The Canuck Way
Fansided

The Canuck Way Mailbag: Hoglander, Miller, chances in 2020-21

By Matthew Zator

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 17: The Vancouver Canucks celebrate a goal by J.T. Miller #9 (C) against the St. Louis Blues at 40 seconds of the second period in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on August 17, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 17: The Vancouver Canucks celebrate a goal by J.T. Miller #9 (C) against the St. Louis Blues at 40 seconds of the second period in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on August 17, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 2
Next
Vancouver Canucks celebrate (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
Vancouver Canucks celebrate (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /

In this week’s mailbag, we answer your Vancouver Canucks’ questions about Nils Hoglander, JT Miller, and their chances at repeating last season’s success.

This past week hockey fans everywhere got some great news regarding the NHL’s 2020-21 season. All signs point to Jan 13 as the return of hockey to our television screens and more importantly, we will be able to start talking about new Vancouver Canucks games rather than rehashing the past.

An all-Canadian division hasn’t been officially confirmed by the NHL, but it’s almost a certainty at this point given the restrictions at the borders. So, instead of speculating about different scenarios, we can finally start previewing the Canucks’ 51st season in the NHL. They will most likely be going against every Canadian team at least seven or eight times, maybe even more, so rivalries will most certainly get more heated.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting excited just thinking about it. Hockey is in our blood, and it’s been far too long since we have seen a live hockey game. We may not be able to see it in person for a while, but just watching the Canucks every other day on TV lowers the stress levels, at least it does for me. The next few weeks should be interesting as every team prepares for training camp and every general manager attempts to get their rosters in order for the new season.

Questions abound for many teams over the salary cap, which includes the Canucks. But we are going to keep this week’s edition short and sweet! Let’s get to those questions!

Nils Hoglander has been nothing short of amazing since he became a Canucks’ prospect back in 2019. As you said, he has scored a lacrosse goal in both the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and the World Junior Championship (WJC) and now has scored one between his legs. Is there anything this kid can’t do? He’s not only creative, but he will try anything to score and his motor never stops running. He also doesn’t back down from a fight, as we saw in his final game in the SHL.

Hoglander finished his loan with five goals and 14 points in 21 games and exited the league on fire with four points in his last three games. He also had 25 minutes of penalties in his final game. Based on all that and the fact that he has the two-way game and speed to play in the new age NHL, I think he’s probably ready to play in the big leagues.

It will definitely be more difficult to execute those kinds of moves in the NHL, but as we have seen in the past from Elias Pettersson and Daniel Sedin if you’re skilled enough you can make it happen. It’s not like we haven’t been surprised by a skilled Swede before, right? I am going to bet that he will attempt those moves at least once this season.

Home/Editorials