The Canuck Way Mailbag: Boeser, Gaudette, projected lineups, more

Boeser, Gaudette and Aquilini

I think if Boeser can stay healthy and play some 82-game seasons, he definitely has the potential of becoming a consistent 30-goal scorer. Having said that, he does need to start shooting more from prime scoring areas in order to reach that potential. There were many times in the past two seasons where he has passed up a shot in favour of a pass. He has a lethal one-timer and precise wrist shot (evidenced by his perfect accuracy at the All-Star Game), but we have not seen it since his rookie season.

Boeser has become a more well-rounded player, but to be a goal scorer in the NHL, you have to shoot the puck! His defensive game and playmaking abilities have come through in the last two seasons, but he’s much more valuable to the Canucks if he’s scoring goals, especially if he’s in the top-six and on the power play. Though, even if he becomes a consistent 20-25 goal scorer, it’s not the end of the world.

Gaudette is capable of being a threat in the top-six as a winger, but he’s much more valuable as a third-line center. As I’ve said in the past, he just needs some skilled players on his line that are not named Brandon Sutter and Antoine Roussel. We saw in the playoffs that he does not play well with grinders, so the Canucks need to give him some skill to work in the form of Nils Hoglander and Zack MacEwen. With both of them flanking him, he should be able to generate a lot more offence from the third line.

However, in order to do that, he has to learn how to win faceoffs more consistently. Without the puck, his skilled linemates will just be chasing the puck around in their own zone rather than creating chances at the other end of the ice. A third line does not need to be full of checkers to be an effective energy unit. If you have the puck, the other team does not. It’s not rocket science.

So basically I’m saying the Canucks are grooming him to be a third-line center, but he will only be a great one if he’s winning faceoffs and playing with some capable wingers.

I don’t think Benning could have spent a lot this offseason on free agents regardless of any restrictions placed on him by ownership. He knows how much money he’s going to have shell out on Pettersson and Hughes’ future contracts, so he’s probably smart not to handcuff himself with any rich long-term contracts.

Having said that, it is kind of strange that the Canucks could not match the contracts Tyler Toffoli and Josh Leivo got from the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames respectively in free agency.

Both of them were reasonable short-term deals with budget-friendly cap hits. Also, every contract they have signed this offseason has not gone over two years, so the rumours could be true after all. Regardless, it may pay off in the long run for Benning, as he will have a lot more money to work with next offseason having not fallen into the trap of free agency.

The Canucks’ offseason has not gone according to plan because of the mistakes of the past and the uncertain economic landscape due to the pandemic. If Benning had not signed Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Brandon Sutter, and Antoine Roussel to overpriced contracts, they would have a lot more wiggle room under the cap.

Also if COVID-19 did not cast its shadow across the world, the business side of the game would not be in question. But this is the world we live in right now, and Benning and his staff will just have to learn to navigate around it.

That brings us to the end of another The Canuck Way mailbag. We are now at the beginning of November and firmly entrenched in the dog days of the offseason. Hopefully, we have some new stuff to talk about next week. Follow us @FSTheCanuckWay for more news and analysis, and as always, stay tuned for the tweet announcing our next one.