DANIELPALFREDSSON'S VANCOUVER CANUCKS GM LOG POST 11: SEASON 3 PREVIEW
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PREVIOUS ENTRIES
1-
Taking Over
2-
First Big Trade
3-
What Does The Lineup Look Like?
4-
The biggest trade in modern NHL history?
5-
Playoffs?
6-
The Annual Off Season Mega Trade!
7-
Get to know Vancouver's core and prospects
8-
Season 2 Summary
9-
Season 2 Playoffs
10-
2016 NHL DRAFT+OFF SEASON
11-
Free Agent Frenzy 2016
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FUTURE WATCH
Sven Baertschi (24yo LW SNP 4.5R*) (Current OA=83/Last Year OA=83)
After his first full NHL season where he put up 22 goals and 44 points, Sven Baertschi cashed in on a 7 year 21.7M deal. Early in training camp it is apparent that Baertschi didn't make the progress the Canucks would have liked him to make over the summer, and there is some worry in the organization that what they saw from Baertschi last season might have been his ceiling which was scoring 22 goals while playing with a gifted playmaker like Henrik Sedin. If Baertschi can remain a 20/40 top 6 forward during the rest of his deal, it might not look too bad, but the Canucks are probably hoping he can become a perennial 30 goal scorer for them.
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Bo Horvat (21yo C TWF 4*) (Current OA=85/Last Year OA=83)
Horvat had a solid sophomore year. His point totals dipped slightly, but he scored a few more goals than the year before. He finished with 17 goals and 39 points in 82 games vs 15 goals and 44 points in his rookie year. Horvat has made considerable progress, and is rumoured to be in line to be the next captain of the Canucks next year if the Sedins retire. Horvat will likely become the Canucks long term 2C, logging the harder minutes behind the more offensive minded Galchenyuk, but he is still a dark horse candidate to take over the team's 1C spot next year.
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Alex Galchenyuk (22yo C PLY 4*) (Current OA=85/Last Year OA=85)
Galchenyuk stepped up and had a statistical improvement after joining the Canucks. He increased his point total from 46 to 54. With 4.5 shooting, 5 puck skills, and 87 offensive awareness, Galchenyuk is coming along as a forward. He failed to make any major gains in his overall, and likely won't so long as he is stuck playing 2nd line C time behind Henrik Sedin. With Sedin at 3 white stars and 36 years old, could Galchenyk see himself leapfrog over the ageing Swede and be the team's 1st line centre by the end of the season?
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Jake Virtanen (20yo LW SNP 4*) (Current OA=80/Last Year OA=75?)
Virtanen took a huge leap during his last year in the CHL, and now has a realistic chance to crack the Canucks lineup at the age of 20. Canucks management consider Virtanen the heir apparent of Daniel Sedin as the team's top scoring threat on the wing. Despite being NHL ready, the Canucks could opt to start Virtanen out in the AHL where he'd see first line offensive minutes.
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Brock Boeser (19yo RW SNP 4*) (Current OA=72/Last Year OA=69?)
Boeser still has another year of CHL eligibility before he can be assigned to Vancouver's AHL squad. The Canucks are happy with his progress thus far, and although it is too early to tell, if he continues at this pace, an NHL career should be in his future.
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Other notable prospects
Hunter Shinkaruk: The 21yo LW has stagnated, and the Canucks seem to be mulling over whether or not to use him as a trade chip going forward. He still has some value, and has been a very strong AHL player during the last two years putting up two straight 20/60 seasons. But he's yet to show he can take that next step, and Vancouver has a wealth of high end young wingers fighting for spots on the team.
-Cole Cassels: Cassels was ahead of the curve last year but hasn't shown much growth since then. His NHL future is in question.
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TEAM CORE
The Sedins
Both are 36 years old. They've dropped slightly in overall but are still 87 and 86. Henrik has gone down to 3 white star while Daniel is at 3.5 white star, meaning they both might regress during the season. Despite having two years left on their deals, this will likely be the Sedins last shot at the cup as they are at a very high risk to retire at the end of the season.
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Radim Vrbata
After putting up 37 goals in 2016, Vrbata just signed a team friendly two year 3.75M deal to stay with the Canucks. With Vrbata dropping to 3 white stars during the pre-season, he could regress during the season, and the odds of him repeating are low. Vrbata is likely to retire at the end of the year, but with term on his deal, that isn't a guarantee.
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Brandon Sutter
Sutter took a tremendous step back in season two. Forced to play RW rather than centre, Sutter's goal total dropped all the way from 26 to a mere 12. His points dropped, but not nearly as drastically from 50 to 42. Worse, Sutter's 5 year 4.375M contract has just kicked in. With the acquisition of Silfverberg during the off season, expect Sutter to settle in on the third line.
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Jakob Silfverberg
Silfverberg has joined the Canucks from their rival Anaheim Ducks via a 7 year 4.7M per offer sheet. The Canucks have Silfverberg pencilled in as a long term top 6 player on the right side. He might find himself playing on the first line if Vrbata falters early on.
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Brent Seabrook
The 31 year old Seabrook joined Vancouver at the trade deadline and was solid for them until going down with an injury during the playoffs. With Hamhuis walking, Seabrook's willingness to sign an extension saved the Canucks. But with his contract being 7 years long, and Seabrook already being 31, the big question will be how long can Seabrook hold up.....and when will the buyout happen? As of now, Seabrook is the Canuck's franchise top 2 defender.
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Ryan Ellis
Ellis has yet to break out as the Canucks have hoped, but he has been a solid top 4 defender whose been forced to play above his role on the top 2 pairing. Ellis will have a new challenge this season, as the acquisition of Seabrooke and departure of Hamhuis will force him to play on the left side of the top pairing, which is his off side. If Ellis cannot overcome that challenge, the Canucks will have to consider finding a top pairing LD else where.
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Frederik Andersen
After seeing what he could do playing against him in the playoffs two years in a row, The Canucks couldn't turn down an opportunity to acquire Frederik Andersen via free agency. Andersen was a costly acquisition, as he signed for 7 years at 6.66M per. Andersen has averaged a .922 save percentage of the last two seasons as the Ducks starter. Not only that, he's played 44 playoff games combined in the last two years. In 2015, he had a .931 save percentage in the playoffs, and in 2016 where the Ducks won the Stanley Cup, he had a .913 save percentage. Andersen is a big piece of the Canuck's puzzle going forward, and he'll face a massive challenge as he will have to play behind a fragmented Canucks defense this season.
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PROJECTED LINEUP
Sedin SNP 86-Sedin PLY 87-Vrbata SNP 84
Baertschi SNP 83-Galchenyk PLY 85-Silfverberg SNP 84
Horvat TWF 85-Sutter TWF 84-Downie GRN 83
Kenins TWF 78-Colborne PWF 80-Hansen GRN 81
(X) D'Amgio RW TWF (78)
Edler TWD 86-Seabrook DFD 88
Chelios TWD 79-Ellis OFD 86
Benoit TWD 79-Petrovic DFD 84
(X) Pateryn RDFD (80)
Andersen HYB 87
Neuvirth HYB 85
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LINEUP PREVIEW
The “Apple Sauce” line is back together, but Vancouver's coaching staff will likely be keeping a close eye on the Sedins to see if given their age they manage to hold up throughout the year.
The Canucks have put together an exciting second line with newly signed Jakob Silfverberg joining Bartschi and Galchenyuk.
Horvat has had to shift to left wing on the third line, but he's been assured it is a temporary move that will likely last one season at most. Sutter is back to C, and Downie will occupy the right side of that line.
The departure of Hamhuis has thrown a wrench into Vancouver's defensive pairs. Early in the pre-season, Ellis was playing his offside, but the Canucks ended up settling on Edler playing on the top pairing. The big surprise of training camp was unsigned college free agent Jake Chelios making the team. Chelios is a smooth skating two way defender with a great first pass, but his hockey IQ on both sides of the ice leaves something to be desired.
New acquisition Petrovic will carry the bottom pairing with free agent signing veteran Andre Benoit.
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UP NEXT: SEASON 3 SUMMARY