3 Canucks players who must step up with Thatcher Demko sidelined
The Vancouver Canucks are in trouble if a few high-caliber players are unable to step up in star goaltender Thatcher Demko’s absence.
Luck wasn’t on the Vancouver Canucks side during Casey DeSmith’s first two games as the primary starter in what was a heartbreaking loss to the Colorado Avalanche and a narrow loss to the Washington Capitals, but not all hope is lost. The Canucks won’t be as hot without Thatcher Demko, as he’s played a key role in helping this team become one of the league’s best, yet it’s not like he single-handedly carried this team all season.
Expect a struggle, or at least a regression in British Columbia throughout Demko’s absence, but a few players will help mitigate those struggles if they step up and play an even better brand of hockey. No, we are not talking about DeSmith or his 1B, Arturs Silovs, as it goes without saying that they must bring their A-Games between now and Demko’s return.
Several players must step up for the Canucks as Thatcher Demko misses time
The entire team must step up, but that’s also a foregone conclusion, yet three players listed in the following slides must take their game up by two steps. You will also see just one star player listed, since it would be too obvious to put the top three point scorers down and call it a day.
This leaves us with one player who can give the Canucks a complete game every time they step onto the ice, plus another the team had high hopes for, but he’s yet to prove himself as a reliable asset. Perhaps Demko’s injury prompts him to step up and become a serviceable player for Vancouver.
There is also an older player whose stay-at-home style and ability to skate in front of the puck has quietly turned him into one of the most serviceable players on this elite Canucks team. Keep reading for a further look at who was mentioned and why they made the cut, starting with our star player.
It’s time for Quinn Hughes to take his complete game up another notch
Regardless of their respective style, there isn’t a single team in the NHL that doesn’t want a blueliner like Quinn Hughes. Since his first full season in British Columbia, Hughes has been outstanding for the Canucks, having finished in the top 15 for the Norris on three separate occasions and steadily producing more with each passing season.
He won’t get in front of a ton of shots, and even without Demko, that still shouldn’t be Hughes’ primary objective. Instead, he needs to steal the puck closer to what he did last season - 56 takeaways in 2022-23 - get more puck retrievals, and help create even more opportunities in the offensive zone.
These are all factors Hughes has predictably played well in this season, but we must see more of it until Demko returns. He’s operating at a career-high Corsi For at 5-on-5, but it would be great to see him do what he can to take that number up a notch or two.
Hughes is also leading the team in defensive points shares at 5.5, just a fraction higher than fellow defenseman Filip Hronek. It shows his overall defensive play has been stellar, but he can always take it higher during a time of adversity for the organization.
Dear Elias Lindholm - it’s time to show fans why Vancouver traded for you
While it’s an uncommon tactic, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin should have done more to try and trade away the recently-acquired Elias Lindholm. Unfortunately, Vancouver is stuck with him for the rest of the season, but with so-so talent at best in front of the net, Lindholm has a chance to prove he’s a better fit for this team than he’s been so far.
Seven points in 19 games show Lindholm won’t help the Canucks offensively, so let’s turn to the neutral and defensive zones for the former Calgary Flame to show his value. He’s proven himself to be one of the league’s best defensive forwards in the past, as he finished second for the Selke in 2021-22 before following that up with a 10th-place finish last year.
So if he’s going to underperform when his team has the puck, he needs to get ultra-aggressive during Demko’s absence. Lindholm can disrupt potential shots on goal, and in Vancouver’s loss to the Avalanche, he finished five checks.
He needs to keep that aggression going for another week or so, but it’s also important for him to start winning more defensive zone faceoffs while the Canucks are shorthanded. So far, he’s riding a 50 percent faceoff win percentage in that situation, a far cry from the 60.9 he’s carrying at 5-on-5.
He’s been their best player in the faceoff dot, and it’s up to him to ensure the Canucks gain possession of the puck when opponents are looking to score a quick goal.
Ian Cole has been blocking plenty of would-be shots on goal this year
There is always that one blueliner who becomes a luxury, and while Ian Cole has more than been that player in the defensive zone throughout a career that has seen him play for a quarter of the league’s franchises, nobody on the Canucks has gotten in front of more shots on goal than the 35-year-old. Cole has 143 blocks this season, averaging roughly 2.15 per game, and that number has been sailing north lately.
In his previous five games, Cole has gotten in front of the puck 15 times, and with the so-so Casey DeSmith and the inexperienced Arturs Silovs in the net for the foreseeable future, Cole must keep finding ways to disrupt incoming shots. It will make life easier for both goaltenders, and set up opportunities for more puck retrievals so the high-octane Canucks can force opponents to keep pace with them.
Every blueliner needs to do the same as Cole, but since he’s once again making a living to ensure opposing players are having a tough time getting the puck through to the net, he needs to keep an eye out for these incoming shots on goal more than anyone.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)