What if the Vancouver Canucks miss the playoffs in 2020?

After a busy offseason, the Vancouver Canucks look set to push for a playoff spot next year. But what happens if they miss out on the big dance in 2020?

The Vancouver Canucks have missed the playoffs in each of the last four years, but general manager Jim Benning loaded up this offseason in hopes of ending the drought.

Benning added a pair of capable top six forwards and 20-goal scorers in J.T. Miller (via trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Micheal Ferland (signed to a four-year pact worth $14 million). That should take care of the Canucks’ long-term secondary scoring woes.

Needing to address the blue line, Benning also signed Tyler Myers, Jordie Benn and Oscar Fantenberg while parting ways with Derrick Pouliot and likely Ben Hutton — who remains unsigned.

Now, there are no excuses. The Canucks have added a handful of impact veterans to help a tremendous young core consisting of Bo Horvat, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and rookie Quinn Hughes — who promises to make a big impact in his first full season. They simply need to make the playoffs in 2020.

I personally believe the Canucks are more than capable of competing for a playoff berth in 2020. Right now, I’m projecting around 95 points for this team. But you always have to prepare for the worst case scenario. What happens if the Canucks don’t qualify next year?

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Benning is entering the final year of his contract, and if the Canucks miss out on the playoffs again, it’s hard to see ownership giving him an extension. Whether it’s Benning’s fault or not, the Aquilinis will most certainly look for a new leader in the front office if it’s another year with no postseason action.

What other changes would the Canucks try to make? They’re obviously committed to winning with their young stars, and they wouldn’t deal the likes of Myers, Miller and Ferland after just one season.

Maybe the Canucks would move on from head coach Travis Green, even though he’s done a remarkable job steering this rebuilding group in the right direction.

Would the Aquilinis want to look for their fifth head coach in less than a decade? That would most certainly not solve the problem, but ownership might run out of patience anyway and thus look for a change behind the bench.

In terms of the roster? Benning or the new Vancouver GM would probably move on from Chris Tanev, and perhaps they would deal Alexander Edler. The front office would probably look to shed a portion of veterans — namely Jay Beagle, Brandon Sutter and Antoine Roussel. This would clear more cap space and allow them to chase more big names in the 2020 class.

The season hasn’t started yet, and we won’t know for another eight months if the Canucks will make the playoffs or not. But the organization needs to have all angles covered, and if the Canucks miss the postseason in 2020, you can expect quite a few changes.

Again, I do expect this team to be fighting for a playoff spot throughout the entire year. But fair or not, more than one person will take the fall if the club don’t qualify in 2020. Here’s hoping the Canucks can end the drought.