Predicting the Canucks lineup ahead of the 2021 season

Defensive pairings, goalies and extras

Hughes – Myers

As entertaining as it would be to watch Hughes be paired with Schmidt next season, it makes the most sense to split up the team’s two best defencemen. With a questionable bottom pairing, the Canucks will likely lean on their top-four to play heavy minutes. Edler isn’t getting any younger and Myers isn’t reliable enough to make him any better.

Myers and Hughes have shown they can be a scary offensive pairing that can move the puck up ice quite quickly. This isn’t the perfect pairing, but given their options, it’ll have to do. Myers will need to live up to his contract, and Hughes will likely be pushed to his limit.

Edler – Schmidt

This pairing comes together for a lot of the same reasons as the first pair. Schmidt brings a dynamic style and he’s incredible at transitioning the puck up ice. Left-handed, but he can comfortably play the opposite side. He’s a younger version of Edler who can hopefully push the 34-year-old to have another solid season or two.

This pairing works for the Canucks in all three areas of the game. They can be Vancouver’s go-to penalty killers, they’ll log a tonne of minutes, and they’d be the perfect pairing for the second unit man-advantage.

Juolevi – Benn

The time to see whether or not Olli Juolevi can get it done at the NHL level has finally come. He’s 100% healthy for the first time in a long time and after a successful NHL debut inside the Edmonton bubble, it’s almost guaranteed that Juolevi makes the 2021 roster.

Of course, he’ll have to beat out Jack Rathbone, Brogan Rafferty and Jalen Chatfield for the position, but there is just too much to lose for Benning if Juolevi doesn’t get the spot. Unless he falls to injury again, I fully expect Juolevi to make the team.

As for Jordie Benn, he starts the season no matter what because it’s highly unlikely that Green trusts two rookies to form the third and final d-pairing. Rafferty and Rathbone will likely see ice time over the course of the 56-game schedule as Green could elect to run an eight-man defence.

Holtby/Demko

The way I see it, Demko’s playoff performance was incredible, but his overall NHL experience isn’t enough to grant him the role of starter, especially over a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender like Holtby. Holtby should get the nod to start the season as Vancouver’s No. 1, but Demko won’t be far behind him and the Canucks could go with a 50/50 split for starts.

Scratches

The Canucks prospects will breakthrough in a big way next season, but the team’s veterans will be waiting on the sidelines at a moment’s notice. Brandon Sutter is a big locker room guy and Antoine Roussel can be the effective sparkplug if needed. Rafferty and Rathbone could serve as a couple of capable black aces who can help out in a pinch.

What do you think Canucks Nation? How should the Canucks deploy their 2021 lineup?