Vancouver Canucks Outlook, Predictions Week #19: Free Fall

The Vancouver Canucks are going to have to brace for the offseason if they continue playing a losing brand of hockey. That might begin this week, in Week 19.

The Vancouver Canucks keep finding ways to lose  despite home advantage and the plethora of healthy bodies in the lineup. Coming up with just one point in two games is bad enough. But one point against two teams that are below Vancouver in the standings and one being against the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets is even worse.

How much lower can the Canucks fall?

Here are the storylines going into Week 19.

Can Jacob Markstrom turn the tide?

With two games in two nights on the road against the Colorado Avalanche and the Arizona Coyotes, it is safe to assume that Jacob Markstrom gets, at least, one start this week.  Ryan Miller has just one win after his return from “the cramps,” and it might serve Vancouver well to not only to start Markstrom on either Tuesday or Wednesday this week, but to also give more starts to him than to Ryan Miller.

Although the play of Miller has certainly not been the main cause of Vancouver’s losses, having the back-up in net will serve a message to the Canucks.

But seriously. If seeing the bottom of the league just five points away doesn’t send a message to this group, I don’t know what will.

Are the Sedins burned out?

Henrik Sedin has not had a point in his last four games. He has not scored a goal in his last 17 games. Daniel has not recorded a point after returning from the All-Stars, and he has just four points in his last nine games.

On that note, Jannik Hansen has not recorded a single point after his hat-trick in Pittsburgh. In the past 11 games, Hansen has just one assist aside from the hat-trick. Maybe it is time the Canucks gave up having the honey badger on the Sedin line. Hansen is playing fine, actually — recall how he hit the post in the opening minute of the overtime period against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Read More: Time to Change Up the Lines

With three games on the schedule, Week 19 is going to be a do-or-die week for some of the veterans on the trade block. Why? Radim Vrbata has just one assist in his last seven games, and he has not scored a goal in the last eight games. Heck. He has just two goals in the past 23 games after his hat-trick against the Buffalo Sabres.

And of course. It is Retro Night on Saturday! The last time we had retro, nothing went well.

So here it is, the Week 19 Outlook with our staff Predictions. Enjoy.

Next: Away @Colorado

@ Colorado Avalanche (27-24-4) Tuesday, February 9th

Leading scorer: Matt Duchene (24 goals, 43 points)

Keys to the game:

1. Find a way to not lose
2. Keep the front of the net clear
3. Go with the flow, play a fast game

First of all, the Canucks cannot afford to lose in regulation. They have to find a way to get at least a point in this match. Sorry for stating the obvious, but if the Canucks lose this one in regulation, I would rather have Auston Matthews than the playoffs. Trade Alex Burrows, trade Radim Vrbata, etc. Patience is running thin.

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• What to expect from newcomers Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty
• Back to the future: How the skate uniforms became a regular Canucks’ feature night
• Canucks kick off 2023 with disappointing 6-2 loss to Islanders
• 2nd period penalty trouble sinks Canucks in 4-2 loss against Winnipeg

As for the actual keys to the game, the Avalanche are one of the worst at getting shots on net. They are fouth-last in the league in shots per game. But they have 27 wins and 58 points this season. The Canucks have to make sure that the few shots that actually get to the net are easy ones for Miller or Markstrom to see and to save. Don’t allow the Avalanche to set up traffic, don’t allow them to tip those point shots, and don’t let them get clean angles on odd-man rushes.

The Avalanche though, are in the league’s top-10 in both goals for and goals allowed. What does that mean? They score a lot and they allow a lot. The game is going to be open. Yes, guys like Jarome Iginla are on the team. But the Canucks have a knack for giving these veterans a free pass. It is going to be difficult for the Canucks to keep up, but they have to go with the flow, hoping that the Avalanche will open up.

As for Iginla… Do you remember when the Canucks faced Shane Doan and Jaromir Jagr? Multi-point nights for those fossils on skates. Don’t let Iginla repeat. Please.

Staff Predictions

David Joun

Sarah Laug

Gerald Morton

Janik Beichler

Next: Away @ Arizona

@ Arizona Coyotes (24-24-6) Wednesday, February 10th

Leading scorer: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (15 goals, 38 points)

Keys to the game:

1. Speaking of Iginla…
2. Putting Brandon Sutter to the test
3. Survival instincts

Speaking of Iginla, the Canucks will face Shane Doan, who has two goals in two games this season against Vancouver. This time, Doan is the biggest weapon that the Arizona Coyotes boast as he leads the team in goals.

Good thing that Brandon Sutter is back. The Coyotes are the league’s best faceoff team, and they will look the bury the Canucks on the faceoffs. Sutter cannot let that happen, nor can Bo Horvat. Get possession and control the shot clock by limiting the shots clean off the faceoffs (especially with Oliver Ekman-Larsson at the point) and get some clean shots out of Alex Edler and Ben Hutton.

More from Canucks News

• Canucks are in “wash, rinse, repeat” mode after Monday’s 5-1 loss
• Canucks send Jack Rathbone and Vasily Podkolzin down to Abbotsford
• Canucks acquire Ethan Bear, Lane Pederson from Carolina
• Brock Boeser, Curtis Lazar placed on injury reserve
• Canucks officially unveil Reverse Retro jersey in latest aesthetic change

Speaking of shots, the Coyotes, like the Avalanche, do not get many shots on net. Their main success comes from the rush with the kids like Max Domi, and the point shots from OEL. Once again, control the net-front traffic and the drives to the net, and defending will be much easier.

You probably know that this is a four-point game. The Canucks are just two points behind Arizona right now, both having played an equal number of games. So what do I mean by “survival instincts”?

As this is the second game in as many nights for the Canucks, there probably will be the sentiment that a tired group would do well in just grabbing a point or so. No high expectations, you know. The Coyotes will go into Wednesday’s match having rested four days. Their last match was on Friday.

But we all know how the hungry road team can out-battle the well-rested, perhaps rusty, home team. The Canucks cannot have excuses going into this game. Be tough on yourselves if you really want to beat the odds and make the playoffs. A win here would be pivotal.

Again, Jacob Markstrom may get the start in Arizona.

Staff Predictions

David Joun

Sarah Laug

Gerald Morton

Janik Beichler

Next: Home vs. Toronto