The Canucks and Flames rivalry should be red-hot in 2021
Former teammates will soon become heated rivals. There will be no shortage of storylines next season between the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames.
More than a few members of the Vancouver Canucks have jumped the border, entered enemy territory and signed new contracts to join Vancouver’s bitter rival, the Calgary Flames. That long list includes goaltenders Jacob Markstrom and Louis Domingue, as well as defenceman veteran stay-at-home defender Chris Tanev and top-nine forward Josh Leivo.
No doubt about it, the head-to-head matchups between the Canucks and Flames next season will be fueled with excitement and a very high compete level. A heated rivalry that burns off of what could already be described as an intense hatred for one another, will now be soaked in gasoline because of what has transpired over the 2020 offseason.
Of course, there will be love and respect between the Canucks and the Flames newest players when they come face-to-face again in 2021, but you better believe that things will turn serious when the puck drops and the game begins. A desire to stick it to your old teammates is always something that exists within each and every NHL player and that’ll definitely be the case in the battle between these west coast contenders.
Guys like Tanev and Markstrom will want to show the Canucks that they made a mistake in letting them go, while Elias Pettersson and Thatcher Demko will be eagerly waiting ready to prove that they can survive in the Pacific Division on their own.
Just the goaltending aspect of it all is enough to make your mouth water. Demko, after a God-like three-game performance in the playoffs, will take great honour in battling his former mentor. Really, what more can a young goaltender ask for than to be given such an opportunity? It’s the perfect chance to show the world that he’s truly ready to be a number one goaltender in the NHL.
Not only that, but the relationship between Pettersson and Markstrom in Vancouver was strong. Both from Sweden, Markstrom took Petey under his wing and gave him a lot of good advice and showed him the ropes of being a top player in the NHL. They both have a burning desire within themselves to win at all costs, and it’ll be very entertaining to see what happens when these two battle it out.
Both Markstrom and Pettersson in their own right were seen as the MVP in Vancouver over the past two seasons. Even though Markstrom was awarded the crown both times, it’s an argument worth exploring. Markstrom had incredible seasons both times and stole a fair amount of wins for Vancouver. Pettersson, on the other hand, won a Calder Trophy, broke the team’s rookie scoring record, and was a back-to-back NHL -Star. Now pitted against one another, it’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top.
Markstrom was signed long-term in Calgary to be the leading figure in a search for the Flames next Stanley Cup, while Pettersson is seen as the face of the Vancouver Canucks franchise for years to come. With both players being in the prime of their playing careers, and both teams appearing to be entering their “Stanley Cup window”, the next few seasons of hockey between these two clubs should be nothing short of breath-taking.
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What do you think Canucks nation? Are you excited to see this rivalry rekindled? Comment below and let us know your thoughts.