The Vancouver Canucks will meet the Minnesota Wild in a best-of-five play-in series when hockey resumes. Here are 5 bold predictions for their matchup.
It’s been 17 years since the Vancouver Canucks last met the Minnesota Wild in the playoffs, but thanks to the acceptance of a 24-team NHL playoff format, the two teams will clash once again. This time around it may not exactly be the typical best-of-seven format that fans are so used to seeing, but the playoff intensity will most definitely be alive for the entire duration of this five-game play-in series. Here are five predictions for the highly-touted contest.
1. The series will take five games to determine the winner
The Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild are far more evenly matched than one might think at first glance. Dividing the two Western Conference foes is only a single point in the standings. The Wild are quite honestly a more solid team on the blueline, but the Canucks have elite scoring that can’t be matched. Vancouver’s special teams are far superior to the Wild, and Jacob Markstrom has the ability to steal games better than any goalie in the National Hockey League right now.
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Two totally different teams with two completely separate playing styles. In more normal circumstances, I’d be comfortable giving the edge to the Canucks for the simple fact that they have incredible depth and a relentless attack of scorers, but this year is different, a lot different. These players have been off for nearly three months, will be coming in cold, and expected to jump right back into the craziness of playoff hockey.
The referees nowadays are known for putting away their whistles during the playoffs, and that doesn’t favor the Canucks, a team that relies heavily on their power play to win games. On top of that, defense wins championships. Minnesota comes out on top defensively, so it’ll be up to the Canucks to break them down and find the back of the net at even strength. Vancouver might find themselves down against the Wild, but they’ll hit their groove offensively just in time to take the series in five.
Confidence: 8.5
2. Brock Boeser will lead the Canucks in goals
Say what you want about Brock Boeser’s lack of ability to score goals this season, something tells me he’ll be eager to find the back of the net for the Canucks once the NHL returns for puck drop.
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required), as a native of the state of Minnesota, Boeser will have a lot riding on this series. Growing up a Wild fan, everyone in his circle of friends & family will be giving him a hard time over text message after every game. Boeser went on to say (more jokingly than anything) that because of that, this is more or less a must-win series for him.
"“Yeah, my parents are excited about us playing the Wild, and most of my friends are still Wild fans, so they’re just giving me crap right now in the group chat. As for my roommates, I hope they root for us, or else I might disown them and kick ’em out of the house.”"
Nobody likes scoring goals versus the Wild as much as Boeser does. He began his NHL career with a game-winning goal versus Minnesota, and he’d love to start his playoff career the same way. Boeser put work into his defensive game, something to be proud of, but he’s ready to return to the ice and show Travis Green that this is still his house.
Confidence: 6.0