The Canuck Way
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Predicting the Canucks lineup ahead of the 2021 season

By Brayden Ursel

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - SEPTEMBER 03: The Vancouver Canucks stand for the national anthem prior to Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round against the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on September 03, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA - SEPTEMBER 03: The Vancouver Canucks stand for the national anthem prior to Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round against the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on September 03, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Vancouver Canucks celebrate a goal. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
Vancouver Canucks celebrate a goal. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

Forward lines

Miller – Pettersson – Hoglander

I think it’s safe to say that when the NHL season starts, Pettersson and Miller will be featured together on the Canucks’ top line. However, in a bit of a hot take scenario, I believe one of the Canucks’ top prospects could be the guy who swoops in and steals a top-line roster spot to start off his NHL career.

Swedish winger, Nils Hoglander had himself a tremendous season overseas on loan with the SHL’s Rogle BK. In 21 games, the shifty playmaker put up a highlight-reel performance notching five goals and 14 points. In one of his final games, he scored a jaw-dropping through-the-legs goal that had Canucks Twitter nearly breaking the internet. His creative puck skills could be the perfect addition next to Pettersson and Miller.

Pearson – Horvat – Boeser

Unless something drastic happens, Horvat and Pearson are almost guaranteed to start the 2021 season together. They played extremely well together last year as a duo and with Vancouver having limited defensive options this year, Green will want to keep these two together.

At times last season, Boeser found himself playing right-wing on line two. Something he could find himself doing again next season. Although his scoring rate was at a career-low last season, he rounded out his defensive game this year and the chemistry he formed on the B-Line a couple of seasons ago can be regained. This could be a very effective two-way line.

Hawryluk – Gaudette – Virtanen

Given how dull the Canucks’ bottom-six was last season in terms of offence, Green is going to be searching high and low for a new-look third line. The Canucks are confident Adam Gaudette can transition into more of a reliable two-way presence, but he’ll need the right-wingers in place to help him be effective both ways up and down the ice.

Now Jayce Hawryluk doesn’t have a heck of a lot of NHL experience but he brings energy, toughness and speed. It could be interesting to see how that matches up with the energy Gaudette brings with him every shift. Tack on Jake Virtanen’s 18-goal pace and the Canucks have a pretty nifty third line.

Motte – Beagle – MacEwen

The key for the Canucks’ fourth line is for them to be younger and faster. By supplying the fourth line with energy guys like Tyler Motte and Zack MacEwen, the Canucks will be able to attack with all four lines. In a compacted 56-game schedule, the Canucks are going to need all the help they can get.

As much as guys like Brandon Sutter, Antoine Roussel, and Eriksson can help this team defensively, they just didn’t do enough last season to warrant a spot on this team. The Canucks need players to come in and be a spark-plug. Veteran’s in their 30’s have a tough time doing that in today’s NHL.

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