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Canucks: 3 reasons why Nils Hoglander will make the jump to the NHL

By Brayden Ursel

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 22: Nils Hoglander react after being selected 40th overall by the Vancouver Canucks during the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 22: Nils Hoglander react after being selected 40th overall by the Vancouver Canucks during the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Nils Hoglander of the Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images)
Nils Hoglander of the Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images) /

The Canucks need to add some speed

It’s no secret that the Canucks lacked some serious speed last season. It became the most apparent when they found themselves locked in their own end for the vast majority of a seven-game series versus the Vegas Golden Knights.

Vancouver’s top two lines managed to keep their heads above water, but the bottom-six was an offensive black hole that lacked the proper sparkplug required to answer back against such a high-powered offensive juggernaut like the Golden Knights.

The Canucks addressed that need by adding an exceptional puck-moving defender in Nate Schmidt, but Vancouver still needs to add speed to their forward group to help smooth out the team’s transition game. Hoglander could serve as the best player available. Not only is he fast on his feet, but he’s young, he’s driven, and he’d breathe a breath of fresh air into an old and tired bottom-six.

Hoglander carries great possession numbers

Hoglander is more of an offensive threat than he is a defensive one, and it’s easy to say that it’s his ability to hold onto the puck that gives him such high possession numbers. The way he’s able to push the play in the offensive end and extend scoring chances goes a long way in him being the guy with the SHL’s 14th best Corsi For percentage.

According to Chris Faber of Canucks Army, at five-on-five play, Hoglander has a CF% of 58.22. That’s nearing last year’s “Lotto Line” numbers, which was one of the NHL’s best. The Canucks can use all the extra Corsi For they can get, as they were sorely embarrassed in that regard against VGK. Honestly, it often looked like boys versus men and the Canucks need to address that area of their game.

The NHL ice surface is a lot smaller and Hoglander will become a much bigger target with less area to run, but if he plays with the right linemates his possession numbers could successfully translate over to the NHL. But if he plays with the wrong linemates, it could be quite the disaster.

Final thoughts…

There are reasons to believe Hoglander is ready to make the jump to the NHL in 2021 and there are reasons against it. Hopfully, the good outweighs the bad and Hoglander finds a way to make things work with the Canucks this season. They can use all the help they can get.

Next. Canucks fans should be excited about an All-Canadian Division. dark

What do you think Canucks Nation? Is Hoglander ready to be an every day NHL player?

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