Vancouver Canucks Roundtable: Reviewing the 2015-16 Campaign

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The Vancouver Canucks’ 2015-16 campaign had lots to talk about, which is exactly what we will do.

As a Vancouver Canucks blog, we have to review the past season and glimpse into the future, even when there are dark times past and ahead. In our first off-season roundtable, we took a look at what happened in 2015-16 and what we can make of it.

Throughout the spring and summer months, we will discuss various offseason topics with our staff and share our thoughts with you. Ready? Set. Go.

1. The 2015-16 campaign was an up-and-down season for the Canucks — with more lows than highs. Still, there must’ve been something: what was your personal highlight of the season?

Sarah Laug

Yes, it’s true that the 2015-16 campaign was far from ideal but there were definitely memorable moments. Technically, I have two personal highlights.

One was most definitely Daniel Sedin scoring his franchise-leading goal versus the Boston Bruins… seriously, that could not have been timed better.

The second was a moment I saw at a game live when Bo Horvat scored a great goal all on his own effort late in the game to ensure victory against the Carolina Hurricanes. It was quite the goal from a player that has all the potential to be the next franchise leader down the line.

Gerald Morton

I’m guessing, as a Canucks blog, we have to ignore the whole John Scott All Star thing because that was delightful madness. My personal Canucks highlight is both cheap and petty, but oh so satisfying:

That’s right, the ol’ Brandon Prust spear to the groin of Brad Marchand. Prust’s time in Vancouver came to a fizzling end, but it was all worth it for that moment of catharsis.

Jeff Godley

After watching the exploits of Jacob Markstrom in Utica last season, during which he carried the Comets to the AHL finals, I was itching to see him in a Canucks uniform. After all, Jim Benning believed in Markstrom so firmly that he traded away fan favourite Eddie Lack, who had carried the team in the absence of Ryan Miller last year.

Due to injury I had to wait for a few weeks into the season before Markstrom made his first appearance. But he looked every bit the part of a No. 1 goaltender this year, particularly when Miller again suffered an injury and Markstrom was thrust into a starting role.

Markstrom has paid his dues and is ready to carry this team into the future. He showed outstanding positioning, and reads the game well. When he’s dialed in, he knows exactly where the puck is going to go and arrives there early, making difficult saves look routine. I loved watching Markstrom’s arrival this year.

David Joun

Although fighting is going away in hockey, I value old school hockey when played with proper respect. Remember the “line brawl”? The overtime win at home against the surging Florida Panthers (who were on a 12-game winning streak) must have been the best point in the season for me.

Perhaps one of the most entertaining games of the season with so many storylines for the Canucks. It was a Markstrom vs. Luongo showdown. It was Bobby Lou’s homecoming. Daniel Sedin showed us that he is still a force to be reckoned with.

And the Sedins became low-life, something I could write all day on. Seriously. Karma was real for Mr. Potvin, who was hit with some frozen beer from one of the Panthers fans.

Lastly, that brawl may have extended Derek Dorsett‘s career as a Canuck. Yes please, he still has a lot left on his contract.

Steve Boddy

My personal highlight would’ve for sure been the explosive chemistry between Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat after the All Star Break. That made for some entertaining hockey to watch. Especially when the only duo we’ve had to watch for a long time now is the Sedins.

I’m also cautiously optimistic with how Horvat and Emerson Etem finished the year together. Was it five and six-game point streaks? Or six and seven? Either way, it looked like there was something there and the idea of a Baertschi-Horvat-Etem third line, to me, is an exciting idea.

Janik Beichler

Am I allowed to have a highlight that technically wasn’t even part of the season and is a negative highlight but just sums up the Canucks’ season so well? The 2016 Draft Lottery. Vancouver is the only club that dropped two spots compared to the pre-lottery order.

Looking for positives, I will probably have to agree with David and add that streak-breaking game against the Montreal Canadiens. If we can’t have winning streaks, you can’t have them either! Bam! Streaks over.

Next: 2. Good performance, bad performance?

Apr 7, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (53) during the face off against the Calgary Flames during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Which player’s performance were you most pleased with and who disappointed you most?

Sarah Laug

Bo Horvat was the player that both surprised and pleased me the most. It’s no secret that he struggled a little bit before Christmas in his sophomore campaign but after the holidays, he really found his stride consistently in the second half.

Disappointment wise this season, I’d have to say that Radim Vrbata‘s follow-up season was a let down after his success last season. He did have a few highlight-reel moments but most nights he struggled to find his signature finish that made him so dynamic last season.

Gerald Morton

I was extraordinarily pleased with the play of Jacob Markstrom. Granted, this is solely because I was convinced he would never be an NHL-caliber goalie. But his work with Rollie Melanson has paid off and he has been solid.

The disappointment list is long and inclusive. But if I must pick on one performance I’ll single out Matt Bartkowski. He may be the worst defenseman in the league and has absolutely zero upside. Beyond that, he’s a stellar player.

Jeff Godley

I was hoping Sven Baertschi would step up, but I secretly believed he wasn’t capable of it. He took a while, but he proved me and all of his other critics wrong. On some nights he was far and away the best Canucks forward on the ice. He showed real determination in both zones, driving the net with the puck and skating hard on the backcheck without it.

I don’t understand what happened to Alex Burrows. Has he slowed down? Has he lost his touch? I can’t say, but he went from being a perennial hero to dead weight. It would be a shame for Burrows’ career with Vancouver to end in a buyout, but he simply didn’t play well enough to justify his contract.

His one saving grace may be the fact that Chris Higgins has fallen further out of favour and will be a cheaper buyout.

David Joun

Steve Boddy

OK well this question brings me right back to Horvat. He was definitely the guy I was most impressed with. His plus-minus can be justified between going against stronger opposition and being the guy who’s coming onto the ice after the Canucks have yet another awful line change. He wasn’t a liability defensively so the stat is flawed.

Him cracking 40 points though? That’s pretty good. Especially when you consider the bulk of it came in the second half of the season. I can see the guy being a 60-70 point guy down the road.

Disappointment would have to be McCann. But the disappointment is mostly because he started so strong and became more and more irrelevant as the season went on. I’m excited to see if he makes it back on the roster next season but I think that will largely be tied to how his training regimen goes over the off season. I expect he’ll be in Utica, though. Point to ponder, do you think Granlund would be here if McCann had shown he could be a reliable bottom-six centre?

Janik Beichler

Again, I will have to agree with David on Jannik Hansen — not only because he has a pretty cool first name — and add something of my own. How is everybody overlooking Jake Virtanen? He came in as a rookie, got bashed after a rather unfortunate World Junior appearance but recovered and became one of the team’s best defensive players. Add some scoring to that and you’ll have exactly the player he was supposed to be!

The list of disappointments is indeed a long one. Bartkowski and Vrbata are the obvious choices here. However, I am also slightly disappointed in Horvat’s defensive play. He was not a defensive liability but you can’t be on the ice for that many goals against.

Next: 3. Hey Willie D, you stayin'?

Jan 14, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Vancouver Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins looks on from behind the bench against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Willie Desjardins will remain head coach for now, but how secure do you think his job is at this point?

Sarah Laug

As with any head coaching job when your team is stuck in a rut or tough stretch, there is no security.

Do I think Willie Desjardins will be back next season? Yes. Do I think he has the ability to be the coach that many fans and media are currently doubting? Yes. But more than that, next season is a big opportunity for him to show his critics and his players that he is committed to helping this team take the next step forward. He instills in his players a will to believe in themselves and each other, an attitude that can go a long way towards helping turn a team around.

Gerald Morton

I’d love to know what happens among the cabal of Trevor Linden and the Aquilini family. I’d also like to attend a Bohemian Grove gathering. I suspect both are filled with a lot of rich people proving you don’t need to be incredibly smart or capable to be rich.

In other words, I have no idea if he’s safe. Too many decisions with this team are not made by hockey savvy minds. My guess: probably. He is a good fatherly coach for the youngsters as they develop. And, as Edmonton is showing us, it’s a bad idea to cycle through coaches too quickly.

Jeff Godley

Honestly, I think Willie Desjardins has been blamed for too much. Question his line combinations if you will — I certainly have — but given the injuries and other personnel issues he had this past season, it’s a stretch to think that changing coaches would have changed the Canucks’ fortunes.

I also think Willie has a great approach to the young players; namely, they must earn their ice time. They need to maintain a high work ethic for the coach to continue to play them. This is a good message for young players. Ultimately, the players, the GM and the president have all expressed confidence in Desjardins, and I see no reason to doubt them.

David Joun

Bruce Boudreau has been eliminated from the first round. Daryl Sutter’s contract is up with the Kings. Marc Crawford is up for grabs. Not sure if any of these names will be available come November, but if the Canucks are not playing with life — regardless of how bad a record that they may have a month into the season — with all the healthy bodies back… you would have to think that the Canucks are going to talk to Willie about his job.

Steve Boddy

I’m not a huge fan of Willie. I find some of his line combinations and deployment utterly bizarre. His obsession with Linden Vey was getting out of hand, too. I do think he’s creating the right competitive, be responsible environment for the Canucks to develop guys in though. And that’s important. Ultimately though, I think his job should probably be as secure as Travis Green‘s likelihood to leave the organization. That guy should be the succession plan, he’s earned it.

Janik Beichler

A coach never looks good when his team is that bad. But was that really Desjardins fault? Sure, he did seem quite obsessed with Vey and made some other odd decisions like putting Prust in as the extra attacker in the final minutes of play. But that’s not the reason the Canucks were as bad as they were.

Give him another chance and see where it goes. Premature decisions are never a good idea.

Next: 4. Playoffs 2017?

4. The Canucks want to make the playoffs every year — will they be back in 2017?

Sarah Laug

As a fan, you always want to see your team make the postseason and be able to be a part of the frenzy that is playoff hockey. Do I think they will be back in 2017? I think it’s definitely a possibility and I, for one, look forward to every single moment that will be a part of the 2016-2017 season.

Gerald Morton

No.There is no reason to think they won’t be much worse.

Jeff Godley

I think they have an outside chance for a couple reasons. First, with their top-five pick they might be able to snag a player who can make an immediate impact. Second, they spent the entire year missing their second-line center to injury; three of their top-four defensemen were out of the lineup at the same time at one point. A healthier lineup will make an improvement on it’s own. Third, the Canucks have added some puck-moving defensemen in Larsen and Stecher, who could step in and improve the Canucks zone exits.

David Joun

If the Canucks retain Dan Hamhuis while getting a top-six winger like Okposo or Eriksson, the Canucks should have a chance to battle for the wild card spots. Of course, a Matthews would have made all the difference.

Steve Boddy

I think it’s possible. I don’t think it was wrong or incorrect when Benning said had the Canucks been healthy, they would’ve been challenging for a wild card spot. I also think when the Canucks don’t have disaster d men like Bartkowski or an AHLer like Biega as full time d men, it’s gonna make a huge difference. Don’t forget how many games Van still pushed to OT or lost by one even with very suspect D.

Janik Beichler

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Next: 5. Success with the twins?

5. What does the club have to improve to be successful again, and will it happen before the Sedins retire?

Sarah Laug

To be successful moving forward they need to develop from within and that begins from the day a player is drafted (or signed if undrafted) to the day they are called up and/or earn a roster spot.

The Sedins retiring is a terrible truth that will eventually come true but before that day comes, any and all players will learn from two of best in the league what it means to be a professional both on and off the ice. The Sedins are career Canucks and it would give me absolute joy to see them succeed and have that big moment before their careers end.

The Canucks have come tantalizingly close to that success and to get back to that level will definitely take a lot of work, but if there are two players that are determined to get there, it is Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

Gerald Morton

More from The Canuck Way

They need to build a time machine and not waste a decade worth of draft picks (this was a sci-fi / fantasy themed roundtable, right?). They need to get as many picks and prospects as possible for the assets they have. First, and above all, they need to concentrate on a terrible defence core, lacking in both NHL talent, and prospects.

This won’t happen before the Sedins retire. I love the Sedins, but they are undeniably on the decline. Of course, their peak was high and their decline is still good. But my fondest wish is that they have a chance to pull a Ray Bourque and win a Cup.

As a fan of them, I’d be thrilled. As a Canucks fan, I’d be excited for a handful of picks and prospects in return. Trevor Linden was the heart and soul of this organization. He was traded. He came back. Nobody thinks of Linden as anything but a Vancouver Canuck.

A season or two away won’t change anyone’s vision of the Sedins either.

Jeff Godley

With Miller, Markstrom, and now Thatcher Demko, goaltending is an area of strength. They could use a puck-moving defenseman who can shoot the puck on the powerplay and a new Radim Vrbata — a top-six winger who can score goals. Anton Rodin will join the team next season, but it might be unfair to expect him to step in and score 20 goals in his first NHL season.

If the Sedins stay healthy the next two seasons, there’s a chance they could play beyond their current contract. And if that happens, I’m pretty confident the Canucks can become a good team in that time frame. Jim Benning has taken the Canucks from almost no prospects to a healthy pool of potential NHL players in the space of two years. Scouting is becoming an organizational strength, and that alone gives me hope for the near future.

David Joun

The Canucks need time and luck mixed in with a daring Benning as a GM. The prospects are piling up, led by Demko and Brock Boeser. With luck, perhaps McCann can be something bigger and Philip Larsen a game-changing top-six defender who scores double-digit goals consistently. Be patient, and the draft will yield steals, perhaps Tate Olson and the three playing in the QMJHL.

Then Benning has to be aggressive with player acquisition. Pursue Drake Craggiula. Pursue the big free agents with the spending in mind. Trade and exploit other teams’ cap or roster space struggles. Really, not much different from cherry picking players like Baertschi and Granlund — just bring it up a notch and get some bigger pieces!

Don’t worry about losing a potential NHLer in, let’s say, Kyle Pettit. Dare to trade some young pieces – they are the currency of the new NHL. If that happens in the next two years and coincides with the pro-coming of Boeser and the first-round selection at this year’s draft, the Canucks will enjoy themselves some happy nights at the Rog.

Steve Boddy

The Canucks need goal scorers. They need someone to succeed Edler. They have their bottom six and enough talent in Utica to cover for injuries there. The same goes for the bottom-four D-men.

What they don’t have is guys to take the reigns of the first line from the Sedins. And at 36 years old, the Canucks really do need a new first line. Maybe that elite talent will be Baertschi? Horvat? McCann? Virtanen? Boeser? Those are all pretty big question marks though right now. Getting a stud forward at the draft could go a very long way for this team.

Next: Canucks in for Blockbuster Trade?

Janik Beichler

The Canucks had an incredible amount of injuries throughout the season. Still, it is tough to say what a healthy roster could have done. I’m just going to say it would not have been enough and it won’t be enough next year either.

Vancouver will have to go through a long rebuild and it will be another five years until they can even start to think about the Stanley Cup again — too late for the Sedins.

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