As eastern media continues to sleep, the Vancouver Canucks are wide awake, continuing their grind as their white-hot start extrapolates.
First-time Canucks captain and Norris Trophy candidate Quinn Hughes has lead the charge from the blueline, amassing 20 points in 12 games. Just ahead of him is Hart Trophy favorite Elias Pettersson, with 21 points in the same amount of games. The benefactor of the play of those two? Vezina Trophy frontrunner Thatcher Demko, who boasts a 7-2-0 record to go along with a .971 save percentage.
If the Canucks trio manages to win the Hart, Norris, and Vezina, they’d be the first group to do so since 1977, and the third group in NHL history. Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Ken Dryden, and Michael Larocque did so for the Canadiens in 1976-77, and before them was Jean Beliveau, Doug Harvey, and Jacques Plante.
For the Canucks, Demko, Hughes, and Pettersson, the onus is squarely on them. All they have to do is play the way they have about six more times, and they’ll be laughing to the bank with their shiny new silverware. As simple as it sounds, we all know it’s not that easy – not even close.
Doubters say that regression to the mean is in order, and that the team’s PDO (shooting percentage and save percentage put together) is unsustainable. Indeed, they are first in the league in PDO with 1.088, but the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights are in second with 1.036.
Even if the Canucks do regress, it would be unfair to take away from the trio’s individual successes. And for the Canucks, just making the playoffs at all will be considered a success this season.
Furthermore, Demko, Hughes, and Pettersson all have documented histories of playing at very high levels. Demko is experiencing his first true breakout after battling injuries and inconsistency early in his career, but it’s up to the rest of the Vancouver roster to help reinforce his play.
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It’s still early in the season, but don’t be surprised to find these Canucks firmly in NHL awards conversations later on. This group is not going to go quietly.