Most Exciting Player: Jannik Hansen
When a guy scores your one and only 3-on-3 Overtime winner in franchise history, you have got to give him some honours. Jannik Hansen did it in style, with blood and stitches on his forehead. If that is not exciting in this depressing Vancouver season, I don’t know what is.
Hansen is having a career year, capping a nine-year career marked by speed, a blistering slapshot, and the name “Honey badger”. As one of the NHL’s top skaters, his slap shot is a weapon on its own as evident in the overtime goal, one of 12 goals he has this season alongside 10 assists. His plus-12 is good for the team lead, one above his first-line mates Daniel and Henrik.
Nobody makes Hansen bleed his own blood - nobody! pic.twitter.com/MXG0iK782v
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 27, 2015
Hansen’s 17 percent shooting percentage ties his career-high, and 2.15 points per 60 is ever-so-close to the 2.26 points per 60 he produced in the 2012-13 season when the Canucks won the Northwest Division title. Gaining the right to be the “third Sedin” is also a spectacular feat on its own.
Remember the fourth-line grinder that Hansen used to be? The speed, the shot, the compete level, and the puck-retrieval that is so crucial as the third Sedin — Hansen has it all, and his prime years are certainly looking good. He turns 30 this year, and it would be interesting how his next contract will look after his extremely cap-friendly four-year, $10M contract expires after the 2017-18 season.
Rest assured, he has a modified no-trade clause for the remainder of his contract.
Next: Unsung Hero: Adam Cracknell