Canucks: 2019-20 season grades for top-six forwards

Season grades for Horvat, Toffoli, Pearson

Bo Horvat:

The Canucks 13th captain in franchise history took the torch from Henrik Sedin and ran with it. The season’s worst-kept secret was unveiled at the Canucks home opener (the third game of the season) when Horvat was officially given the “C” on his sweater at center ice alongside first-ever captain Orland Kurtenbach and fan-favorite, twin Henrik.

Groomed for years, Travis Green felt Bo was ready for the honor and he couldn’t have been more correct about that. Despite being anchored by Loui Eriksson on his wing for major durations of the season, Horvat powered through and set another career-high for points per game. He was a pivotal piece on the power play and he leapfrogged Boeser as a secondary finisher. In fact, he scored more goals than any other Canuck while up a man.

When he wasn’t getting it done offensively, Horvat was doing his best to shut down the top lines of all 30 other NHL teams. Winning 57.3% of his faceoffs taken, he was leaned on for important draws more than anyone, especially in his own end.

The captain turned up in the playoffs. In fact, up until the Canucks were eliminated, he was leading all NHL players in goals. He converted 10 times through 17 games and managed back-to-back two-goal nights versus the defending Stanley Cup champions. Only Trevor Linden and Pavel Bure have more goals in a single playoff run. A record Horvat could have shattered if Vancouver made it to the finals. All in all, a very solid inaugural season as captain. Green made the right choice.

Regular season: 69GP, 53P (22G, 31A)
2020 Playoffs: 17GP, 12P (10G, 2A)
Grade: A-

Tanner Pearson:

He formed instant chemistry with Horvat upon arrival in a trade the season prior. That didn’t change this year, in fact, the connection between the pair only grew both offensively and defensively. He gave Horvat a solid option on the left side and his consistent play made the Erik Gudbranson trade laughable. Benning looked like a western bandit with a grin from ear to ear.

He was a big part of the team’s secondary scoring line, but on a nightly basis, he was Green’s go-to defensive forward. An unsung hero of sorts who paced for a 50+ point season for the first time in his career. Regardless, he scored the most points of any season played and he looked like he had more to give.

As one of the players on the team with playoff experience and a Stanley Cup ring, Pearson’s performance inside the bubble was average. He managed to be effective here and there, but he was too streaky to be a solid supporting cast member. The Canucks could have used more from him offensively.

Regular season: 69GP. 45P (21G, 24A)
2020 Playoffs: 17GP, 8P (4G, 4A)
Grade: B

Tyler Toffoli:

If you thought Pearson was a good edition, Toffoli was even better. His time in a Canucks uniform has been short, but he’s been instantly effective when playing with Pettersson at five-on-five and the power play. He knows exactly where he needs to be and when he needs to be there. His timing and positioning couldn’t be any better.

Through his 10 regular-season games, he tallied six goals and four assists playing on the top line in place of an injured Boeser. His performance was so good that when Boeser returned, it was too late for him to reclaim his spot on the top line. Toffoli proved to be the final piece to the top-six puzzle. He scored five times at even strength and once on the man-advantage. Although he isn’t the biggest player, his net-front presence was noticeable and well-timed.

When he returned early from injury to help the team in the playoffs, it took Toffoli just nine seconds to score a goal. A perfect example of how he knows exactly where to be. He jumped the boards, streaked towards the net, and planted himself on the left post in perfect positioning to shovel home the pass from Pettersson. Beyond that, his production slipped as time went on, but he was likely still fighting off a sore foot.

Regular season: 10GP, 10P (6G, 4A)
2020 Playoffs: 7GP, 4P (2G, 2A)
Grade: A-

Final thoughts

That does it for my grades on the Canucks’ top-six. Keep your eyes open for a report card on the bottom-six, the defenders, the goalies and extra parts. That’ll all be posted in the coming days.