Feb 28, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) awaits the start of play against the San Jose Sharks during the second period at Rogers Arena. The San Jose Sharks won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) awaits the start of play against the San Jose Sharks during the second period at Rogers Arena. The San Jose Sharks won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /
The Vancouver Canucks may not have much to play for, but the results will matter in the last week of the season.
The Vancouver Canucks managed to regain dignity as a team with two wins against playoff-bound California teams last week. The irony of a win that some view as losses was a tough one for the Canucks to swallow as they near the end of the current NHL season.
Just looking at the standings to start the week, the Canucks are not too far removed from the number three tanker’s spot, which is currently occupied by John Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Moving up into Columbus’s spot would mean a two percent increase in the Auston Matthews odds.
But for me, it is not so much the draft lottery odds that make the spot so desirable. Remember the compensatory pick? If I am Jim Benning, I am salivating at the prospects of the Blue Jackets surpassing the Canucks in the standings and handing the compensatory pick over for this June’s draft.
Of course, no guarantees that the Blue Jackets will give that pick over this year even if the Canucks draft higher than they do. With a draft pool this big, I would not be surprised if the pick gets deferred to next year’s draft.
Here are the keys to the week, the last ones for the 2015-16 season!
Jake Virtanen was drafted a scoring power forward. Now in his draft+2 year, he has accumulated seven goals and 13 points in 51 games. A suspension, too. The hits were there, the speed was there, but not much more, especially in the most recent weeks.
He had time to think his play over thanks to the two-game suspension. Let’s find him a place in the lineup and an identity he can grow into over the offseason.
Talk about a player playing out of position. After making his season debut as a winger in December, the 6-foot-5 defender found himself with just five minutes of icetime as a winger again in the win over the Anaheim Ducks last week.
And the verdict from the coach is that Pedan might have to get used to playing all positions. He has the size to be a nice netminder, right?
Desjardins on Pedan as D/LW: "It gives you more of a chance to stay with us if you can do both. He’s auditioning a bit for that." #Canucks
The Canucks better work this out well with Pedan, who is gaining restricted free agent rights in the summer. Perhaps this prospect of being a fringe player deters him from staying with the Canucks?
Key Number Three: No Tanking in Rogers Arena
"If we win, they're mad at us. If we lose, they're mad at us. It's tough, but in this room we all want to win" - Dorsett #Canucks
Please don’t chant “Aust-on-Mat-thews” in Rogers Arena? To put things into perspective, Virtanen is just 13 months younger than Matthews. Don’t make these young players feel terrible for scoring goals for the Canucks.
And the veterans too. Sucks for a player like Alex Burrows who might be playing his final week of hockey in Vancouver to leave with a resounding tank nation chant.
Next: HOME vs. Los Angeles
vs. Los Angeles Kings (46-27-5) Monday, April 4th
Leading scorer: Anze Kopitar (25 goals, 70 points)
Keys to the game:
Take away the points
Physical all the way
Rolling three lines
Looking to win three in a row for the first time this season, the Canucks are faced with a Los Angeles Kings team that is looking to catch the Anaheim Ducks for the division title. Here is the projected lineup.
To win this game, the Canucks are going to have to take away the points. Not just blocking shots but not allowing space to shoot and get pucks into the danger zone in the first place. These Kings are so strong on the boards and when they get rebounds, they just feed it back to the boards, then to the points, over and over again.
Disrupt the points and you might get a few breaks going your way. Secondly, the Canucks have got to be physical. The Kings are simply a big team. Funny how we all forgot about Milan Lucic wanting to sign in Vancouver (like five months ago). He is a King and he will bring some unwanted presence to Vancouver’s back line.
Look, you have Nikita Tryamkin. You have Andrey Pedan. You get Derek Dorsett on the second line and Virtanen is back from the suspension. Etem will look to continue his ways after the goal in Anaheim. You have the ingredients for a physical matchup, then do it.
Lastly, can we just roll three lines, please? The team played great in Anaheim doing that. Do you really want Dorsett and Etem playing with Bo Horvat? REALLY?
Predictions
Janik
1. 104. 4. 67. Final
Jeff
104. 4. 67. Final. 1
Sarah
3. 104. 1. 67. Final
Me
Final. 2. 104. 4. 67
Next: AWAY @ Calgary
@ Calgary Flames (33-40-9) Thursday, April 7th
Leading scorer: Johnny Gaudreau (30 goals, 75 points)
Keys to the Game
Crack the netminder
Granlund’s time to shine
Just a little revenge
I don’t know about you, but the last time the Calgary Flames played the Canucks in the month of April, I didn’t like what I saw.
Now it is time to return the favour, nearly one year removed from that round one loss that felt like a sweep and a goodbye to Kevin Bieksa. There you go, the key number three. Dennis Wideman is out and so is Ladislav Smid. Just tear the defence to pieces as they did with Vancouver’s last year!
The biggest question for the Flames remains in net. Kari Ramo leads the charge with a .909 save percentage, but he is out for the season with a knee injury. Joni Ortio has carried the load lately, averaging a .909 save percentage.
C’mon Vancouver, let’s, at least, chase a netminder once this season. Give Jacob Markstrom and Ryan Miller a break with a goal fest!
M. Granlund: 12 GP / 2 goals / 1 assist / 4 PIM H. Shinkaruk: 4GP / 1 goal / 1 assist / 0 PIM
Ready to see Hunter Shinkaruk versus Markus Granlund? I am not ready. Are you? Granlund better be ready for a showdown in the Saddledome. You can make the call for yourself. Hoping for a Granlund goal fest, but who knows.
Predictions:
Janik
112. Final. 2. 104. 1
Jeff
Final. 4. 104. 0. 112
Sarah
Final. 4. 104. 2. 112
Me
104. 3. 112. Final. 5
Next: SEASON FINALES: HOME vs. Edmonton
vs. Edmonton Oilers (46-27-5) Monday, April 9th (AWAY, April 6th)
The season finale comes in the form of a good ol’ Northwest Division showdown between Connor McDavid‘s Edmonton Oilers and the Canucks.
The night will be an emotional one. You will have players like Matt Bartkowski and Yannick Weber playing the last game as a Canuck. Probably. You have players like Emerson Etem, Linden Vey, and Markus Granlund who all enter the offseason full of hopes of returning.
The team awards will be announced and… right. Did I just forget about Dan Hamhuis? I think there will be a few tears to be shed on closing night. The resilience of the man and the many others who suffered big injuries, truly admirable.
But on that note, there are pieces that could come to Vancouver in the offseason, including forward Nail Yakupov. The former first-overall pick has fallen out of favour with Edmonton, looking to restart his career in a new city. Benning’s thing, right? Check him out.
And finally, to all you draftists out there. IT IS OVER! THE CANUCKS CANNOT TANK ANYMORE SO JUST SHUSH UP AND ENJOY THE LAST CANUCKS GAME OF THIS SEASON MADE MORE MISERABLE BY YOU. THANK YOU.
Predictions
Janik
148. Final. 2. 104. 1
Sarah
148. Final. 2. 104. 3
Jeff
104. 1. 148. Final. 2
Me
104. 2. 148. Final. 4
Next: The Bottomline
Sep 21, 2015; Victoria, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks fan holds up a sign during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at Q Centre. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /
The Bottomline
Guess what. Season’s ending. The last of the predictions have been made and the last keys to the games have been published. Thank you for sticking through it all, even when the Canucks were in the most miserable stretches of the season.
All Canucks fans deserve a pat on the back. Also, my thanks to the Canucks players for playing through the tough times. I am sure the offseason will be long enough to mull over these things a thousand times but think about the trade deadline, the injuries, the tankings… the list is long.
Almost too long. But with the last of Vancouver Canucks hockey this week, Vancouver will certainly miss nights out in Rogers Arena for a couple of months.
So take away those points from the Kings, get the Flames breaking and tasting some of their own medicine, and the Oilers? Let them do what they are best at doing — losing.
