VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Current Record: 20-19-6 (46 points)
The Vancouver Canucks are surprisingly in the thick of the playoff race, and I’m willing to bet not many people believed this would be the case.
Strong goaltending performances from Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom are the reason the club is in the race, but the Canucks have been wildly inconsistent so far this season.
Head Coach Willie Desjardins deserves an awful lot of credit for what he has been able to get out of a fading and aging roster.
FORWARDS: C+
Henrik and Daniel Sedin are showing their age, and they are more like 50-point players than the 70+ point players they have been in the past.
Bo Horvat is finally ready to take the reins of this club and he has played very good hockey for the team.
While Loui Eriksson has struggled to score for his new team, the club has seen some decent secondary scoring options emerge in the form of Sven Baertschi, Markus Granlund, and even a bounce back year for Alex Burrows.
The Canucks are missing Jannik Hansen due to injury, but his return to the lineup would be a big boost.
DEFENSE: C+
All NHL
Erik Gudbranson was a big get for the Canucks in the offseason, but injuries and a -14 rating have confirmed what many believed; Gudbranson is not a very good hockey defender.
Troy Stecher has been the biggest bright spot on a club that is also without Ben Hutton due to injury.
Alex Edler is the steady eddy for the Canucks blueline, but he is not implementing his offensive prowess against opponents.
GOALIES: B
Not many considered the tandem of Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom to be strong goaltending depth, but as the two goaltenders split games, they continue to give the club a chance to win on most nights.
Markstrom will likely be the de facto number one goaltender next season, but Miller has done enough to warrant another contract, even if it is just to see the tandem stay together.
BIGGEST SURPRISE: THE CANUCKS BEING IN THE PLAYOFF RACE
While they could still falter down the stretch, the fact that the Canucks are in the thick of the race right now is a huge surprise.
The team has a lot of holes throughout its roster but Desjardins has gotten everything out of them.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: THE TWO BIG NEW GUYS
The Canucks had a productive offseason bringing in Erik Gudbranson via trade and Loui Eriksson via free agency.
Both players have played poorly in year one of their tenures with their new team.
I expect Eriksson to find a higher gear, but not the same for Gudbranson.
Next: Vegas Golden Knights Mock Expansion Draft Roundtable
OUTLOOK:
The Canucks will not be able to keep their winning ways up, but their hot start will allow GM Jim Benning to keep his head coach with the team. The last thing the franchise needs is to fire a really good coach.
The Canucks will end up with a top-five pick in the draft and will slowly start rebuilding their team.
Ryan Miller resigns before season’s end.