Canucks Recap: Three stars of the week (Feb 20th – 26th)

The Vancouver Canucks are a dangerously fragile team right now.

Like a baby dandelion caught in a massive windstorm, the team found themselves hanging on for dear life as their world around them continued to spiral out of control, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re forcefully uprooted from the ground that they laid last year in Edmonton and are swept into the harsh, unforgiving environment of the all-Canadian division.

In a mere span of five days, the city has gone from pencilling in their own “moral victories” column to the league’s standings, to witnessing a humiliating, downright unacceptable third period collapse, all while embracing the growing notion that this ugly, cringe-worthy season actually has the possibility of becoming worse.

To sum up, it hasn’t been going well for the Canucks.

The team wrapped up their four-game homestand this week with three more lackluster and uninspired losses, somehow throwing away each of those tilts in a unique, yet equally embarrassing manner, while riding the unlucky fortunes of their reverse retro jerseys. They exit the dismal month of February with a 2-9-2 record and are gradually sliding down towards the dark, dingy and talentless basement of the National Hockey League.

Games played:

• Winnipeg Jets (4) @ Vancouver Canucks (3) – OT
• Edmonton Oilers (4) @ Vancouver Canucks (3)
• Edmonton Oilers (3) @ Vancouver Canucks (0)

Fans do not have much to be hopeful for, and many of them are, rightfully so, throwing in the towel on this pandemic-shortened season.

The team was outscored by a margin of 13-6 over four games, including being shut out twice and outworked on all four accounts. Had this campaign been scheduled to run the full 82-game course, the team would be on pace to record 62 points, seven lower than the laughable amount they put up during their tire fire performance in 2016-17.

They are currently tied with the Ottawa Senators for the most losses this year with 14, despite having already played two more games than them, and their 0.375 points percentage is good for third in the league, only behind the aforementioned Senators and the Detroit Red Wings.

Not exactly elite company for the Canucks to be a part of.

As a result, we’re no longer talking about what the team can do to squeeze into the playoffs this year.

That ship has essentially sailed, and it isn’t turning around anytime soon. The organization can no longer continue to hide in the dark corners of the Twitterverse. Instead, Francesco Aquilini and co. will need to make some hard, but necessary decisions to ensure that the future of this club doesn’t crumble on the ice, much like Tyler Myers’ penalty-killing “strategy”.

Of course, Canucks fans are known for their non-stop drama and over-the-top theatrics, and this writer is no exception.

Believe it or not, behind all of the repetitive defensive breakdowns and truly unenthusiastic style of play, there are a few bright spots for this club, and it’d be an understatement to say that the Vancouver sports world could use some positivity right now.

Let’s take a look at The Canuck Way’s three stars of the week:

2. Elias Pettersson

There’s no need to worry about Elias Pettersson anymore.

After struggling mightily at the beginning of the season, Pettersson has bounced back in a big way. Over the past four games, the 22-year-old has registered three goals and one assist, including his fourth multi-point performance of the season on Tuesday night. In total, he has put up 18 points in 24 points, including five on the powerplay, and he became one of the fastest Canuck players to record 150 points with the franchise after Tuesday night’s loss to the Oilers.

Pettersson has regained his swagger and confidence with the puck, and he is unloading his lethal slapshot much more often. During the month of February, he put up a total of 32 shots and is currently tied with Brock Boeser for most shots registered this season with 60.

His slapshot continues to be his most dangerous weapon on the ice, and it’s one of the few shots in the league that can instantly instill a crippling sense of fear into the opposing netminder. Just ask Connor Hellebuyck.

Not a fan of the clapper? He can also score pretty goals in tight. Once again, just ask Hellebuyck.

Pettersson has also started to find consistent chemistry with his Lotto linemates. The trio combined for 31 points over their past 13 games, with the franchise centre contributing 11 to the cause. Pettersson’s overall puck control and zone entry have taken leaps since January, and he is still one of the most dynamic, skillful players on the roster.

Of course, fans would like to see Pettersson and the rest of the first line improve upon their collective minus 11 rating, and this will start when the top guns can consistently come up clutch when their team needs them to shine.

Fortunately, they are trending in the right direction, despite what the team’s overall record indicates, and it’s expected that Pettersson will continue to lead the way offensively for the rest of the shortened campaign.

3. Nils Höglander

Is there anything that Nils Höglander can’t do?

The 20-year-old rookie continues to be a phenomenon and beacon of hope for the Canucks, and he is showcasing more and more ways that he can contribute to this team on a nightly basis. From calculated, well-executed turnovers and gritty, hard-fought battles against the boards, to creative passes and explosive speed down the wing, Höglander possesses the ability to create legitimate, high danger chances every time he steps over the board.

Unfortunately, not many other Canucks can attest to this.

Höglander also continues to be a handful for his Canadian division foes. He has accumulated a total of 50 hits against in just 24 games, and it’s evident that his opponents are having a difficult time shutting down his energetic and effective style of play.

Although he has gone pointless in his four games, Höglander was able to put up 15 total shots, with each of those attempts having the true potential to find the back of the net, and he is averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per game.

He continues to be a staple on the second powerplay unit, but don’t be surprised if he gets promoted to the top unit in the near future, especially if they could use a spark to get going. He is also tied for third place in assists with six for the rookie scoring race.

And did we mention that he throws big hits now? Kris Russell found that out the hard way.

Höglander is the real deal, and he is checking off more and more boxes as his rookie campaign processes on. He has been one of the few bright spots on this underwhelming Canucks roster, and his adaptability to play with different linemates and in different on-ice situations isn’t going unnoticed.

Fans, coaching and management alike have been beyond impressed with the Swedish rookie, and we’re all hoping that he can continue his strong gameplay for the foreseeable future.

Maybe he’ll even throw in a Michigan lacrosse goal to put an exclamation mark on this season?! One can only dream.

Honourable Mention #1: Tyler Motte

Tyler Motte hasn’t been activated from the injury reserve list yet, but he still continues to make a meaningful impact with the organization nonetheless.

Just over a year ago, Motte shared his story about battling anxiety and depression, and how it drastically altered his life.

Motte, who holds the role of Hockey Talks Ambassador with the organization, made the decision to come forward about his own personal struggles because he wanted others to feel more comfortable to seek their own treatment, and he continues to use his platform to promote positive mental health initiatives.

Most recently, Motte sat down with Sportsnet and opened up about his mental health journey in a short video segment entitled “Adversity”. This was the first of five episodes, as part of “The Mental Game” initiative, that highlighted different professional athletes and their own personal battles against mental health. The initiative set out to promote the notion that anyone can suffer from poor mental health, and that no one should be ashamed to admit it.

To this day, Motte is a strong advocate for mental health awareness and accessibility, sharing resources and engaging in honest and open discussions, and he won’t stop until the stigma is finally broken.

Honourable Mention #2: Zack MacEwen

It’s been a while, but fans were treated to a good ol’ fashioned donnybrook on Sunday night, courtesy of Zack MacEwen.

The 6’3, 205-lb forward, who was added to the lineup after Friday’s 2-0 loss to the Jets, made his presence known immediately, dropping the gloves with Derek Forbort in a spirited tilt.

This transpired, of course, after Forbort repeatedly cross-checked and abused Höglander throughout the third period of Friday’s game, despite the noticeable size difference. Fortunately, MacEwen made sure that Forbort would be punished for his actions, and he was even able to walk away with the undisputed victory.

Upcoming games:

• Monday, March 1st – Vancouver Canucks @ Winnipeg Jets (5:00 pm PST)
• Tuesday, March 2nd – Vancouver Canucks @ Winnipeg Jets (5:00 pm PST)
• Thursday, March 4th – Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vancouver Canucks (7:00 pm PST)

Who do you think played well during the past three games? Make sure to drop a comment below!