A haiku for every Canucks player at the All-Star Break

Jan 31, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) is congratulated for scoring a goal during the second period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) is congratulated for scoring a goal during the second period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
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The Vancouver Canucks have a week off for the All-Star Break after a 4-2 loss at the hands of the Nashville Predators. They ended their four-game road trip at .500.  Vancouver sits with a 20-20-6 record at the break and are still seventh in the Pacific Division.

Thatcher Demko is the lone Canucks representative at the All-Star game in Las Vegas.

The All-Star break is basically the halfway point of the NHL season. The Canucks have had quite the campaign. After struggling in October and November, the Canucks cleaned house on December 5. Out were Jim Benning, John Weisbrod, Travis Green and Nolan Baumgartner. In came in Bruce Boudreau and Scott Walker.

The Canucks went on a seven-game winning streak under Boudreau in December before falling back to reality in January.  According to a model from The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, Vancouver’s playoff odds sit at 9%. So you’re telling me there’s a chance.

The Canucks also sit four points behind the Calgary Flames for the final wild card spot.

Since we are at the halfway point of the season, writers like to give out letter grades for each player. I was leaning on that idea but The Province has already done that (I found out while I was a quarter of way writing that.) so I decided to get creative.

Instead of player grades, I decided to write haikus summing up every Canuck’s season at the halfway point. In case you don’t know what a haiku is, it is a Japanese poem consisting of seventeen syllables. It consists of three lines.  The first line has five syllables, the second has seven and the third one also has five.

Usually haikus are easy to write but it’s a challenge when it comes to describing hockey players.  Haikus aren’t the most elegant pieces of poetry but they are simple and fun.

Let’s get into it.

VANCOUVER, BC – NOVEMBER 2: J.T. Miller #9 of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck during NHL action against the New York Rangers on November 2, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC – NOVEMBER 2: J.T. Miller #9 of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck during NHL action against the New York Rangers on November 2, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

The Forwards

Alex Chiasson:

The power play guy

Hasn’t done much at evens

Has put up nine points

Bo Horvat:

Has 23 points

He should be producing more

Great at faceoffs though.

Brock Boeser:

Goal droughts this season

Boeser’s shot isn’t the same

It’s a contract year

Conor Garland:

Garland spins and spins

Has gone quiet with the offence

Still a fun player

Elias Pettersson:

He’s been a let down

Petey needs the confidence

Don’t give up on him

JT Miller:

Miller is quite good

The Canucks leader in points

Trade value is high

Jason Dickinson:

Hasn’t been a fit

Fine on evens, poor on kill

Only has two goals

Juho Lammikko:

Improved with Boudreau

Defensive game has improved

Shown good awareness

Justin Dowling:

Hasn’t done a lot

Wasn’t supposed to make the team

But did anyway

Matthew Highmore:

He has missed some time

Brings energy to fourth line

Not a bad player

Nils Höglander:

He works really hard

The offence has dried up though

The sophomore slump

Tanner Pearson:

Hasn’t been scoring

Helping in some other ways

Contract still isn’t good

Tyler Motte:

Motte brings tons of speed

Between the legs goal was nice

Has some trade value

Vasily Podkolzin:

The Russian rookie

Is gradually improving

The points will come soon

TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 13: Quinn Hughes #43 of the Vancouver Canucks looks to pass during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on January 13, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 13: Quinn Hughes #43 of the Vancouver Canucks looks to pass during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on January 13, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Defencemen

Brad Hunt:

The Maple Ridge man

Has struggled with his home team

Makes defensive gaffs

Kyle Burroughs:

Has shown some toughness

A fine seventh defenceman

But gets caught on rush

Luke Schenn:

Let’s get drunk on Schenn

He throws a lot of big hits

Defensively been good

Oliver Ekman-Larsson:

Defence has been fine

His contract is an anchor

Lacking the offence

Quinn Hughes:

Putting up the points

Has improved defensively

Still a great skater

Travis Hamonic:

Only played nine games

He’s been out of the line up

and still MIA

Tucker Poolman:

Signed a four-year deal

Defence and puck control poor

It’s only year one

Tyler Myers:

The chaos giraffe

Shown some improvement with Bruce

But still chaotic

CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 29: Thatcher Demko #35 of the Vancouver Canucks in action against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on January 29, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames defeated the Canucks 1-0 in overtime. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 29: Thatcher Demko #35 of the Vancouver Canucks in action against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on January 29, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames defeated the Canucks 1-0 in overtime. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images) /

Goaltenders

Thatcher Demko:

The Canucks All-Star

Has been consistent all year

In Demko we trust

Jaroslav Halak:

Halak has looked fine

Bonus could be a problem

Might as well trade him

Spencer Martin:

In the NHL

For the first time in five years

And he has done well

Next. 3 players the Canucks should consider trading. dark

So this was pretty fun to write but it took awhile. (especially with getting the syllables right.) Let me know in the comments or Facebook comments or on Twitter what you think of my Canucks haikus.

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