Never before has there been such a debate as to who should be the Vancouver Canucks’ MVP of the year. The Canuck Way writers weigh in on this hot topic.
Nobody can deny the fact that the 2019-20 Vancouver Canucks are loaded with MVP-calibre players. Last season’s MVP Jacob Markstrom was yet again spectacular all year long, and the same thing could be said for the sophomore season of Elias Pettersson.
A couple of newcomers weren’t so bad either. J.T. Miller was a force from beginning to end leading all Canucks in scoring, and Quinn Hughes was a rookie sensation with power play quarterbacking skills that were never short of breathtaking.
Put all of that together and Vancouver has a scary concoction that can mess you up in a hurry. Quinn provides the ice with his calm and cool demeanor and Pettersson’s PP1 one-timer acts as the alcohol to meet it. Miller’s bag of skills is the perfect mixer, and Markstrom is the glass that holds it all together. Sounds tasty, doesn’t it?
But as fun and exciting as it was to watch these four players in action this year, there has to be one player that stands above the rest as team MVP. The writers here at The Canuck Way got together to discuss our thoughts on who should be crowned victorious. We also reached out to Twitter to see what the fans think! Let’s dive in.
Brayden Ursel
There is reason to believe that four different Canucks could be awarded team MVP this season. Markstrom was a pad-stacking godsend, Pettersson was a top-five possession specialist, Miller was the leading scorer, and Hughes proved to be one of the league’s very best power play quarterbacks. But as remarkable as everyone truly was, I stand with EP40 arguing why he deserves the honors.
Markstrom was an unbelievable goaltender this season don’t get me wrong, but what Pettersson did for the Canucks and his teammates this year made an even bigger impact overall. Pettersson enjoyed a career-year statistically and his possession numbers carried every single one of his linemates this season to do the same. Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, Miller, and Hughes all had their best point per game performances to date.
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The power play was the Canucks’ best weapon this season and that didn’t happen until the arrival of Hughes. Effortlessly he would gain possession of the puck, enter the zone, and either fire a shot on net, or feed Pettersson in the slot. With his help, the Canucks had a top-four power play, but at the end of the day, it was Pettersson who more often than not slammed home the game-winner. There is no stopping that Ovechkin-like one-timer he’s produced. Without Pettersson, where does the power play finish?
You could argue that Miller’s point production is enough to take away Pettersson’s eligibility for MVP. After all, he scored the same amount of goals as Pettersson this year and finished with six more points. He may have even had the edge on consistency, but still, with no Pettersson next to him it’s hard to imagine Miller being solid enough to carry the team.
Every player has their case to make. The talent this year runs deep. Markstrom made the saves. Miller won the face-offs. Hughes quarterbacked the power play. But when all is said and done, everything the Canucks did ultimately drove through Pettersson, and that is why he should be crowned this season’s MVP of the Vancouver Canucks.
Jasmine Yen
When Jim Benning traded for Miller, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the situation. A first-round pick was a hefty price to pay at the time, but Miller’s performance throughout his first year with Vancouver has completely taken away all the doubt. He set new career highs in goals (27) and assists (45) while also leading the team in points with 72 in just 69 games.
His arrival completely changed the dynamic of the team and is a big reason for their playoff push. The addition of Miller bolstered the Canucks’ depth and gave them two very strong offensive lines. The team’s power play improved drastically, going from 17.1% last season to 24.2% this season and their goals per game went from 2.7 to 3.2 with Miller involved.
The American’s production helped solidify their top-six offensively, and what he did on the defensive side of the puck went a long way too. He provided great leadership for the young stars on the team and lead by example every time he was on the ice. His average of 20:06 minutes per game leads all forwards on the Canucks which goes to show just how much Travis Green trusts the veteran. He’s an all-around good hockey player.
This trade helped speed up the Canucks’ rebuild process and drastically improved the team. That is why, in my opinion, Miller is should be named the MVP of the Vancouver Canucks.