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Vancouver Canucks: 5 Players who Need to Step Up

By David Joun

Feb 4, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Linden Vey (7) celebrates his goal against Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (not pictured) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Linden Vey (7) celebrates his goal against Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (not pictured) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Problem No. 1: Derek Dorsett

Dec 15, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Vancouver Canucks forward Derek Dorsett (15) skates with the puck in the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Vancouver Canucks forward Derek Dorsett (15) skates with the puck in the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

Problem No. 1: Derek Dorsett

Derek Dorsett is the biggest problem the Canucks have right now.

Dorsett is getting paid more than Jannick Hansen is. Another way to look at his $2.65 million contract that runs to the end of the 2017-18 season? $2.65 million is essentially the sum of Bo Horvat, Jared McCann, and Jake Virtanen‘s contracts. Or rather, the sum of Linden Vey, Sven Baertschi, and Adam Cracknell‘s contracts.

With the absence of Brandon Prust, Dorsett’s role as Vancouver’s go-to tough guy is going to be amplified, scrutinized, and criticized in all manners possible.

Now that Brandon Sutter is back in the lineup, the Canucks figure to stick true to their four-line philosophy. That means that even a checking right winger like Dorsett is going to get a significant amount of ice time.

When Sutter is your centreman and one of Virtanen and McCann is your other winger, you have to produce. Dorsett needs to start producing if he is not going to start getting under the skin of every single opponent the Canucks are going to face for the rest of the season. In fact, a case can be made that Brandon Prust is more efficient a producer than Derek Dorsett is.

vancouver canucks
vancouver canucks /

In fact, it is a very compelling argument for Prust’s sake.

But the lack of production is not the only problem for Dorsett. He is the league leader in penalty minutes with 117 penalty minutes and the team leader in total minor penalties taken (21). Nevermind his fights, the hooks, the interferences, the trips — these minors put the Canucks on the penalty kill.

To be a four-line team, you can’t have a guy like Dorsett being essentially useless production-wise. It will be difficult for him to play an efficient game while not taking penalties, especially when the tough guy’s role is now thrust onto his shoulders from Prust’s.

Next: Problem No. 2: Matt Bartkowski

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