Three Canucks storylines to watch out for this season
By Bill Huan
The Vancouver Canucks’ season is officially underway, and there are plenty of intriguing storylines to watch out for this year.
The 2020-21 NHL season is now underway, as the Vancouver Canucks began their training camp yesterday.
This year will be like none other, as teams will only play 56 games each in newly realigned divisions due to the current global pandemic.
As always, there are many different storylines to watch out for throughout the season, and here are three in no particular order.
The goaltending battle
The Canucks signed former Vezina winner Braden Holtby during the offseason to make up for the departure of Jacob Markstrom.
As it currently stands, Holtby will likely get the first stab at being the team’s starter, although he and Thatcher Demko will likely share duties and end the season close to a 50/50 split.
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However, if Demko shows that his breakout performance in the playoffs wasn’t a fluke and outplays his veteran counterpart, he might be rewarded with the starting job right out of the gate.
This could have major ramifications for years to come. A relegated role for Holtby could make him an unattractive option for the Seattle Kraken during the upcoming expansion draft if he were to be exposed, which means that his $4.3 million contract will stay on the team’s books next season.
Demko will also have more leverage during extension talks next offseason, and Vancouver might have to clear out more cap space than originally anticipated.
Adam Gaudette’s two-way game
No one questions Adam Gaudette’s offensive abilities, as he scored at a 46 point pace in just his second season in the NHL.
The problem with him lies in his defensive play; the centre was one of the most sheltered forwards on the Canucks last year and the team still gave up an alarmingly high amount of scoring chances when he was on the ice.
If Gaudette’s two-way game has taken a leap, it will allow Vancouver to free up Bo Horvat’s line to focus more on offence. This could create more balanced throughout the team’s lineup since we all saw what Horvat is capable of during the playoffs when he wasn’t tasked with playing difficult matchup minutes.
Like Demko, a potential defensive leap from Gaudette will create more salary cap headaches for the team since he’ll have a lot more leverage in contract negotiations during the offseason.
Antoine Roussel’s potential bounce-back
Similar to my previous point, a potential bounce-back season from Antoine Roussel will also relieve some defensive burden from Horvat.
As I outlined a few days ago, Roussel was a decent play-driver and reliable two-way forward during his first season with the Canucks, but his play dropped off a cliff last year after spending lots of time rehabbing from an ACL tear.
If Roussel can get back to the level he was at during 2018-19, Vancouver will have another legitimate scoring option in the bottom six who could also move up the lineup in case injuries strike.
This scenario will again impact the team’s salary cap since it might be easier to offload his contract in the offseason should he restore some value this year.
dark. Next. Micheal Ferland’s absence gives the Canucks some wiggle room
So, what do you think Canucks fans? Let us know what storylines you’ll be watching out for in the comments below!