3 storylines for the Vancouver Canucks a month and a half into the season

Oh, the storylines never end, and you can more than say that with a straight face when you’re a good team in a competitive division. That’s the case with the Vancouver Canucks, who, despite their 9-4-3 record and 21-point total, find themselves barely clinging to a top-four spot in the Pacific heading into Sunday’s slate of games. 

Given the injuries that have hit this team hard, namely Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser, the Canucks have to navigate these harsh waters without finding themselves at 100 percent. It’s not an ideal situation and one that will have fans asking a few critical questions.

What’s going on with the goaltenders?

All eyes will soon be on Thatcher Demko as it looks like he’s nearing a return, but what about Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs? Will Silovs make the most of his remaining chances, much like he did against the Chicago Blackhawks, and find a way to stick around?

Further, Kevin Lankinin has also shown he can play admirably in relief, so would they roll, at least for the interim, with a three-goaltender rotation? It’s something I wouldn’t be opposed to if they ease Demko back in, especially if Silovs has another solid game or two.

When will the Canucks scoring prowess arrive?

Heading into Sunday’s game, the Canucks were 20th in the NHL with 51 goals scored, a far cry from where they were last season when they ultimately finished seventh with 279 goals. And if memory serves me well, they looked great earlier in the season and even encroached the top five. 

Yeah, losing Brock Boeser was beyond unfortunate, as he was on pace for 40-plus goals. So, who’s stepping up while Boeser is on the mend? J.T. Miller and Pius Suter look like the top two candidates, but what about Elias Pettersson? The latter is a name I thought could have a good chance to seriously contend for the Hart Trophy, but it hasn’t come to fruition yet. 

Is anyone on the Canucks trade radar?

If nobody wants to step up, the Canucks need to solve this problem quickly, especially if the Pacific Division remains the most competitive in hockey. Ideally, they’d find a way to bring in another top-six scorer and one from one of the league’s more ailing teams. 

Someone like Trevor Zegras or Mikael Granlund of the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, respectively, would be great. Yeah, acquiring one of the two would be divisional trades, but both teams would more than benefit here, especially if the Canucks aren’t afraid to give up a few high-end prospects.