radim Vrbata, and Brandon Prust were allowed to walk; as did RFA Linden Vey who did not receive a qualifying offer.
The biggest splash for the team came in free agency. Vancouver landed highly sought after free agent Loui Eriksson. The 31-year-old forward signed a six year, $36-million dollar contract with the team.
Five Most Fascinating Players
1. & 2. The Sedins. Henrik and Daniel aren’t getting any younger. The 36-year-olds are have two years remaining on their current contracts (with full no move clauses) and say they want to finish their careers together in Vancouver. They are consistently relied upon to carry the load as the franchise transitions to younger players. They led the team in scoring last season and should get a bump in from playing with fellow Swede, Loui Erikkson.
3. Loui Eriksson. Of all the teams Eriksson could have joined, he picked the Canucks. Much of the scuttlebutt around the signing is the connection Loui has with the Sedins from playing on the Swedish National Team. The trio played together most recently during the World Cup and had tremendous success – which is a great sign for the Canucks. The Pacific Division should be worried about Loui’s move to Vancouver. Of his 725 career games played, 241 have been against Pacific Division teams where he’s scored 168 points.
4. Alexandre Burrows. The ‘will he or won’t he’ be traded conversation is one that’s been going on for seasons now. He was even rumored to have waived his no-trade clause at the deadline last year. Expect those rumors to head up as Burrows enters in the last year of his UFA contract carrying a $4.5-million cap hit. Yet if a team wants him as an expensive rental, he’s going to have to show he’s worth the price tag, and another season of 9 goals, 22 points won’t do it.
5. Brandon Sutter. At the 2015 draft, Sutter was traded to the Canucks from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Nick Bonino. Not too long afterward, he signed a five-year, $21.875-million contract scheduled to start in the 2016-17 season before playing a single game with the team. Vancouver fans were treated to essentially a 20 game, 9 point preview of what Sutter could do. During the 2015-16 season, Sutter missed 33 games with a hernia. Shortly after returning, he was knocked back out of the lineup for the remaining 29 games with a broken jaw. Now he’s got to live up to the massive contract the Canucks gave him.
Mascot Hijinks Video Break
They aren’t the mascots, but they might as well be. Enjoy the Green Men!
Can We Trust Them At Even Strength?
Not right now… Per Corsica, as a team the Canucks had the sixth worst 5-on-5 score, zone adjusted Corsi-For Percentage at 46.87. Jake Virtanen led the team in CF% with 50.83 followed by Dan Hamhuis – who left the team for Dallas – at 49.28 and Chris Tanev at 49.24. The saving grace, at least for the top line, is going to be the addition of Eriksson; with Boston, he was 52.25 CF%.
The Canucks allowed the seventh most 5-on-5 goals-against (154) and scored the four-least amount of 5-on-5 goals-for (124). Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen tied for the team high in even-strength goals at 20 each.
Can We Trust Them On Special Teams?
Well, the penalty kill wasn’t super terrible. They ranked 17th in the league with an 81.1-percent success rate. Tanev, Horvat, Hamhuis and Burrows logged the most time on the penalty kill. Eric Gudbrandson led the Panthers in total short-handed time on ice last season and should slot into the PK unit with Hamhuis gone.
Vancouver’s power play was 27th in the league at 15.8-percent. The team scored a league low 30 goals when playing 5-on-4. There is hope in the form of Loui Eriksson. He, paired with the Sedin twins, will make for a formidable first power play unit. Henrik led the team with 20 power play points followed by Daniel at 19.
Can We Trust Their Goaltending?
Clearly Ryan Miller isn’t the same goaltender he used to be, but not entirely his fault with the squad he had in front of him. He started in 51 games this past season, posting a 17-24-9 record with .916-save percentage, and 2.70 goal against. Miller is entering in to the final year of his contract. At 36-years-old, he has a lot to prove to GMs if he wants to continue playing beyond this year.
Backing Miller up is Jacob Markstrom. The Swede appeared in 33 games (13-14-4) with a 3.00 GAA and .903-save percentage. While Richard Bachman appears to be the next in line should the first two goalies go down, the Canucks have Thatcher Demko waiting in the wings to officially ascend to ‘goaltender of the future’ status.
Player Most Likely To Be In Vegas Next Season
Luca Sbisa. You can hear the Canucks faithful openly praying to the Hockey Gods to make sure this happens.
Coach Hot Seat Rating (1-10, 10 Being Scorching Hot)
Eight. Willie Desjardins made the playoffs in his first season behind the bench. In the second season, the team declined substantially. Once the team hits the rough patch, GM Jim Benning could reach for the panic button and reset with a new coach.
Prediction
We’re not entirely sure what Jim Benning’s plan is for the team. He says he wants to win now, but his team his a mishmash of old veterans and young kids. Vancouver could be good if they keep the kids together, just not right now. It’s only more pain for the Canucks in the near future.
2016-17 Season Preview
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Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter!