Baertschi return helps, but doesn’t solve, issues

The Vancouver Canucks may have received a break from the NHL schedule makers for this one. The Blue Jackets were in Buffalo on Thursday night, where they lost 3-1 to the sadsack Sabres, meaning the Canucks were the only ones resting their heels in Ohio:

THE BIG MATCHUP

Travis Green vs. John Tortorella

It was easy to mock Torts during his year in Vancouver. He came off as someone barely interested in the team. And when he was interested, he was trying to fight coaches and ripping his own players. It’s been a different Tortorella in Columbus. He’s pushed a lot of the right buttons. Now, Green has to push some buttons for the Canucks, to get his team out of a 2-11-1 rut.

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME 1. Chris Tanev’s return

He lost six teeth when a puck smashed into his face in Toronto Saturday. Other teeth that remained in his mouth ended up embedded in his tongue. He still needs gum surgery to fix the mess. Tanev said he’s probably going to play anyway, with a full cage.

“It sucked at the time,” Tanev said. “And I still have a lot of shrapnel and nerves which aren’t supposed to be where they are. They have to remove all of that.”

2. Brock Boeser’s offence

It’s entirely unfair to expect a rookie to carry the Canucks. But if Boeser isn’t producing offensively, the Canucks aren’t producing offensively. That’s been the story for the past month, a stretch in which Boeser has had a hand in nearly 40 per cent of the Canucks’ goals.

Boeser has one goal in five games. That’s fine. He’s not going to score seven out of every 10. But right now the Canucks really need him.

3. Loui Eriksson’s heartbeat

Is anyone in there? Eriksson’s goals-for percentage, which is the ratio of even-strength goals scored when he’s on the ice, is 17.65 per cent since Bo Horvat was hurt. It means opponents have been getting 81.35 per cent of the goals when Eriksson’s playing at even strength. This isn’t good. Eriksson has now gone 17 games without a goal. That’s alarming.

4. Alexander Wennberg returning

Sure, the Canucks are getting healthier, even if Brandon Sutter won’t play in this one, and he won’t. The Jackets’ Alexander Wennberg was activated this week and could return against the Canucks. Wennberg is one of Columbus’ better playmakers and was just getting going before he hurt his back on Dec. 21. Leading up to his injury, he was on a five points in five games run.

5. The Sam Gagner return

If Gagner gets to 40 points this season, it’s about what you would have expected. He has 19 points in 43 games, so he could still hit 40, if he can continue to stay hot in the second half. Gagner was terrific in contributing a three-point game against Chicago on Dec. 28. He now has eight points in 11 games and it’s hoped he’ll have extra motivation against the team he was on last season.