Canucks: 6 players that exceeded expectations this season
Elias Pettersson powered through sophomore year
The sophomore slump. For whatever reason, a lot of young skilled players hit a brick wall in terms of production in their second season of professional hockey. That was never the case for the Canucks franchise forward, Elias Pettersson.
Matching his rookie total of 66 points, Pettersson did it with 27 goals and 39 helpers through three fewer games. He wasn’t as flashy in year two. The NHL had picked up on how talented he really is, and he was forced to modify his game and find new ways to be effective. But that’s what superstars do. They train hard in the offseason and come back with a whole new set of skills to dominate their opponents. Take Sidney Crosby for example. He’s always better next year.
Adding size and muscle to his frame, Pettersson became a better all-around player and often led the team in points. Although he finished second on the team this year in total points, he was above and beyond the most talented forward in the group. His ability to quietly drive play was extraordinary, and If it wasn’t for his relentless need to be the best, Vancouver would have never made it.
Fast-forward to his NHL Playoffs debut, and Petey put the doubters to bed. Weighing in at 176 pounds, fans worried about him getting tossed around under the pressure of playoff hockey. He took his bumps and bruises like any other player, never complained, and found a way to be productive every single night.
When all was said and done, Pettersson led all Canucks in playoff points and finished with 18 (seven goals, 11 assists) through 17 total games. At that point, he trailed only Nathan MacKinnon (arguably the NHL’s best player) for the NHL lead. Simply remarkable. He’s proven to be a playoff warrior who will be hungry for more now that he’s had his first taste.
J.T. Miller emerged as a complete 2-way forward
You can argue all you want that the Canucks never had to give up a conditional first-round pick to acquire J.T. Miller from the cap-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning, but after exceeded expectations completely, it doesn’t really matter anymore.
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What a wonderful surprise the American forward instantly became for Vancouver. Without a letter on his sweater, Miller was thrown into a leadership role upon arrival in beautiful BC, and boy did he ever deliver. He put the young guns under his wing and immediately turned the Canucks’ top-six into one of the best.
The discovery of the “Lotto-line” took Vancouver’s scoring over the top. The trio of Miller, Pettersson, and Brock Boeser held one of the greatest CorsiFor percentages all season long, and when they were on, boy were they ever good at creating offense and scoring highlight-reel goals.
Miller was snuffed from the All-Star Weekend in favor of teammates Pettersson, Hughes, and Jacob Markstrom, but he used the time off to come back rested and ultimately lead the team in points (72) when the regular season was cut short by 13 games.
I would be shocked if he’s not awarded an alternate captaincy next season. He was a complete 200ft player with captain qualities all over him. At a friendly $5.25 million, the Canucks own his rights for three more seasons and should expect similar production from him throughout his contract.
Bo Horvat was a successful captain in his first year
He was named the 13th captain in Vancouver Canucks history, but when his career is complete he’ll likely go down as one of (if not) the greatest Canucks captains of all-time.
Bo Horvat did a lot of things right this season. He fulfilled the yearly goal of making the playoffs and he did it while playing alongside a revolving door of average or below average wingers. Sure, the Lotto line took care of the majority of the offense. Hughes got things done defensively. Markstrom played was an incredible goaltender. But Horvat was the glue that kept it all in place.
He went to work on the faceoff circle and established himself as one of the NHL’s best. He was a goal-scoring force on the first power play unit. He yet again posted career setting points per game numbers. He did a lot of things right, and he did it with a young and exciting team around him.
What was probably his best string of games throughout his NHL career, Horvat dominated in the playoffs and raised his compete level to first-line heights. He single-handedly took down the St. Louis Blues with back-to-back two-goal games, and prior to being eliminated from the playoffs, he was leading all NHL players in the goal department (10).
I would have liked to see more bite from him in the series versus the Vegas Golden Knights, but all in all, he was better than expected. Playing five games in seven nights the team simply ran out of gas in the tank. It was all a learning experience in his first year as captain, but the way he handled himself on and off the ice made him look like a veteran captain. He did a wonderful job taking the torch from Henrik Sedin.