Canucks: Bold predictions for 2021 NHL season
Here are a few predictions for the Vancouver Canucks heading into the 2020-21 Season
Vancouver Canucks hockey is very close to returning and a new season brings hope for every fan. This season will of course look different but it will still be just as exciting.
Last season, many predicted the Canucks wouldn’t make the playoffs or even get past the St. Louis Blues in the first round. They did get past the Blues in six games and battled with the Vegas Golden Knights before bowing out in seven games.
It is fun to make predictions and I thought it would be fun to make some before the season starts. I don’t expect these predictions to all come true because my takes are usually as cold as an Edmonton winter. That being said, here are a few bold predictions for the Canucks’ 2021 season.
1. Braden Holtby will return to form but will be exposed to Seattle
With Jacob Markstrom leaving for the Calgary Flames through free agency, the Canucks signed Braden Holtby to a two-year contract so that he could be a 1A/1B option with Thatcher Demko.
Holtby has had a rough couple of years as of late, but under goalie coach extraordinaire Ian Clark, he has the opportunity to return to form. I’m going to predict that he will return to form under Clark’s tutelage, though it probably won’t be Vezina calibre. Holtby will bounce back and be good enough to keep the Canucks within striking distance each and every night.
However, at the season’s conclusion, Holtby’s time in Vancouver will be over as his play will catch the attention of the Seattle Kraken and he will be exposed in the expansion draft. This leaves Demko as the starter for the following season. Seattle will have their starter in Holtby and Demko will be given the Canucks’ crease full-time.
2. Brock Boeser will score 20 goals
It has been a rough last few years for Brock Boeser because of injuries and he hasn’t been much of a sniper since his rookie season. While he still can score goals, his game has evolved into much more than that.
It is only a 56-game season but I’m going to predict he will score 20 goals. It seems doable even in a short season. Boeser is going to want be better than his 16 goal effort last season and hopefully, he can stay healthy as he is yet to play a full NHL season.
Boeser averages 0.38 goals a game last year and in a 56-game season, that amounts to 21 goals. I see Boeser playing the majority of the season with the “Lotto Line” with J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson feeding him the puck and stacking his point production.
If he stays on the top line and can remain healthy, Boeser can hit the 20 goal mark, no problem.
3. Olli Juolevi will play the whole season
It’s been a rough, long road for Olli Juolevi. After he was drafted by the Canucks in 2016, some fans didn’t like the pick and thought they should have taken Matthew Tkachuk, who went to the Flames with the next pick.
Juolevi suffered multiple injuries throughout the next few years which included a back, hip and knee injury with the Utica Comets that required two surgeries. It was almost as if Juolevi had to be protected with Flex Tape and you had to feel sorry for him.
Four years have passed since he was drafted and he finally made his NHL debut, playing in limited minutes in Game 3 of the qualifying round against the Minnesota Wild.
Juolevi seems like one of the favourites to make the team out of camp and could slot in on the bottom pair. He is strong on the puck and uses his vision to make clean passes but is prone to defensive mistakes without the puck. Despite all of this, general manager Jim Benning believes the 22-year-old Finnish defenceman is ready for the NHL.
Benning - Juolevi looks like he is ready to play in the NHL full time.
— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) September 8, 2020
I think Juolevi can make the jump to the NHL full time this year. He just needs to work on his play without the puck, especially in the defensive zone, but I think he could play the whole season (hopefully without injury of course). It has been a tough road to the NHL for Juolevi but it’s better late than never.
4. The Canucks will finish third in the Canadian Division and make the playoffs
This is the boldest of the predictions. I think the Canucks will finish third in the Canadian division and make the playoffs for the second straight season.
Some people like The Athletic’s Dom Lusczyszyn and analytics wizard J-Fresh project the Canucks will be out of a playoff spot and finish sixth in the division.
Vancouver Canucks 2020-21 season preview
— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) December 27, 2020
The margins between the 2nd and 6th best teams in Canada are very small, but for now Vancouver is at the bottom of that list with depth being a major concern.https://t.co/L3wxulplvd pic.twitter.com/7jYKHSdcY0
can you imagine this playoff race pic.twitter.com/oSZU7faIKy
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 2, 2021
It is hard not to see why some people predict that. The Canucks lost their team MVP in Jacob Markstrom, a good top-six player in Tyler Toffoli, a solid depth forward in Josh Leivo and two hard-working and reliable top-four defencemen in Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher.
The Canucks did add Holtby, improved the top four by trading for Nate Schmidt and signed a depth forward in Jayce Hawryluk.
On paper, this team is worse than last year and will rely heavily on the top-six and goaltending. The defence and bottom-six depth are still an issue too, but the addition of Travis Hamonic should help.
However, I think it is going to be a dog fight in the North Division for the last two playoff spots. I see Ottawa finishing last and Toronto finishing first and Calgary finishing second. The Canadian divison could be anyone’s game. Edmonton will rely heavily on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisital as depth and goaltending could hurt them.
Winnipeg still has offensive firepower but defensively they aren’t great and will hope for another Vezina-calibre season from Connor Hellebuyck. Montreal is an interesting team. They made good acquisitions like Toffoli and Josh Anderson, good depth but nothing exciting in terms of top end talent.
The Canucks do look worse on paper and have taken a step back but I don’t think they will finish sixth. I expect them to fight for the final two playoff spots and make it in.
Next. Canucks: 3 questions heading into 2021 training camp. dark
Let us know in the comments any other bold predictions for the Canucks this season. We shall see if I get any of these predictions right, but knowing myself my predictions are about as accurate as a stormtrooper’s shooting.