There are differing opinions about where the Vancouver Canucks stand, ahead of the 2024-25 NHL regular season. This is understandable, given there is plenty to consider.
On the positive side, the Canucks are coming off a season where they won their first division title since 2012-13. They ranked sixth-best in both goals scored and allowed, as they totalled the third-most points in franchise history.
On the flip side, the Canucks will likely enter the season without their Vezina finalist goalie, Thatcher Demko. In a league where the goalie is right at the top of the list of priorities, his absence comes with questions about when he will return and if he can remain healthy?
The Score has ranked the Canucks where?
We note all this, to 'prepare' you for the Score's preseason edition of their 2024-25 NHL power ranking. Released on Monday, we appreciate the Canucks' ranking will divide the fan base.
The Score has ranked the Canucks in 10th place, and as per our aforementioned point, they also reference the uncertainty surrounding Demko. They write:
""The biggest question for the Canucks is the health of elite starting goaltender Thatcher Demko, who is out indefinitely with a unique muscle injury in his knee. Vancouver should be able to stay afloat with its tandem of Arturs Silovs and Kevin Lankinen, but its ability to replicate last season's success gets murkier the longer Demko remains on the shelf.""
Ranking too low?
For those who believe the Score's ranking for the Canucks is too low, we appreciate one of the main arguments will be influenced by last season's success. When it was all said and done, their 109 points were tied for the sixth-most in the NHL.
In addition, consider that the Canucks took the eventual Stanley Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers all the way to a game seven. And this was without Demko at all, along with Brock Boeser for that winner-takes-all game seven, which they only lost 3-2.
On the subject of Boeser, Canuks fans believe he will build on the first 40-goal season of his NHL career. Combine this with J.T. Miller's career year and Elias Pettersson expected to bounce back from a tough second half of 2023-24, and you can certainly appreciate the positivity of fans.
Or is it a fair ranking?
However, rather than placing the Canucks 10th as being a sign of disrespect by the Score, we instead believe they are just being cautious. And not just because of Demko's uncertain status.
There are no guarantees Pettersson will rebound, even though he says his injury -- real or perceived -- is now in the past. In addition, the Canucks will be without two of their better performers from last season, in Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm.
Now don't get us wrong -- as we wrote throughout the speculation regarding their respective futures -- we wouldn't have paid Zadorov or Lindholm as much as they were asking for. At the same time though, this doesn't change the reality that both are quality players who will be missed in Vancouver.
Ultimately, we believe a power ranking of 10th is actually a good one for the Canucks, and indicitive of the overall improvement made in the franchise under general manager Patrik Allvin and head coach Rick Tocchet. Now, it's a case of going out there and continuing to prove themselves on the ice, power rankings be damned.