Vancouver Canucks: 3 takeaways from 6-5 loss to Rangers

Despite putting up five goals, the Vancouver Canucks shaky defence let them down once again in a 6-5 loss to the New York Rangers. Here are three takeaways from the game.

Scoring five goals should be enough to win you NHL games, but the 2017-18 Vancouver Canucks have found countless impressive ways to lose contests like this. They lost 6-5 to a rebuilding New York Rangers team that gutted much of its roster in the past five days.

There were some positives in this game, though. Any contest that features 11 goals is exciting. And we saw a back-and-forth game, which saw the Canucks erase a 3-0 deficit. Brock Boeser scored his 29th goal of the season with 46 seconds left in the third to force overtime. Oh, and Daniel Sedin made history (more on that later).

But despite the entertaining game, the Canucks can only wonder how they managed to lose to a mediocre team on home ice, despite putting up five on Henrik Lundqvist – the best goalie of his generation.

Here are three things we learned from the 6-5 overtime defeat.

Daniel Sedin makes history

Just when many (including myself), thought the Sedins had nowhere go to but downhill, they’ve turned back the clock in 2017-18. Daniel scored his 20th goal of the season on Wednesday, which set a franchise record:

The 37-year-old Daniel just keeps on rolling and can’t be stopped. He’s already matched last year’s point total (44), and has scored 20-plus for the third time in four years. Despite an off year in 2016-17, it seems like he discovered the Fountain of Youth.

Related Story: Canucks need the Sedins to play next year

Head coach Travis Green has given Daniel significantly less playing time, but it’s kept him fresher, healthier and made him better. He’s now on a four-game point streak and has a point in eight of his last nine contests.

It was a great February for Daniel, to say the least. He finishes the month with eight goals and 13 points in 14 games. The man can still play hockey. It’s safe to say coming back for another year is simply a no-brainer for the twins.

Play the kids, good things happen

One of the most frustrating things for Canucks fans in 2017-18? Coach Green often playing his veteran players over the kids, even though this is supposed to be a rebuilding year.

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But Green really made this the Rebuilding Bowl (if you will), giving the young players plenty of ice time and opportunities.

The results? Brock Boeser got his two goals. Newly-acquired Brendan Leipsic added a pair of assists. Nikolay Goldobin lit the lamp once. Bo Horvat continues to stay hot, as he registered one goal and two assists. And hey, Jake Virtanen dished out three hits and a trio of shots on goal.

You see what happens, coach? It’s the young players who are going to generate the scoring chances and the offence – not Nic Dowd, Brandon Sutter or Sam Gagner. Those guys have had their chances.

The season is lost, coach. The Canucks aren’t going to make the playoffs, and they’re becoming a lock to finish in the bottom-five. Don’t keep playing your veterans for no good reason. See what the young players have. Give them their ice time, and watch them do more than the ageing and under-performing veteran players.

Defence needs massive changes

So Chris Tanev – the team’s only reliable and consistent defenceman – will not get traded. Erik Gudbranson is here to stay, since he got that multi-year extension and all. Alex Biega was extended for two years. So those three are probably safe. Let’s not give up on Derrick Pouliot. His strong first half means we should be patient.

But it’s time for general manager Jim Benning to realize the mess he has on the blue line. Ben Hutton, Troy Stecher and Alexander Edler can move the puck, but they cannot be called upon to play shutdown defence in their own zone. Michael Del Zotto? Yeah, may be a good idea to trade him. Retain half the salary if it’s a must.

Benning has to think about moving out three or four of his defencemen. The Canucks cannot and will not get better by playing like this in their own zone. This year’s free agent class has many defensive blueliners, including Jack Johnson, John Carlson, Alexei Emelin, Josh Gorges, Calvin De Haan and old friend Dan Hamhuis.

Next: Canucks mess up the Thomas Vanek trade miserably

Try to sign a couple of them, Mr. Benning. The team’s struggles on defence just get worse and worse. And you know what the definition of insanity is? Trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. So find a trio of new names for next season’s blue line.