Vancouver Canucks: Milestone watch for 2018-19 season

Although this season may not go so well, there are Canucks who could reach a few milestones.

Milestones are fun. It gives us a chance to celebrate a player’s achievements using a nice round number. Every season provides some opportunity for a milestone, big or small. CanucksArmy looked at potential milestones a couple seasons ago, even making predictions on when these could happen.

I won’t be able to predict it to the game, but I’ll take my best guess at which month these achievements are met. The milestones I feature today will be ones that will likely happen during the season. I don’t want this to go too far, so I will only focus on games played, goals, assists and points for skaters. Games played will require at least 300 to qualify.

Additionally, I will only highlight milestones that are a multiple of 100. Why? Like I said, I like round numbers. Also, if we start looking at multiples of 50, then every player will have a milestone, some with multiple. Without further ado, let’s see who is close to an achievement!

Sven Baertschi

Milestone: 300 career games played (currently at 259)

Sven Baertschi has had some trouble staying healthy as a Vancouver Canuck, but hopefully, this season is different. The Swiss forward is fairly close to reaching 300 games, even if he does catch the injury bug, he should still hit this milestone. Assuming all goes well, Baertschi should hit this total by mid-January.

Jay Beagle

Milestone: 500 career games played (currently at 471)

I may not love the contract, but Jay Beagle is approaching an incredible milestone. Making this league is one thing, but finding a way to stick around for 500 games is nothing to scoff at. Only 25 Canucks have achieved this. For an undrafted player, that’s not a bad way to leave the game. The Stanley Cup ring is pretty nice too. Beagle should reach this milestone in December.

Brock Boeser

Milestone: 100 career points (currently at 60)

Brock Boeser is already near 100 career points! Not surprising, considering how well his NHL debut and rookie season went. I think Boeser will cruise by the 40 points he needs around January.

Michael Del Zotto

Milestone: 600 career games played (currently at 566)

One thing to note about the Canucks defence is the veteran presence throughout. Veterans log a lot of games and Michael Del Zotto is no exception. Del Zotto was the lone defender last season to play in every single game. That durability will ensure he hits this milestone in December.

Loui Eriksson

Milestone: 900 career games played (currently at 840)

Loui Eriksson has had a rough ride in Vancouver. Frequent injuries, bouncing around the lineup and the looming spectre of his contract. With that said, the maligned forward is close to a huge milestone at 900 career games. I’m playing with a little fire since this milestone requires him to be healthy, but I think Loui can do it. If he does, it will be around March.

Alexander Edler

Milestone: 800 career games played (currently at 758)

Alexander Edler. 758 games, all with the Vancouver Canucks. Eagle is approaching an impressive career milestone after becoming the points leader among all Canucks defencemen in franchise history last season. When Edler reaches this milestone, he will play more games for the franchise than any other defenceman before him. He also has an opportunity to become the all-time goals leader for franchise blue liners. This season could be special in more ways than one for Edler. Eagle should hit this milestone by February.

Sam Gagner

Milestone 1: 800 career games played (currently at 770)

I never expected Sam Gagner to have two milestones on deck when I started doing research for this, but here we are. As long as Gagner can stay healthy, this should be easily achievable by December.

Milestone 2: 300 career assists (currently at 281)

Smiling Sammy (as Wyatt Arndt calls him) has his sights set on a decent milestone. With an expected bigger role on the power play this year, this should be easier for him to achieve. Although, the Sedins won’t be feeding Gagner pucks this year. But he should still hit this around March.

Erik Gudbranson

Milestone: 400 career games played (currently at 391)

The famous defenceman who coined the idea that it takes 300 games for an NHL defenceman to figure things out. Well, Erik Gudbranson is almost at 400 games and has yet to do that. Anyway, it should only take a few weeks into October to hit that milestone.

Bo Horvat

Milestone 1: 300 career games played (currently at 295)

It’s going to be a great year for Bo Horvat. In October, he will easily crack the 300 game mark. He will join the 61 other Canucks who played at least 300 with the club.

Milestone 2: 100 career goals (currently at 71)

This will be the most difficult to achieve, but if Horvat can correct some of his deficiencies and stay healthy, he can pull off a 30-goal season. That is more than enough to reach the century mark in career goals. And this could possibly done by his 24th birthday in April.

Milestone 3: 100 career assists (currently at 90)

Unlike his goal totals, this should be an easy milestone to reach by November. Setting up Brock Boeser for one of the Flow’s incredible goals isn’t a bad way to reach that achievement.

Milestone 4: 200 career points (currently at 161)

With the assistance of the the middle two milestones and being a consistent 40+ point producer, this should also be very attainable. I would expect a healthy Horvat to reach this goal around mid-January.

Brandon Sutter

Milestone: 700 games played (currently at 657)

Those Sutters really know how to stick around. Brandon Sutter approaches 700 games and although he is not the best player from his famous family, he is achieving something very notable. Sutter should achieve this in February.

dark. Next. Brock Boeser will play in charity game

Chris Tanev

Milestone: 400 games played (currently at 390)

Last, but certainly not least is the very best on the current Canucks blue line, Chris Tanev. Closing in on 400 games, he joins the 13 defencemen in Canucks history to accomplish this. The Canucks gave an undrafted kid attending the Roster Institute of Technology and it has paid off. Tanev may be injury-prone, but he should easily achieve this milestone by November.

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