The curious case of the Vancouver Canucks

Canucks LB

My Favourite, Gone too soon, RIP Luc, We miss you
Oct 12, 2008
76,107
28,178
The canucks have 49 Points in 38 games
Goals For [112]
Goals Against [100]

They lost Dan Hamhuis for nearly half the season already, yet they have not missed a beat.

Here are the Forward Lines as of right now.

Sedin Sedin Vrbata
Higgins Bonino Burrows
Matthias Richardson Kassian
Dorsett Horvat Hansen
Vey

Lets take a look at the forward group; I think the clear sign of strength the Canucks have is the bottom 6. The depth especially is amongst the best in the NHL. That being said, the second line is clearly amongst the bottom if the league on paper.

Lets take a look at the Defense.

Edler Tanev
Stanton Beksa
Sbisa Weber
Hamhuis (Injured)

Looking at the defensive core; they seem to have a clear lack of depth overall. Hamhuis being injured has pretty much forced Edler and Tanev to find another gear, which they absolutely have.

Edler especially looks like the player people were hoping he would be a few years ago, when he was amongst the fastest risers along the blue line in the NHL.

Lets take a look at the goal-tending.

Ryan Miller
Eddie Lack

Goal-tending overall this year has been above average. Miller has been playing great as of late, but has had a few stretches where he was letting in a few more goals then he would have liked.

Eddie Lack had a rough start to the season, but just like Miller has been great recently. His last 5 games especially he has had some very useful and productive starts.

Lets take a look at the Coaching.

Willie Desjardins

this is the most important and key reason for the canucks success so far this season, it's no coincidence why the bottom 6 is playing so well, when Desjardins is such a huge fan on rolling four lines.

So what does everybody think about the Canucks play so far this season?
 
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Get North

Registered User
Aug 25, 2013
8,472
1,364
B.C.
Need tougher guys in the top 6 or hopefully the gritty guys are ready to play in the playoffs and are willing to go 7 games at war. Guys like Matthias, Richardson, Kassian, Dorsett, Higgins gotta play down low and crash the net. Leaders in the playoffs.

Probably a 2nd/3rd place finish in the division, get SJ or LA in the first round and somehow manage a win hopefully but I doubt it.
 
Oct 30, 2011
7,526
3
expected them to be the best western canadian team, but not ahead of both LA and SJ. they have exceeded expectations.
 

Pip

Registered User
Feb 2, 2012
69,164
8,461
Granduland
Can't match up against the Cali teams (despite what the record may indicate). Playoff bound for sure but at best we get lucky/hot and win one round. Really hoping that Benning doesn't move too much in an attempt to "put us over the top"

He already stated that he has no intention of moving our first from this year which is encouraging. Defensive depth is an issue and it has costed us quite a few points, but thankfully Stanton was able to stabilize the second pairing. They definitely did miss a few beats when Hamhuis went down as it really exposed Bieksa.

I don't know if anything is really "curious" about them. Many people predicted a bounce back after the disaster of last season. Defensive depth is an issue like many predicted even with the resurgence of Edler. Miller has been below average this season and Vrbata has been amazing. Bonino has been adequate and is handling the tough matchups better than I thought he would.

But overall not a huge surprise. We are a little higher in the standings than expected but hardly anything crazy.
 

Havre

Registered User
Jul 24, 2011
8,459
1,733
Pretty much as expected if you ask me. 6-10th team before the season started and they still are in my opinion.

Everything about the team is decent. Nothing is especially good and nothing especially bad.

Anything can happen in the play offs, but realistically it will end first or maybe second round.
 

CornWillis

Registered User
Dec 3, 2014
51
0
Need tougher guys in the top 6 or hopefully the gritty guys are ready to play in the playoffs and are willing to go 7 games at war. Guys like Matthias, Richardson, Kassian, Dorsett, Higgins gotta play down low and crash the net. Leaders in the playoffs.

Probably a 2nd/3rd place finish in the division, get SJ or LA in the first round and somehow manage a win hopefully but I doubt it.

100% screwed against LA.
I think there's a reasonable chance against the Sharks due to last year.
 

Smokey McCanucks

PuckDaddy "Perfect HFBoard Trade Proposal 02/24/14
Dec 21, 2010
3,165
283
A strong start, but they are just now coming up on the toughest section of their schedule. They're hanging in there though. This doesn't really look like a playoff team on paper, but they've found a good balance with the lines and banked enough points to ensure they will be in it for the stretch run at least.
 

MikeK

Registered User
Nov 10, 2008
10,606
4,058
Earth
A little surprised they are where they are in the standings. Bieksa has had a terrible season and losing Hamhuis should have been crippling to the team D. They have definitely had a better year to date than I expected. I still believe they don't stack up against LA, ANA or CHI in a playoff series though. Still though, they've definitely had a surprising season, although maybe I feel that way because last year was so dreadful.
 

kmad

riot survivor
Jun 16, 2003
34,133
60
Vancouver
Vancouver's record is better than the team is.

If we want a chance of getting out of the first round, we need a healthy Dan Hamhuis.

If we want a chance of doing anything worthwhile in the playoffs, we also need to add another bona-fide top four defenseman, because right now we only have three (Hamhuis, Tanev, Edler). The losses that we do endure are a result of defensive breakdowns.
 

JuniorNelson

Registered User
Jan 21, 2010
8,631
320
E.Vancouver
Canucks have benefited from a great first half from the Sedin line. This line goes silent when tired and is really slow even when fresh. They are not playoff monsters and have not exhibited a late season surge for years. I think this will cause the line and therefore the team, to drop off in the second half.

The unknown is Desjardins. His contribution toward any playoff success has not been shown. Perhaps he can drag one more run out of this aging core group?
 

Bougieman

Registered User
Nov 12, 2008
6,565
1,715
Vancouver
Get the Ham-man back, and stay healthy at the right time of the year (the playoffs) and this team could surprise the various favorites in the west -- and we all know who they are.

More likely, however, is that the Canucks will get dropped like a soggy pair of jeans in the second round -- or worse, in the first round again, if they barely squeek in as that 7th or 8th seed.

That said, this team has been so much more fun to watch this season under Willy than they were last year under Torts. So much more entertaining, and I love that they don't get distracted by bad calls (or more often, NO calls against the other team) or get easily disheartened after doing down a goal or two like they did in the last couple years. That's not a habit any successful playoff team I've ever watched had, that's for sure. Torts was locker room cancer, and this team seems so much more comfortable and in the right head space now.
 

DCantheDDad

DisplacedNuckfan
Jul 1, 2013
2,934
93
Edmonton
I dont think this team gets us anywhere in the playoffs, but I am very happy with where they are now. The goal has to be staying competitive while developing the next generation and we have been successful so far.
 

vanarchy

May 3, 2013
9,100
8,355
The worse case scenario is getting swept in the first round again or just missing the dance all together by a narrow margin. Best case scenario is perhaps a Phoenix-style dark horse run deeper than anyone expected.

I honestly have no clue what to expect. It's been a pretty fun season to watch thus far and they seem to play with heart again.
 

canucks10

Registered User
Jan 15, 2014
1,392
2
Over the Rainbow
Teams probably good enough to make the playoffs but to really go anywhere in the playoffs they need another top 4 defenceman and top 6 forward to play on the 2nd line.

Would also need a good playoff run from Miller (or Lack) but probably Miller
 

IComeInPeace

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
2,448
844
LA
Having a nice season so far.
WillieD has done a tremendous job.

Not a legit contender in any way, shape, or form...but, I think Canuck fans knew that coming into the season, and we're just hoping to be competitive while we retool.

Yes, an easy out in the playoffs if we make it (barring a miracle) but the season would still be considered a success.

I'd prefer to just miss the playoffs, and draft higher.
 

CascadiaPuck

Proud Canucks investor.
Jan 13, 2010
1,755
2,249
Vancouver
I dont think this team gets us anywhere in the playoffs, but I am very happy with where they are now. The goal has to be staying competitive while developing the next generation and we have been successful so far.

Pretty much this. It's why the comparisons to the Iggy-Kipper era Flames from a few years back haven't been apt. Yes, the Canucks are just a decent team at this point, only good for a round or two (if they're lucky) in the playoffs. The difference is, they're bringing in young talent lately (drafting, trading), instead of shipping out picks, etc. to sustain a core that's probably not able to contend for the Cup.

I can handle this iteration of the team, to be honest. They're competitive and entertaining, and there is promise in their young talent (who aren't coming up in a "tanking" culture).
 

LetsGoBLUES91

Registered User
Jan 8, 2013
9,158
3,095
I don't think they can sustain this.. I think they end up in the 7-9 range re: playoff seeds. But props to showing up people who thought they'd be basically a bottom 5 team.
 

tony d

Registered User
Jun 23, 2007
76,589
4,548
Behind A Tree
I thought Vancouver would improve this season but not by this much, be interesting to see if they can keep it up.
 

Elias Pettersson

I'm not a troll
Jan 22, 2014
3,843
1,827
The thing that really surprised me is that they have the fewest goals allowed and the best goal differential in their division.
 

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