Canucks Recap: 3 stars of the past week (from Jan 22nd – 28th)

3. Nils Höglander

Welcome back to the list, Nils Höglander.

There were a few different players that could’ve filled the final spot, but, much like last week’s edition, it ultimately felt right to go with another rookie.

Höglander’s time with the Canucks has been nothing short of pure excitement.

There’s been a buzz around him since his training camp debut, and he hasn’t looked out of place since entering the league. Of course, we’re basing this off of an extremely small sample size, and who knows how the rest of his NHL career will pan out. But, over the past 10 games, there’s no doubt that Höglander has been one of the most consistent Canuck forwards, and that deserves recognition.

Much like his first few games in the NHL, Höglander has continued to shine on the ice. He has developed great chemistry with Horvat and Tanner Pearson on the second line, and his speed, determination and offensive prowess have been a welcomed addition to the top-six forward group.

Although he is not lighting up the scoreboard like his previous rookie predecessors, Höglander has been a legitimate offensive threat whenever he steps onto the ice. We all know he can carry the puck with confidence and creativity, and his vision and play-making abilities are usually on full display when he’s entering the offensive zone.

What’s even more impressive, however, is his determination.

Höglander plays with an edge, and he never shies away from a tough match-up in the corners, or from a gritty play along the boards. He is only listed as 5’9” and 185 pounds, but you would never guess that based on how he engages in battles without the puck. I’m sure Pearson would attest to that.

This style of play has been a revelation for Canucks fans and coaches, who are more accustomed to their second line having to opt for a more shutdown, defensive style of play without any offensive firepower.

Höglander should be able to fix that.

He has registered four points and 10 shots over his last five contests, and will continue to be rewarded with valuable even-strength and powerplay minutes. The sky’s the limit for Höglander, and although it’s probably more realistic for fans to hold off on planning his Calder Trophy parade, the rookie might very well tell us otherwise by the end of the year.

No matter how he finishes his inaugural season, there’s no doubt he’ll continue to bless us with highlight-reel plays like this:

Free the umlaut! He deserves it.

Honourable Mention #1: Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson

Many of you are probably wondering why Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson didn’t crack the list above. Rightfully so, especially after both players put up dominant, offensive performances on Wednesday and Thursday night.

Hughes currently leads all NHL blueliners with 11 points, and has looked much better defensively. Pettersson was finally able to get the monkey off of his back, scoring his first goal of the season against the Canadiens last Saturday, and then following that up with four points (and one incredible reverse hit) in three games against the Senators.

Both players are starting to look like their old selves, much to the delight of Canucks fans and fantasy hockey pool owners, but they’ll need to keep that up moving forward. If they can build off of their impressive rookie and sophomore campaigns, and continue to play with confidence and elite talent, there’s no doubt that these two franchise superstars will be making weekly appearances on our list.

Honourable Mention #2: Jordie Benn

It’s been a wild ride for Jordie Benn since he arrived in Vancouver.

After spending much of last season as a healthy scratch, as well as finding himself on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list at the beginning of the month, Benn has finally been able to land a spot on the Canucks’ backend.

Of course, it’s easy to fit in when you’re playing with a former Calder nominee and future Norris candidate in Hughes, but give credit to Benn. He has been able to hold his own ground defensively, channelling his inner Chris Tanev after donning the recently-available number eight, and even put up five shots, two assists and a plus-six rating in four games this season.

We’re not sure how long this pairing will last, with Travis Hamonic set to return from injury soon, as well as Olli Juolevi eager to get another taste of NHL action, but Canucks fans should enjoy the comeback ride while they can.

Honourable Mention #3: Brandon Sutter

It only took 13 years, but Brandon Sutter finally did it – congratulations on the hat-trick! We’re all hoping that you enjoyed your well-deserved McFlurry.

Upcoming games:

• Saturday, January 30th – Winnipeg Jets @ Vancouver Canucks (7:00 pm PST)
• Monday, February 1st – Vancouver Canucks @ Montreal Canadiens (4:00 pm PST)
• Tuesday, February 2nd – Vancouver Canucks @ Montreal Canadiens (4:00 pm PST)
• Thursday, February 4th – Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs (4:00 pm PST)

Who do you think played well during the first two games of the season? Make sure to drop a comment below!