Canucks: 3 players looking to bounce back next season
These three Vancouver Canucks are looking to bounce back in 2021 after disappointing performances last season.
With a new season coming up in a few months, (hopefully in January) several players on the Vancouver Canucks are looking to rebound from their respective 2019-20 performances.
A new campaign always means a fresh start and a new hope for the players themselves.
Here are three Canucks that are looking to bounce back in 2020-21.
Micheal Ferland
Micheal Ferland was signed to a four-year, $14 million contract last offseasaon. He was expected to bring some grit and offence to the Canucks top-six. Unfortunately, Ferland and his history of concussions caught up to him in Vancouver, and he only played 14 games in the regular season. Ferland scored one goal and four assists.
After a promising recovery period, he returned to the team looking refreshed and ready to bring a much-needed intensity to the Canucks lineup. He only played two games against the Minnesota Wild in the qualifying round before being forced to leave the Edmonton bubble due to more concussion setbacks.
Per Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province, Ferland is in high hopes regarding a return next season. According to agent Jason Davidson, his health is a priority, but Ferland has been skating at a rink near his home in Brandon, Manitoba.
If he is healthy at the start of next season, Ferland could potentially fill the void for the departed Tyler Toffoli in the top-six. The Canucks could use the grit and goals from Ferland, but he has to be careful while on the ice. When he is healthy, Ferland can be a thorn in the side of opponents.
You have to feel for Ferland and his rotten luck with injuries. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and get back to his old self next season. But you also have to think that one more injury could potentially mean the end of his career.
Antoine Roussel
Antoine Roussel missed the first two months of the 2019-20 season as he was coming off surgery for his torn ACL which he sustained in a March 2019 game against the New York Rangers.
His return was a triumphant one, scoring a goal on his first shift in the Dec. 3 game against the Ottawa Senators — on the night where Alex Burrows was inducted into the Ring of Honour.
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However, the fun didn’t last. Roussel struggled for most of the season and the playoffs. He finished with seven goals only six assists in 41 regular season games.
Roussel took some very poor penalties at times, wasn’t at his best defensively and the offence dried up. In the playoffs, he often went a little too far with his antics in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Roussel is paid to be an agitator that can provide offence in the bottom-six. Last season, he simply wasn’t as noticeable compared to 2018-19 before the injury.
He is known for getting under the opponent’s skin, but next season he shouldn’t go too far with it.
Hopefully, Roussel can once again provide some more big hits and a little bit of offence in 2020-21.
Brock Boeser
Last season was the worst season (production-wise) of Brock Boeser’s three seasons in the NHL, as he tallied 16 goals and 45 assists in 57 games.
Simply put, it was a down year by Boeser’s goal-scoring standards. It was another season where he was marred by injuries, as Boeser missed a month after suffering a rib cartilage fracture.
Sure, the injury didn’t help, but Boeser also had his share of goal droughts. It also seems that his wrist shot hasn’t been the same since his rookie year and has evolved into more than just a pure goal-scorer. Boeser was also lacking production on the power play, and his spot was eventually replaced by Toffoli.
Boeser needs to shoot more, especially with the slap shot, considering the past success he’s had with it. If he can play a full 82-game season, he could potentially beat his career-high 29 goals he scored in his rookie season. Boeser has turned into a playmaker and has also made some good defensive plays from time to time, but he needs to use his best asset.
Next. The Canuck Way Mailbag: Boeser, Gaudette, projected lineups, more. dark
Boeser is capable of becoming a 25-plus goal man, though it may not happen in 2020-21 if the regular season is shortened. Hopefully, he’ll stay healthy and find consistency.