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The Canuck Way Mailbag: Boudreau, Myers, Miller, more

By Brayden Ursel |
Dec 14, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin (92) and forward Nils Hoglander (21) and head coach Bruce Boudreau celebrate their victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third period at Rogers Arena. Vancouver Won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin (92) and forward Nils Hoglander (21) and head coach Bruce Boudreau celebrate their victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third period at Rogers Arena. Vancouver Won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
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The Vancouver Canucks may not be playing hockey games until after the holiday break, but that won’t stop the mailbag from making its return to The Canuck Way. So let’s get after it and dive into your questions!

COVID-19 seems to be the only thing that can stop Bruce Boudreau right now. The Canucks’ new head coach has gone a perfect 6-0-0 behind the bench. Through that winning streak, Vancouver has outscored their opponents 21-10, and it’s largely due to Boudreau’s ability to get his best players back to playing exactly that – their best.

After one of the worse starts in franchise history (8-15-2), one of the NHL’s most winningest head coaches of all time (990GP-573W-302-115) has been able to turn that hockey team upside down and completely rejuvenate the roster from top to bottom. The team is currently one win away from getting back to even, and the playoff picture that was once thought invisible is now somewhat of a possibility.

It would be difficult for Boudreau to be awarded the Coach of the Year award given the fact that he didn’t coach his first game with the Canucks until game 26 of the 82-game regular season, but with the way he’s winning hockey games, the question is definitely warranted.

As entertaining as the streak has been, I expect things to settle down and even out as the season goes on. That’s not to say that Boudreau isn’t worthy of the conversation, I just think it might be too little too late to capture the award. But if the Canucks make the playoffs, all bets are off and Boudreau could very well be in the mix.

Dec 16, 2021; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks left wing Jayden Halbgewachs (89) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) battle for position in front of the net during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2021; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks left wing Jayden Halbgewachs (89) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) battle for position in front of the net during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

I don’t think anyone truly believes that this Canucks team was as bad as they were under Travis Green in his final year as head coach, but clearly, something had to be done. If you ask me, Green is a respectable coach who proved capable of guiding the Canucks to the 2020 NHL playoffs. But since then, the Canucks have been pegged as a bad defensive team (for good reason), leading Jim Benning and Green to put too much attention towards becoming better defensively.

Heading into this season with a mind towards stronger defence and a specific mould, Green lost sight of his team’s strengths, and when addressing his team’s weaknesses on the back end, he sacrificed the one thing that made this team successful – run and gun offence.

Now that the Canucks are playing to their strengths under Boudreau and getting results, Benning must be screaming from his couch, “I told you so!” because this team is clearly better than what they were previously showing on the ice. How much better? I don’t know the answer to that just yet, but a knock back down to reality shouldn’t be too far around the corner. Don’t get me wrong, a six-game winning streak is nice, but the injuries are piling up and the schedule isn’t getting any easier.

The Canucks are certainly riding a high under their new coach and management group, but what Benning laid down in front of them is starting to prove this team has what it takes. I just don’t think they have all the pieces to make a deep playoff run. As offensive as this team is, it lacks two key factors that most playoff teams possess: Toughness and defensive depth. I don’t think the Canucks have that, and if they need to make a move to better a position, they risk weakening another.

This might be the most difficult question to answer this week as almost all players have seen a rise in production under Boudreau. Quinn Hughes has returned to being in the Norris Trophy conversation, J.T. Miller is scoring above a point-per-game pace, Bo Horvat is a born-again leader, Tyler Myers is playing the best hockey of his Canucks career, Thatcher Demko has been a brick wall, and Brock Boeser is finding the back of the net at an elite level.

All of these players are playing their best hockey of the season, but if one player sticks out the most, it has to be Boeser. Not only is Boeser bulging twine on a nightly basis, but he’s completely refound his confidence. Boudreau’s shoot-first mentality style of play instantly clicked with the Canucks’ sharpshooter, but Boudreau and Boeser both believe there is still more to come.

Dec 16, 2021; San Jose, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (9), defenseman Quinn Hughes (43), defenseman Tyler Myers (57) and left wing Tanner Pearson (70) celebrate after a goal during the third period against the San Jose Sharksat SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2021; San Jose, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (9), defenseman Quinn Hughes (43), defenseman Tyler Myers (57) and left wing Tanner Pearson (70) celebrate after a goal during the third period against the San Jose Sharksat SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

This one feels good. A while back I suggested that the Canucks should consider moving Miller to the centre position full-time. I was completely ripped online for that take but look at me now. Not only has Miller been an excellent centre this season, but he’s also given Vancouver arguably the best centre depth across the entire league (Miller, Horvat, Elias Pettersson).

As for him being a third-line centre, I wouldn’t call him that. Actually, it’s difficult to call any of the mentioned above players by that title, but if I had to pick one right now it’s Pettersson. Miller is playing big first-line minutes, is an effective 200-foot player, and has been picked out by Boudreau as one of the team’s key players. The emergence of Nils Höglander and Vasily Podkolzin makes Miller is a lock on the dot, but you could see him shift to wing if the Canucks are trailing in a game.

As a Myers guy myself, I absolutely love what I’m seeing from the towering defenceman right now. Not only is he playing up to his annual salary of $6 million, but he’s playing the best hockey of his Canucks career.

Canucks’ blueliners have been dropping like flies, but Myers has been excellent in their absence. Whether it’s a surge of luck or not, the offensive coaching style of Boudreau has boded well with the defenceman.

Through his last five games, Myers hasn’t played a second less than 24:54 and has seen games as high as 29:26. Some would think Myers would show his “true colours” given so much ice-time, but the 13-year pro has been solid. Maybe this is the new Myers. Time will tell.

dark. Next. Canucks: Games have been postponed

That’s it for this week’s edition of The Canuck Way Mailbag! Happy holidays.

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