Now for the Vancouver Canucks, it is more about next year than it is for this year.
The truth for the Vancouver Canucks is that the current team will not make the playoffs. When the Trade Deadline came and went, all signs pointed to the team trying to settle down and prepare for the 2016-17 season. That does not mean that the team will settle for nothing in the remaining matches of the season at hand. There are still a few handful of games to go in the NHL season, and it starts this week.
With three games on the schedule this week, here are your three storylines to watch this week:
- Nikita Tryamkin’s name has now been floated about for many days, and it seems that Jim Benning would like to see the big Russian defender in action before this season is over. Expect Yannick Weber to be sent down through waivers to bolster the Utica Comets’ run to end the season.
- Jacob Markstrom was spectacular in the win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Wonder if he gets more action this week over the current starter Ryan Miller. Willie Desjardins did say he wants to play Markstrom a little more in the latter part of the season.
- Injuries galore once again — the Canucks seem to be plagued with the injuries this year and with the same players. With Jannik Hansen and Radim Vrbata already out, the word is that Chris Tanev is not 100 percent and captain Henrik Sedin will miss some time. With no call-ups looking imminent, what will Willie Desjardins do with his lineup?
Starting the week off is the second game of a two-game California road trip after the win over San Jose in the Shark Tank. The Canucks seem to thrive on the road. Let’s jump right in to Week 23 and its Outlook Predictions.
Next: AWAY @ Los Angeles