First defensive pairing: Quinn Hughes and Luke Schenn
Ok, time to get to the defence. It’s still not good as you already know. Predicting the back end was a lot harder than the forwards.
It’s not ideal but I feel like Quinn Hughes and Luke Schenn will be paired together. But it’s not like they were a bad pairing last season. While Hughes was just being excellent offensively, Schenn was solid in his own end.
He even was like a bodyguard for Hughes and was often standing up for him. One example was Schenn coming to Hughes’ defence after he was rocked by a big Jamie Benn hit. That was a pretty entertaining fight.
While Schenn isn’t a top pairing guy by any means, it isn’t the worst idea to have him paired up with Hughes.
Second defensive pairing: Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Travis Dermott
Oliver Ekman-Larsson transitioned from a top pairing in Arizona to a shutdown pairing role in Vancouver.
He wasn’t putting up as many points but for most of last season, he did well defensively. Will that continue is the question. The shutdown role will likely continue for OEL.
Travis Dermott looked solid when he came from the Leafs before last year’s trade deadline. He has good puck-handling skills and is decent in his own end.
Both players can provide offence when they can but this pairing will all be about the shutdown.
Third defensive pairing: Jack Rathbone and Tyler Myers
Jack Rathbone looked too good for the AHL last season and is on the cusp of making the NHL full-time. But he has to prove it.
He showed great mobility in his nine games in the NHL last season but his defensive game was lacking. I have the feeling things will be better for Rathbone this season.
Tyler Myers on the third pairing wouldn’t be a bad idea. He and Dermott played 52:25 together near the end of last season and didn’t look bad at all. Myers can be chaotic in his own end at times but maybe fewer minutes on the third pair can tone down the chaos, even just a little. (Though Wyatt Arndt would beg to differ.)
Extra: Tucker Poolman
Things are still unclear whether or not Tucker Poolman will be ready to start the season or not. Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford told CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal that Poolman is progressing this offseason but is concerned because he was dealing with a head injury.
Rutherford says he is concerned with D Tucker Poolman head injury but he has worked hard and progressed.
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) July 28, 2022
I have been told, there have been no setbacks this summer for Poolman.
You don’t have to agree with any of my lineup predictions as I don’t expect all to be right. You can also give me your lineup predictions in the comments below.