Does this team lack secondary scoring?

[Balls Mahoney]

That seems to be the perception from the outside of the Canucks. There seems to be quite a few question marks around our offense with being placed in a new division, Kesler's health, Burrows aging, is Booth completely worthless, Kassian's consistency and this team looking for it's youth to take more prominent roles.

What say you? Obviously the Sedins will be solid (in the regular season) but there seems to be a lot of concern and lot of things that need to go right for this team to continue to achieve the (regular season) success we've enjoyed over the last few years.

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[Vankiller Whale]

We only have 4 legitimate top-6 forwards.

I'd say yes, we do need some secondary scoring, unless Booth rebounds or Kassian breaks out.

 

[MikeK]

We've lacked secondary scoring for years. The only thing that can change this is if Booth gets his act together or the young kids are given a chance and succeed.

 

[ddawg1950]

It is the key issue that has sunk us the last couple of years.

We've had among the best production in the league from our defense. But we've had nothing from the second line.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

It's really an issue in the playoffs. Check out the playoff wins by Boston, LA and Chicago. Takeaway the big three scorers from each team and they have lots of others scoring. Take away the big three from the Canucks and we have Burrows and maybe Bieksa.

 

[dbaz]

There is but the problem lies within the 2nd line. You can't have booth and Kesler on the same line, they both do one man rushes and that's it. They need passers on the 2nd line not 3 shooters.

 

[tc 23]

We have some decent secondary scoring. The problem is getting them to show up, be healthy, and not underperform.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

There is but the problem lies within the 2nd line. You can't have booth and Kesler on the same line, they both do one man rushes and that's it. They need passers on the 2nd line not 3 shooters.

I'm hoping for Kassian to make it on the 2nd line. He seems like he's got some decent playmaking abilities... or potential abilities. Plus I think that would be a seriously tough line to play against.

 

[David71]

hasnt it always been the case the last few years especially in the playoffs? hopefully kassian/booth/the kids step up. the defence is mostly your secondary scoring

 

[shortshorts]

Sedins. That's it.

So to answer your question... Yes, we lack secondary scoring.

 

[arsmaster*]

Sedins. That's it.

So to answer your question... Yes, we lack secondary scoring.

Forget to add Kesler.

 

[canuck4life16]

is our third line click we will have our secondary scoring

 

[Pure West]

Yes. When we had Samuelsson and a healthy Kesler it wasn't a problem, but now its a big question mark. I'm encouraged by how Kesler is looking though and looks like he's on a mission to prove people wrong. However even if he is in 2011 form we're still going to need someone else to step up....whether that's Kassian, Higgins, Booth or whoever.

 

[94eleven]

What is the definition of secondary scoring?

Here is Vancouver's goals for/game average and ranking for the last 5 seasons:

Year || Rank || GF/G
2012-13 || 19th || 2.54
2011-12 || 5th || 2.94
2010-11 || 1st || 3.15
2009-10 || 2nd || 3.27
2008-09 || 11th || 2.96

If you consider anything other than the top line "secondary" scoring the GF/G numbers look like this:

Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 2.54 || 1.79
2011-12 || 2.94 || 2.06
2010-11 || 3.15 || 2.10
2009-10 || 3.27 || 2.14
2008-09 || 2.96 || 1.97


Here are the top-6 team's (only teams to score over 3.00 GF/G last season) GF/G numbers and the number minus their top forward line:

Pittsburgh
Crosby-Kunitz-Dupuis top line
Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 3.38 || 2.19

Chicago
Saad-Toews-Hossa top line
Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 3.10 || 2.06

Tampa Bay
Pouliot-Stamkos-St.Louis top line
Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 3.06 || 1.94

Montreal
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher top line
Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 3.04 || 2.20

Washington
Johansson-Backstrom-Ovechkin top line
Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 3.04 || 2.08

Toronto
JVR-Bozak-Kessell top line
Year || GF/G|| GF/G (minus top line)
2012-13 || 3.02 || 1.98

So in looking at that it appears that last season for the first time since 08-09, both our top line and our secondary scoring failed to score enough for the team to be a top-end offensive team. The numbers from 2009-10 through 2011-12 show why Vancouver had a top-5 offense so though the secondary scoring must increase from the shortened season, so must the "primary" scoring.

 

[Love]

Yes we do lack secondary scoring unless Kassian breaks out and Schroeder is able to ignite that 3rd line with Higgins and Hansen.

 

[Goon42]

Yes we do lack secondary scoring unless Kassian breaks out and Schroeder is able to ignite that 3rd line with Higgins and Hansen.

So basically we definitely need secondary scoring

 

[canuck4life16]

Yes we do lack secondary scoring unless Kassian breaks out and Schroeder is able to ignite that 3rd line with Higgins and Hansen.

I have complete faith Kassasin is finally going to emerge and light it up with the sedins and Schroeder will have a very good year since his shoulder was injuried for 3 years and finally healthy

 

[ZZZZZZZ]

Judging by last night's game.......I'm hoping Shinkaruk and Gaunce make the team.

We definitely need some young blood and Torts has always liked the younger guys too..........Kassian has to get it together or Torts will bury him.

It's going to be an interesting year.

 

[Addison Rae]

We do. We need another top 6 winger, and by that I don't mean a tweener. A guy like Vanek would be near ideal.

 

[nameless1]

To be honest...
I will wait until the real season starts.
Who knows how it will go?

 

[CherryToke]

there is but the problem lies within the 2nd line. you can't have booth on the 2nd line

ftfy

 

[ddawg1950]

Judging by last night's game.......I'm hoping Shinkaruk and Gaunce make the team.

We definitely need some young blood and Torts has always liked the younger guys too..........Kassian has to get it together or Torts will bury him.

It's going to be an interesting year.

TBH, I don't think Gaunce and Horvat will make the team.

But the strange thing for me was, that Gaunce looked better last night than he did in the prospects tourney.

Both these guys should be Canucks, but I think we are going to have to wait a year or two.

 

[jimslob]

Of course we lacked secondary scoring last year, 2/3 of our second line was out or playing injured last year.

If Kesler is healthy this year and Booth comes back near 100% that will go a long way to solving the secondary scoring problems.

IMO last year was an anomaly as was the second half of the prior year when Kesler was playing injured.

 

[arttk]

People ***** about us not having secondary scoring and how we are playing young players like Schroeder, Kassian, Jensen, Hunter and Gaunce. You know how Boston, LA, Chicago got their secondary scoring? They gave their kids a chance and let them play.

 

[Wisp]

Lots of strange ideas on what we have on this team.


I'll bite: Yeah, we are lacking in secondary scoring. I don't there's a magical trade or UFA that can fix this. It will have to come from our young players. And that may mean waiting past this year for them to be ready.

If Burrows can produce with Kesler and Kassian with the Sedins, that goes a long way to helping us out.