Jan 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Vancouver Canucks goalie Ryan Miller (30) guards the net against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Vancouver Canucks goalie Ryan Miller (30) guards the net against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
It’s time the Vancouver Canucks turned it up a notch.
The Vancouver Canucks are going to get their captain back, their top-four defenceman back, and their points back — at least try to. The last stretch for the honour of competing for Lord Stanley’s Cup starts this week, the 18th week of the NHL season.
After watching the NHL All-Stars unfold the way it did, I forgot that the Pacific Division is the worst in the NHL. What does it mean for the Canucks? It means that they are fourth in the division that takes up five spots in the league’s bottom 13.
If the beginning of the season was headlined by how high in the standings Vancouver was despite their poor play, thanks to the weak Pacific, the finishing stretch of the season is going to be a whole lot different.
The Pacific is catching up to them. In fact, it already has. Only the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers are behind the Canucks. The story now is about how low in the standings Vancouver is despite the superb performance of Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, and the Sedins.
Before we get to the two home games of Week 18, here are other storylines to watch this week.
Captain Henrik’s Return
Henrik Sedin should return to the lineup after missing the last few games before the All-Star Break. Brandon Sutter having come back from his injury in Henrik’s absence, you would have to think that there will be a lot of line shuffling to be done for Willie Desjardins’s squad. Henrik’s return will also put the Canucks past the 23-skater roster limit. Expect Brandon Prust or another to get moved soon.
A similar storyline as Henrik, except that when Hamhuis comes back, he will be playing under a lot more pressure. The pressure is on him to prove himself fit after his facial injury to potentially draw interest from the rest of the league that is seeking a top-four rental help. Again, Hamhuis’s return will spell the end of a defenceman’s tenure with the Canucks — likely of one of the two pending free agent blueliners, Yannick Weber and Matt Bartkowski.
Hamhuis’s return will also push Jim Benning‘s abilities to the test as his contract would no longer be relieved via the long-term injury cap relief. Some $1.2 million in salary has got to go.
And there is another figure returning to his old battlegrounds. Here it is, the Week 18 Outlook and Predictions.
Next: Home vs. Columbus
vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (19-27-5) Thursday, February 4th
Leading scorer: Brandon Saad (19 goals, 35 points)
Keys to the game:
Returning Hank, Hammer, and Tortz
Start fast, play fast, and end fast
Spread the scoring
The Vancouver Canucks will host the Columbus Blue Jackets to kick-start the post-All-Star segment of the season. Who better than the Blue Jackets to play after a week of rest? The Blue Jackets sit last in the entire NHL, even after their trade for Seth Jones.
The Canucks might welcome Captain Henrik and Dan Hamhuis back to the lineup — no official word yet from the Canucks. But what we know for sure is that John Tortorella will be returning to the very scene of The Brawl. It will be fun for the Canucks to play against their former coach, the one who donned them the “Lost Season”.
I wonder where Tom Sestito is. Dale Weise is settling down in Montreal, and Kevin Bieksa is down with the Anaheim Ducks. Kellan Lain is down in the AHL after parting ways with Vancouver via a trade to the Edmonton Oilers. Jason Garrison lives on with the Canucks as a Tampa Bay Lightning, in the form of Linden Vey (via two trades).
It has been an interesting season for Tortz. He sustained two broken ribs during practice when Rene Bourque collided into him. While he was out, his assistant coach led the league-worst Blue Jackets to a 2-0-1 record, including back-to-back wins against the Montreal Canadiens.
Hrrm. Wink, wink, Tortzy.
The Canucks will have Daniel Sedin back from the All-Star break, who should be fired up having played for his All-Star Captain John Scott. If you missed it, John Scott pretty much single-handedly made this year’s events the best NHL All-Stars that I can remember.
Anyhow, the last game the Canucks played, they were scored against in the opening minutes. Before that, they were starting a habit of scoring the game’s first goal. It will be crucial for Vancouver to start their game — and their playoff push — on the right foot. Start the game hot, stay hot, and end the game hot. Don’t let these bottom feeders into the game.
Funny how I called Columbus “bottom feeders”. The Canucks are just six teams ahead from the Blue Jackets. Nevertheless, the Blue Jackets are the league’s worst team with the league-worst defence.
However, despite the poor showing in the points department, the Canucks look so much better with Brandon Sutter back and when Henrik draws back in, they will look even better.
D. Sedin – H. Sedin – Hansen Baertschi – Horvat – Vrbata McCann – Sutter – Virtanen Burrows – Vey – Etem
If I had any say with the Canucks’ lineup, that would be it. You play the best players that you have even if you have to pull some players out of their usual positions. Look — you have three lines that can score and the other that can shut things down defensively. At the cost of a Derek Dorsett, of course.
Predictions
I like the Canucks’ chances a lot. The last game was a goal fest for the Sedins and Jannik Hansen, and don’t be surprised if this one is, too. As long as nothing miraculous happens for Tortzy, Canucks all the way. To give credit to the Blue Jackets, they are coming off back-to-back wins. This game will give an outlook into the following 31 to end the season.
3. 104. 0. 113. Final
Sarah Laug
Torts returns! Should be a fun game at both ends but I think the team will want a strong effort after their last game prior to the break.
4. 104. 2. 113. Final
Gerald Morton
Final. 3. 104. 1. 113
Janik Beichler
The Blue Jackets are one of the, if not the single worst team in the league. Should be an easy one at home, no?
3. 104. 0. 113. Final
Next: Home vs. Calgary
vs. Calgary Flames (23-24-3) Saturday, February 6th
Leading scorer: Johnny Gaudreau (20 goals, 47 points)
Keys to the game:
Old-school Sedinery
Special teams domination
Returning last year’s favours
How fitting to relive that line brawl.
Whenever the Calgary Flames come to town, I look to the Sedins to continue their career-long domination over the Albertan teams. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Sedins are going to have to dominate and give the Canucks a win — and a dagger to Calgary’s playoff chances. This is a four-point game for all intents and purposes.
The Flames have the worst special teams in the league. Calgary’s 13.5 percent success rate on the man advantage is the worst in the league and its penalty kill is the second-worst in the league. For the Canucks and all the unfavourable calls they have gotten, it sure sounds like a blessing.
Lastly, the Canucks should look to exact some revenge. They weren’t able to do so in October. Now that Luca Sbisa is back in the lineup, give them a taste of their own medicine. Run them into their own end and pin them down one by one. After all, the Flames do not have Michael Ferland in the lineup due to an upper body injury.
They also do not have Dennis Wideman available after this happened before the All-Star break.
This is going to be a tough one for the Canucks. If they win, it is going to be a “five-point-win” because of how much confidence is at stake. But after seeing Johnny Hockey do some things at the All-Star game… I don’t know anymore. It will be the goaltenders who will decide the fate of the game.
104. 3. 112. Final. 4
Sarah Laug
The team will be hungry to have a good effort in multiple games in a row and set themselves up for these final 32 games. I will take the Canucks in OT.
112. Final. 3. 104. 2
Gerald Morton
Calgary will be without Wideman, but TJ Brodie has been back for a few games and improving. I will take the Flames on this one.
112. Final. 2. 104. 4
Janik Beichler
The match-up against the Flames will be a tough one for sure. But Vancouver will have to beat them if they want to make the playoffs.
Final. 3. 104. 2. 112
Next: The Bottomline
Jan 30, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Pacific Division forward Taylor Hall (40) of the Edmonton Oilers and Pacific Division forward Daniel Sedin (22) of the Vancouver Canucks talk before the 2016 NHL All Star Game Skills Competition at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
The Bottomline
This is an important week for the Canucks. Not just on the ice but off the ice as well.
I say, two wins this week and the Canucks are more likely to be in the playoffs than not. Also, I say that if the Canucks make the right trades with Brandon Prust and Yannick Weber that their season is more of a win than a loss. It is going to be very defining week in the Canucks’ season.
Nothing about the Canucks stands out as a contender right now. Every game is a journey of its own, so unsure of who will be able to do this and who won’t be able to do that. That’s why goaltending is going to have to step up like it has the last month. This team needs time to gel — with more changes coming for sure — and the netminders will have to be the backbone of it all.
However, that forward group I drew up against the Blue Jackets does seem legitimate — save a couple middle-six wingers. It will be Jim Benning’s job to somehow establish a solid middle-six to replace Radim Vrbata and Alex Burrows before long.
And that does it for this week’s outlook and predictions. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and find us on Facebook and Twitter! Thanks for reading!
