Who is the unsung hero on the 2021-22 Canucks?
By Joshua Rey
Tanner Pearson
Just over a year ago, Tanner Pearson signed a three-year contract extension worth 3.25 million dollars per season. Many Canucks fans didn’t like this deal. Pearson was entering his 30s and that is when players decline.
Yes, Pearson probably isn’t worth his contract but he still is useful for the Canucks. He has 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points on the season, which isn’t bad. However, he is fourth on the team in points at 5 on 5 with 26 and is sixth at 5 on 5 goals on the team with 11. Pearson is also fourth on the Canucks who played at least 500 minutes this season in Corsi for with 52.92% according to NaturalStatTrick. He is also fourth on the team second in shots for percentage, (52.77%) second in expected goals percentage, ( 53.95%) and second high danger Corsi for (50.95%) at 5 on five.
Pearson does well on the forecheck and the board battles and is a decent middle-six option. He doesn’t get a ton of credit for helping out up and down the lineup. My vote for the Unsung Hero goes to Pearson.
Luke Schenn
After winning two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Luke Schenn decided to come back to Vancouver on a cheap two-year deal.
Schenn has been a reliable partner for Quinn Hughes and is often sticking up for the young defenceman by sticking up for him by getting into scrums and fights. (Like that epic tilt with Jamie Benn. )Schenn is also known for his big hits and has been one of the top hitters in the NHL this season.
He has brought toughness and strength to the back end. Schenn has also brought 15 points isn’t much but for his standards, it is pretty good. He has also been fairly decent in his own end.
Schenn isn’t a guy you expect to play big minutes but he has done well with them. He was signed to be a bottom pairing or seventh defenceman but has played 62 games.
However, Schenn gets a lot of love from fans and that might put him out of the running for the unsung hero award.