Vancouver Canucks roundtable: Scoring leaders, playoff chances, more

In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks roundtable, we discuss who will lead the team in scoring, which players face the most pressure and the ones who may be traded mid-season.

The Vancouver Canucks open up their 2018-19 season against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena tonight, and expectations remain quite low for this team in the post-Sedin era.

The good news is that there is plenty to be excited about. Brock Boeser scored 55 points in 62 games last season and was a nominee for the Calder Trophy. What can the 21-year-old do in his second season, especially if he stays healthy?

There’s also plenty of hype on 2017 first round pick Elias Pettersson, who should eventually morph into the face of this franchise. Will that be in his rookie year? Will Pettersson win the Calder Trophy? No matter how he plays this season, we can all agree it’s been ages since the Canucks had a player that brought this much anticipation and excitement.

Plenty must go right for the Canucks to hang around in the playoff race this upcoming season, but Vancouver does host the 2019 NHL draft. Thus, maybe another bad season will lead to the first overall pick — also referred to as Jack Hughes.

Other than seeing how the young kids fare, there aren’t too many major storylines that need watching. Head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning are safe. The Sedin twins retired last year, so there’s no farewell ceremony to prepare ourselves for.

But as we prepare for another season, our staff here at The Canuck Way decided to discuss a variety of topics — ranging from potential trade candidates to the team scoring leaders. Read on for more, and enjoy the season.

2. Which Canuck do you think is the most likely to get traded?

Scott Rosenhek

As he is in the final year of his contract, I think the Canucks will try to find a trade partner for Michael Del Zotto. Somehow, Jim Benning just learned last season that defencemen are valuable at the trade deadline.

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He has to clear up space on that left side for Quinn Hughes/Olli Juolevi and the team’s DJ may bring back a mid round pick. His contract is easy to take on at the end of the season and has no trade protection.

Alex Hoegler

Have to go with Alexander Edler here, and it’s not much of a question. The Canucks can’t extend a player that turns 33 next year, especially considering his inability to stay healthy.

Michael Del Zotto won’t give the Canucks much of a return in a trade. Edler would, given his power play history and ability to play in any team’s top-four.

Thankfully, Benning has learned the importance of trading a veteran UFA at the deadline, rather than lose him for nothing. I’m expecting Edler to be gone, even though he’s yet to show a willingness of waiving his no-movement clause. It’ll happen when a handful of contenders make serious offers for him, and Edler will realize the desire to chase a Stanley Cup.

Andrew Nazareth

Michael Del Zotto. Regardless of what the analytics paint him to be, he is still regarded as a serviceable defenceman around the league. Since he is on a expiring contract, look for the Canucks to trade him for a mid round pick or a c-level prospect in the Tyler Motte mold.

Chris Faber

I do not believe the Canucks have plenty of trade options. They may be able to flip Del Zotto or Ben Hutton for a late pick,  when there are some injuries to other teams closer to playoff time.

There is a possibility that Alexander Edler could waive his no trade and be moved down to the Tampa Bay Lightning or one of the California teams. I’m sure he’d fit in just fine with those San Jose Sharks, but who wouldn’t at this point?

If a team wants to take Edler, it would be to shore up a top-four spot. Th return could potentially be a second round pick. I would like to believe that the most relevant likely to be trade piece would be Edler.

Tyler Shipley

It has to be Chris Tanev. He’s the most marketable veteran the Canucks have and I would have been glad to see him traded last year when teams were paying top price for d. I would be pushing hard on any team with injuries.

The Leafs have a lot of question marks on the back end and need one or two veteran pieces back there to replace/upgrade on Roman Polak and Ron Hainsey. Tanev fits, and should generate a good return. I love the Tan Man but this is the right move. Obviously, Sutter should be traded, but it’s less likely that Jimbo realizes that.

3. How optimistic are you about their chances of making the playoffs?

Scott Rosenhek

The Canucks won’t be matching last year’s finish, so what does that tell you? We all know the only way the Canucks make the playoffs is if a series of miracles take place. I don’t see Jacob Markstrom pulling off 40 wins anytime soon.

Nor do I see every member of their top six converting on 30% of their shots. Do you want odds? Vegas has 80-1 odds of the Canucks winning the Stanley Cup. So, I’ll guess they have about a 5% chance of making the playoffs.

Alex Hoegler

I don’t think the Canucks will be as bad as people believe; at least five teams will finish lower than them this year. However, a lot simply has to go right for the Canucks to make the playoffs. They need people not named Bo, Elias or Brock to score a lot of goals.

The continually inconsistent defence must become above-average. Markstrom needs to have a major breakout year that will probably never come, especially considering this will be Thatcher Demko‘s team down the road.

I’m expecting the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights to regress. I’m also expecting the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers to get back in the playoffs. Vancouver needs the Pacific Division to reach a new low, which isn’t happening. I’d give them a seven percent chance at the playoffs.

Andrew Nazareth

If Boeser, Horvat, and Baertschi improve on their offensive totals, and Pettersson comes as advertised, I wouldn’t put it past the Canucks to challenge for a wild card spot.

The Canucks would also need 30-plus points each from guys like Nikolay Goldobin, Loui Eriksson, and Brendan Leipsic, as well as solid overall team defence to have a fighting chance. These thresholds for playoff consideration are feasible for this team, but the odds are not in the Canucks favour if the preseason is any indication (which historically it isn’t).

Chris Faber

Not very. This team is still in rebuilding mode, and there should be no rush from anyone in the organization about making a playoff push.

I’m also not saying it is impossible. If everything were to go right for this team, the defence and goaltending were to hold up and young guys took great leaps in talent, then this team could chip away at making a wildcard spot. Likely, that will not all be coming true this season, and that is fine! Let’s load up on another high draft pick and build a team that competes for Stanley Cups down the road.

Tyler Shipley

Utterly not. Not in a thousand years. The Canucks will be lucky to not finish dead last. The disasters in Ottawa and Montreal are the only reason I’m not putting all my money on last-place.

4. Who do you believe will lead the Canucks in scoring, and why?

Scott Rosenhek

If we mean leading by goals scored, I will go with Brock Boeser. He is going to join the 30-goal club barring any injuries. Right now, he is our best goal scorer and if Elias Pettersson feeding him pucks on the power play, Boeser is going to light it up.

I do hope head coach Travis Green tries an even strength line with Pettersson playing centre for Boeser. Those two could do some damage if they can find some instant chemistry.

Alex Hoegler

Tough call here. Horvat, Pettersson and Boeser all stand good chances at leading the team. But since I believe Boeser will get around 40 goals, it’s only fair to believe he’ll lead the Canucks with 70-plus points.

Horvat’s ceiling is probably around 60 points, and it’s anybody’s guess how Pettersson will fare in his rookie season. Boeser missed 20 games last year and yet tied Daniel Sedin for the team lead with 55 points. Imagine what Boeser can do if he plays 70-plus games.

It will be close between Boeser and Horvat, but I’ll give the former the edge here.

Andrew Nazareth

Elias Pettersson. Boeser will be the leading goal scorer, but Elias Pettersson’s play making ability will help him rack up points, especially on the power play.

Chris Faber

I am confident that Brock Boeser will lead this team in scoring. He has came into this season with more muscle mass in order to stay healthy, and thus play a full season with this team.

If his rookie season was any indication of what the future hold for Boeser is, then we are in for a nice surprise. Right now, it looks to me that Boeser is trying to figure his body out a bit. He may be squeezing the stick a bit too hard but as we saw last season, once Boeser gets going on the power play, he is a force to be reckoned with.

Tyler Shipley

I’m going to be bold here and say that I think it’s going to be Pettersson. He was so dynamic in the preseason, he seems to have such good hockey instincts, he doesn’t seem the least bit fazed by the adaptation to the NHL game. He really impressed me and I think that even on a team as bad as the Canucks he is going to put points on the board.

5. If the Canucks are a bottom-five team again, does Jim Benning get fired?

Scott Rosenhek

I don’t even know anymore. Three straight bottom-five finishes couldn’t do it. However, I believe the key is in how the Canucks get there. If they get pulverized night in and night out, I don’t think ownership will be happy. Elias Pettersson struggling in any way will not help and if Vancouver is already out of the playoffs by December, maybe just maybe, the axe will fall on Jim Benning.

Alex Hoegler

Nope. The Canucks gave Benning a contract extension in February further showing that ownership has full confidence in his vision for the future. Love or hate Benning, but the man has given Vancouver its best pool of prospects ever.

The Canucks can’t start making a series of head coaching and GM changes. There aren’t exactly any other candidates that are must-haves. Who would the Canucks hire to replace Benning if he got fired?

Give Benning a couple of more years before ownership thinks about firing him. Benning’s plan is slowly coming together, and it wouldn’t make sense to fire him because Vancouver secured another top draft selection in 2019 with a porous season.

Andrew Nazareth

He will not get fired. If Trevor Linden’s dismissal is any indication, Benning is ownership’s man.

Say what you want about his asset management or vision of the rebuild, the Canucks drafting record (particularly in the later rounds) has improved vastly under his watch. Drafting is the number priority right now, and Benning is doing a good job. He is safe.

Chris Faber

Nope, Benning would need to have the complete train fall off the tracks for himself to be fired this year. Ownership is confident in Jim Benning, and after the Linden situation, they seem to have convinced the owners that he’s the man for the job.

Clearly, Benning has done a good job in the draft department. But if he were to make anymore egregious trades or signings, then his job will be questioned. If he can avoid making any new headache deals for the Canucks moving forward, Benning will keep his job. The scouting team and personal expertise in the draft is vital to have as a strength, moving forward in this rebuild.

Tyler Shipley

In my view, he should have never been extended. His mistakes far outweigh his successes. I worry that his leash is still too long.

Everyone expects a bottom-five finish, so it won’t come as a surprise, and therefore Jimbo might avoid some of the heat that would fall on a GM who has a disappointing season. Unfortunately I don’t think we are into the realm of moving on from Jim.