Let’s face it: The Canucks’ reality really bites
From the ‘structure’ to the Sedins, a lot of things not living up to expectations
The Vancouver Canucks have lost more bets than games this season. And since they are 12-16-2, that’s saying something.
The NHL team’s stated goal to rebound from last year’s dismal, 75-point season and “stay in the fight” for a playoff berth was based on hope — the belief that a lot of factors would go in their favour. They haven’t.
Here are some of the hope bets lost:
THE SEDINS WILL SUSTAIN THEIR GAME
Hope: Since Daniel and Henrik Sedin’s effectiveness was never driven by skating, even when they were winning Art Ross trophies, the 36-year-olds should be able to at least maintain their game and contribute 60-70 points apiece.
Reality: We’re seeing things from the twins we’ve never witnessed — like pucks bouncing off their sticks, errant passes, even miscommunication. And since the Sedins have lost another half-step, every turnover in the offensive zone turns into a track meet the other way. But honestly, the brothers’ greatest fault is getting older like the rest of us. They’re still good NHL players, but belong on the second or third line at this stage. The fact their ice times have spiked upward this season is an indictment of the scoring depth below them.
YOUNG GUYS WILL GET BETTER
Hope: Forwards Bo Horvat, 21, and Sven Baertschi, 24, were supposed to use last season’s strong second half as a springboard toward greater offensive impact this season. Winger Jake Virtanen, 20, would start to build consistency in his game and become a lineup regular. And after a breathtaking rookie season, defenceman Ben Hutton, 23, would help drive the Canucks from the blue-line.
Reality: Only Horvat (eight goals, 17 points in 30 games) has progressed as hoped and even he has been streaky. Baertschi was a healthy scratch before he returned to the lineup for Tuesday’s 8-6 catastrophe in Carolina. Hutton is minus-13 and has been a mistake-prone sophomore trying to do too much and Virtanen is in the minors and only lately has started playing well there.
ERIKSSON MAKES EVERYONE BETTER
Hope: This was more expectation than hope, but the signing of marquee free-agent Loui Eriksson was supposed to give the Canucks a legitimate first-line scorer and a natural partner for Danny and Hank. Reality: Eriksson is too similar to the Sedins to be a good fit, really isn’t a natural finisher and is on pace for 16 goals, which would be his second-lowest total in a nonlockout year since 2007-08 and nearly half of what he scored last year in Boston. And that six-year, US$36-million contract looks radioactive.
THE POWER PLAY CAN’T BE ANY WORSE
Hope: With the addition of Doug Jarvis to the staff and 30-goal scorer Eriksson to the lineup, plus the return of a healthy Alex Edler, the power play will be significantly better than 27th this season. And if it generates 10-15 more goals, that will translate into at least a handful of more wins. Reality: As of Wednesday, the power play was ranked 28th at 13.5 per cent and with only 12
goals in 30 games is on pace for 33 goals — six fewer than last season. The Sedins’ first unit is excellent at gaining the offensive zone, but doesn’t finish and Horvat’s second unit is more direct, but struggles to set up.
RODIN AND LARSEN IMPROVE DEPTH
Hope: Swinging for the fences with high-scoring Europeans Anton Rodin and Philip Larsen, who had failed in earlier forays into North American hockey, should help the power play and the depth. And if even one of two becomes an impactful NHLer, the risk will have been worth it to the Canucks. Reality: Rodin was one of Vancouver’s best players during the pre-season, right up until the winger was pulled from the lineup because of soreness in his surgically repaired knee. The Swedish league MVP hasn’t been seen since. And before he was knocked out by Taylor Hall’s huge hit last week, Larsen had proved ineffective offensively and a liability defensively.
GOOD HEALTH IS PRICELESS
Hope: Top defenceman Edler and key centre Brandon Sutter missed 92 games last season because of serious injuries, but their return to health this fall would be the equivalent of adding two impact players. Reality: Sutter works as hard as anyone in his family, but his skating looks laboured some nights and the “two-way centre” is a team-worst minus-16. Edler, meanwhile, is injured again, but had managed in the 21 games he did play to contribute just one goal and two assists despite being bestowed a chunk of every power play.
TRUST THE ‘STRUCTURE’
Hope: To be harder to play against, the Canucks re-designed their systems play to trap teams in the neutral zone and be more compact defensively, which would reduce goals against and generate scoring chances in transition. Reality: The Canucks’ lack of speed continues to be a critical problem and after some initial success with the “structure,” the team is tied for 27th in the NHL with 3.1 goals against per game — worse than last season’s 2.91 average.
There’s a lot of that going on.