Vancouver Canucks: No excuses for lack of scoring

Despite a tremendous performance by Anders Nilsson on Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks fell 1-0 to the Winnipeg Jets. The offence continues to struggle, but there are no excuses for it at this point.

The Vancouver Canucks are 28th-overall in the NHL for many reasons. Some folks like to simply blame injuries, the goaltending and the lack of depth on the blue line. But in reality, their poor record up to this point can be directed at the lack of scoring punch.

There were reasons for optimism about the offence turning a corner in 2017-18. General manager Jim Benning picked up Sam Gagner and Thomas Vanek in free agency — two players with the potential to score 20 goals and 50 points.

Prized rookie Brock Boeser was inserted into the line up — and he’s been every bit as advertised. Markus Granlund and Sven Baertschi were to build off of career seasons. Bo Horvat finally had two legitimate top linemates. The Sedins would be the usual Sedins, and Loui Eriksson was due for a bounce-back season.

But after their 1-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, the Canucks continue to somehow find new ways to not puck the puck in the net. Anders Nilsson‘s 29-save performance against one of the NHL’s worst teams went to complete waste.

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Trailing 1-0 in the third period, Gagner took an awful slap shot that didn’t challenge Connor Hellebuyck in the slightest. The Canucks had their chances to put one in, but didn’t capitalize. There are no excuses for it.

With Horvat out, the Canucks once again relied on the Sedins to do the scoring. They’ve done just that, but rebuilding teams don’t ask 37-year-old brothers to carry them.

Eriksson and Gagner are making money to score. Granlund almost hit 20 goals last year, so why is not even half-way there yet?

The Canucks now sit at 2.57 goals per game — fifth-worst in the NHL. We knew this was going to be another tough year in Vancouver, but there were supposed to be some contributors on offence.

Horvat was doing his job before he got injured. Vanek has been just fine. The Sedins and Boeser have performed incredibly well, too. But when the injuries have piled up, nobody else has stepped forward.

Head coach Travis Green will have to go back to some of his roster juggling. The line combinations aren’t working. He may have to change up the system a bit, too. Playing not to loose isn’t an easy way to get the offence going.

Next: Vancouver Canucks top prospects of Week 14

On the bright side, no scoring means a better chance at drafting Rasmus Dahlin with the first-overall pick. But draft lottery winners still have to play with pride, and the Canucks won’t be doing so until they start scoring again.